SCRIPTURES
1. We believe each and every word in the Holy Bible, as originally written was verbally inspired and without error and is divinely preserved through Bible believing churches. We believe that it is the final authority in all matters, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. 2Tim 3:16; Jn 17:17; Jn 14:23
2. We believe that the Word of God, in the original languages, is indestructible and will always be with us. We believe that the King James Version is a fair and accurate translation of the preserved Hebrew and Greek texts, and so for all intents and purposes it will be the only translation used in this church by any pastor, teacher, evangelist, or LBC-supported missionary preaching both at LBC or to the English-speaking peoples abroad. Mt 5:18; 1Cor 14:33
2. We believe that the Word of God, in the original languages, is indestructible and will always be with us. We believe that the King James Version is a fair and accurate translation of the preserved Hebrew and Greek texts, and so for all intents and purposes it will be the only translation used in this church by any pastor, teacher, evangelist, or LBC-supported missionary preaching both at LBC or to the English-speaking peoples abroad. Mt 5:18; 1Cor 14:33
ESSENTIAL DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH
1. The existence of an eternal God manifested in three distinct persons…The Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit, all equal in every divine perfection. Mt 28:118-20; Acts 5:3,4; 1Cor 8:6; 1Jn 5;7; Gen 1:26
2. The Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ; existing from all eternity and co-equal with the Father and the Holy Spirit; that He never ceased from being God for one instant and that His humiliation did not consist in laying aside His Deity. Jn 1:1,14; Phil 2:6-10; Jn 10:30; 1Ti 3:16
3. That Jesus Christ was miraculously begotten of the Holy Ghost and born of the virgin Mary. Is 7:14; Mt 1:20-25; Lk 1:27
4. That God by direct act created the heavens and the earth, including all life, “each after its own kind,” and not by any process of evolution. Gen 1:1-31, Gen 2FF. We further believe that this act of creation took place in six, 24-hour days. Gen 1:5,8; Is 45:18
5. The total depravity and lost condition of all men both inherited and judicially, that is all are born with a sin nature and all have committed sin personally. 1Kgs 8:46; Pr 20:9; Eccl 7:20; Rom 5:10-19; Rom 3:23; Is 53:6
6. The vicarious atonement of Jesus Christ for the sins of mankind by the shedding of His blood on the cross. Mt 20:28; Rom 6:23; 2Co 5:14,15; Gal 2:20; Heb 10:4-14; 1Jn 1:17
7. His bodily resurrection from the tomb and His bodily ascension. Rom 8:34; Acts 1:9; Lk 24:5-7
8. That faith in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ is the only condition of salvation from sin and this salvation is wholly by grace; that no works, however good, make that salvation more secure. Eph 2:8,9; Titus 3:5-7; Rom 10:9-13
9. We believe in the distinct personality of Satan, that he is the unholy god of this age, author of all powers of darkness and sin, and is destined to an eternal justice in the lake of fire. Rev 20:10; Mt 4:1-3
10. That there are two resurrections (a) the just, and, (b) the unjust. The just to everlasting blessedness and the unjust to everlasting punishment. Rev 20:15; Jn 5:28,29
11. The personal, pre-millennial, bodily and imminent return of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Acts 1:9; 1Thess 4:13-18
12. That the speaking with other tongues as is recorded in the scriptures, was an understandable language used by different peoples, and that the gift as then given was for such a time as the early days of the church. That the Charismatic us of tongues today is without scriptural precedence and therefore unbiblical. Is 28:11; Acts 2:1-16; 1Cor 13:9,10
13. That the local church which is a congregation of immersed believers, associated by covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; exercising the gifts, rights and privileges invested in it by His Word; has the absolute right of self government directed by the Holy Spirit and is answerable only to Christ, and that in all matters of membership, polity, and government the local church is the final authority. 1Cor 1:2; 6;4,5
14. That those who are saved, should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Saviour and Lord, and that we should be separate from all religious apostasy; all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices, and associations as commanded by God. 1Jn 2:15-17; Rom 12:1,2; 2Cor 6:14; 7:1
