The Baptist Church of Perry

Confession of Faith

The Word of God

We believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the inspired Word of God, inerrant

in the original writings, complete as the revelation of God’s will for salvation, and the supreme

and final authority in all matters to which they speak.

The Trinity

We believe in one God, creator and sustainer of all things, eternally existing in three persons;

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They are equal in every divine attribute, and They execute distinct

but harmonious offices in the work of creation, providence, and redemption.

God the Father

We believe in God the Father, an infinite, personal spirit, perfect in holiness, justice, wisdom,

power, and love. We believe He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men, that He hears

and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and death all who believe on Him through Jesus

Christ.

Jesus Christ

We believe that Jesus Christ is God’s eternal Son, and has precisely the same nature and

attributes as God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. We believe further that He is not only fully

God, but fully man, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. We also believe

in His sinless life, His substitutionary death on the cross, His bodily resurrection from the dead,

His ascension into heaven, His priestly intercession on behalf of His people, and His visible

return from heaven.

Holy Spirit

We believe in the Holy Spirit and His work to convict, sanctify, teach, and live in us with power,

to the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. He leads us into righteousness, peace, and joy as we await

our inheritance as children of God. We believe He has gifted every believer as He wills for the

benefit of the Church.

Man

We believe God created man, male and female, in the image of God and free from sin. We

further believe that because of the sin of Adam, man is a sinner by nature and choice and is

therefore spiritually dead. We also believe that the Holy Spirit regenerates those who repent of

sin and trust Jesus Christ as Savior.

Salvation

We believe that salvation is purposed by God through His sovereign grace, was purchased by

Christ on the cross, is sealed by the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption, and is received by

man through faith in Jesus Christ apart from any human merit, works, or ritual. God’s purpose in

salvation is that we might delight in his glory. We further believe salvation results in righteous

living, good works, social concern, and the certainty of eternal life.

The Church

We believe that the Church is the spiritual body of which Christ is the head. We believe that the

true Church is composed of all persons who, through saving faith in Jesus Christ, have been

baptized and regenerated by the Holy Spirit. We believe that this body manifests itself in local

assemblies whose members have associated themselves for worship, for instruction, for

evangelism, and for service. Ordinances of this local church are believers’ baptism by

immersion and the Lord’s Supper. We also believe in the interdependence of local churches and

the mutual submission of believers to each other in love.

The Place of Government

We believe that the Church is under the authority of Christ alone. We shall comply with the

laws of our government as long as they do not restrict our worship and obedience to God. We

shall be free from all control by religious entities outside of our local church.

Christian Conduct

We believe that the supreme passion of every believer will be to glorify God in his life, that his

conduct should be blameless before the world, that he should be a faithful steward of his

possessions, and that he should seek to realize for himself the full stature of maturity in Christ.

Last Things

We believe in the bodily resurrection of the saved and lost, the eternal existence of all men either

in heaven or hell, and in divine judgments, rewards, and punishments.