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1. General Statement

Seventh Day Baptists cherish liberty of thought as an essential condition for the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Therefore they have no binding creed to which members must subscribe. They hold, however, that certain beliefs and practices, have the support of Scripture and adhered to by followers of Christ through the centuries, are binding upon all Christians. Among these are the following which they hold to be fundamental.

These statements approved by Conference are passed on to the churches for such action as the Holy Spirit shall lead them to take. It is believed they will be helpful in training the children in religion, in establishing the young people in fundamentals of Christian faith, in deepening the work of God's grace in all our people, and in making these essential Christian truths known to others.

2. Polity

The Seventh Day Baptist denomination is historically, like other Baptists, congregational in polity, and desires that its churches and its members shall continue to enjoy freedom of conscience in all matters of religion. Therefore, the Statement of Belief here set forth is simply an exhibition of the views generally held by Seventh Day Baptists and is not adopted as having binding force in itself.

Matthew 18:15-20; 23:8-10; Luke 22:24-27; Acts 6:1-6; 2:44, 45; Colossians 3:15-17; 1 Peter 5:1-5.

3. Articles of Belief

I. God

We believe in God, the one personal, perfect, and eternal Spirit, Creator, and Sustainer of the universe, our Father, who manifests a holy redeeming love toward all men.

Genesis 1:1; Isaiah 25:1-9; Psalms 90:1,2; 91:2; John 4:24; 1 Timothy 1:17; John 3:16; 1 John 3:1; Ephesians 4:6.

II. Jesus Christ

We believe in Jesus Christ, God manifest in the flesh, our Savior, Teacher, and Guide, who draws to himself all men who will come to him in love and trustful obedience.

John 1:14-18; 12:32; Romans 1:3-5; Galatians 4:4-6; Ephesians 1:18-23; 1 John 3:16; 2:2.

III. The Holy Spirit

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the indwelling God, the Inspirer of Scripture, the Comforter, active in the hearts and minds and lives of men, who reproves of sin, instructs in righteousness, and empowers for witnessing and service.

John 14:26; 16:7-14; Acts 1:8; Romans 5:5; 2 Peter 1:21.

IV. The Bible

We believe that the Bible is the inspired record of God's will for man, of which Jesus Christ is the supreme interpreter; and that it is our final authority in matters of faith and conduct.

2 Timothy 3:14-17; Hebrews 1:1,2; 2 Peter 1:19,20; John 20:30,31.

V. Man

We believe that man was made in the image of God in his spiritual nature and personality, and is therefore the noblest work of creation; that he has moral responsibility, and was created for divine sonship and human fellowship, but because of disobedience he is in need of a Savior.

Genesis 1:26,27; Micah 6:8; Psalms 8:4,5; 2 Corinthians 4:15,16; Ephesians 2:4-10

VI. Sin and Salvation

We believe that sin is any want of conformity to the character and will of God, and that salvation from sin and death, through repentance and faith in Christ our Savior, is the gift of God by redeeming love, centered in the atoning death of Christ on the cross.

John 1:29; 1 John 3:4; Romans 3:23-27; Acts 2:37-39; 1 Peter 2:21-25; Ephesians 2:8.

VII. Eternal Life

We believe that Jeus rose from the dead and lives eternally with the Father, and that he will come in heavenly glory; and that because he lives, eternal life, with spiritual and glorified bodies, is the gift of God to the redeemed.

John 3:14,15; 17:1-3; 1 Corinthians 15:20-22, 42-44; 1 John 5:11; Matthew 25:31-34; Colossians 3:1-4.

VIII. The Church

We believe that the Church of God is the whole company of redeemed people gathered by the Holy Spirit into one body of which Christ is the head; and that the local church is a community of Christ's followers organized for fellowship and service, practicing and proclaiming common convictions.

Matthew 16:16-19; Colossians 1:18; 1 Corinthians 12:13,14; Ephesians 1:22,23; 2:19-22; Acts 14:23.

IX. The Sacraments

We believe that baptism of believers by immersion is a witness to the acceptance of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, and is a symbol of death to sin, a pledge to a new life in Christ. We believe that the Lord's Supper commemorates the suffering and death of the world's Redeemer, "Till he come," and is a symbol of Christian fellowship and a pledge of renewed allegiance to our risen Lord.

Matthew 3:13-17; Acts 2:37-39; Romans 6:3,4; Mark 16:16; Matthew 26:26-28; 1 Corinthians 10:16,17; 11:23-29

X. Sabbath

We believe that the Sabbath of the Bible, the seventh day of the week, is sacred time, antedating Moses and having the sanction of Jesus; that it should be faithfully kept by all Christians as a day of rest and worship, a symbol of God's presence in time, a pledge of eternal Sabbath rest.

Genesis 2:2,3; Exodus 20:8-11; Isaiah 58:13, 14; Ezekiel 20:20; Luke 4:16; Mark 2:27,28; Acts 13:42-44; Matthew 5:17-19.

XI. Evangelism

We believe that Jesus Christ by his life and ministry and his final command to the disciples, commissions us to promote evangelism, missions, and religious education, and that it is through these agencies that the church must promote Christianity throughout the whole world and in all human relationships.

Deuteronomy 6:6,7; Matthew 28:18-20; 4:19,23; Acts 5:42; 20:28-32; 1 Corinthians 4:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:12-22.

Category: source
Year: 1937