15. We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity should be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman. We believe that any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bi-sexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery, and pornography are sinful perversions of God’s gift of sex. Gen 2:24; 19:5,13; Gen 26:8,9; Lev 18:1-30; Rom 1:26-29; 1Cor 5:1; 6:9; 1Thess 4:1-8; Heb 13;4
16. We believe that God hates divorce and intends marriage to last until one spouse dies. Divorce and re-marriage is adultery. Although divorced, or divorced and remarried persons, may hold positions of service in the Church and be greatly used of God for Christian service, they may not be considered for the office of pastor or deacon. Mal 2:14-17; Mt 19:3-12; Rom 7:1-3; 1Tim 3:2; Titus 1:6
17. We believe that human life begins at conception and that the unborn child is a living human being. Abortion constitutes the unjustified and inexcusable taking of human life and is, hence, murder. We reject any reasoning to accommodate this wicked practice (incest, rape, etc.). Job 3:16; Psalms 51:5; 139:1-16; Is 44:24; 49:1,5; Jer 1:5; 20:15-18; Lk 1:44
18. We believe that every Christian, as a steward of that portion of God’s wealth entrusted to him and is obligated to support his local church financially. We believe that God has established the tithe as a basis for giving, but, every Christian should also give offerings sacrificially and cheerfully to the support of the church, the relief of those in need, and the spread of the Gospel. We believe that a Christian relinquishes all individual or personal rights to direct the use of the tithe and/or offering once the gift has been made. Gen 14:20; Prov 3:9,10; Acts 4:34-37; 1Cor 16:2; 2Cor 9:6,7; Gal 6:6 Eph 4:28; 1Tim 5:17,18; 1Jn 3:17
19. We believe that Christians are prohibited from bringing civil lawsuits against other Christians or the church to resolve personal disputes. We believe the church possesses all the resources necessary to resolve personal disputes between members. We do believe, however, that a Christian may seek compensation for injuries from another Christian’s insurance company as long as the claim is pursued without malice or slander. 1Cor 6:1-8; Eph 4:31,32
20. We believe that God is the giver and taker of life. Therefore, we believe that Euthanasia is man interfering with God, is sin, and is equal with murder. Heb 9:27
2. The Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ; existing from all eternity and co-equal with the Father and the Holy Spirit; that He never ceased from being God for one instant and that His humiliation did not consist in laying aside His Deity. Jn 1:1,14; Phil 2:6-10; Jn 10:30; 1Ti 3:16
3. That Jesus Christ was miraculously begotten of the Holy Ghost and born of the virgin Mary. Is 7:14; Mt 1:20-25; Lk 1:27
4. That God by direct act created the heavens and the earth, including all life, “each after its own kind,” and not by any process of evolution. Gen 1:1-31, Gen 2FF. We further believe that this act of creation took place in six, 24-hour days. Gen 1:5,8; Is 45:18
5. The total depravity and lost condition of all men both inherited and judicially, that is all are born with a sin nature and all have committed sin personally. 1Kgs 8:46; Pr 20:9; Eccl 7:20; Rom 5:10-19; Rom 3:23; Is 53:6
6. The vicarious atonement of Jesus Christ for the sins of mankind by the shedding of His blood on the cross. Mt 20:28; Rom 6:23; 2Co 5:14,15; Gal 2:20; Heb 10:4-14; 1Jn 1:17
7. His bodily resurrection from the tomb and His bodily ascension. Rom 8:34; Acts 1:9; Lk 24:5-7
8. That faith in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ is the only condition of salvation from sin and this salvation is wholly by grace; that no works, however good, make that salvation more secure. Eph 2:8,9; Titus 3:5-7; Rom 10:9-13
9. We believe in the distinct personality of Satan, that he is the unholy god of this age, author of all powers of darkness and sin, and is destined to an eternal justice in the lake of fire. Rev 20:10; Mt 4:1-3
10. That there are two resurrections (a) the just, and, (b) the unjust. The just to everlasting blessedness and the unjust to everlasting punishment. Rev 20:15; Jn 5:28,29
11. The personal, pre-millennial, bodily and imminent return of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Acts 1:9; 1Thess 4:13-18
12. That the speaking with other tongues as is recorded in the scriptures, was an understandable language used by different peoples, and that the gift as then given was for such a time as the early days of the church. That the Charismatic us of tongues today is without scriptural precedence and therefore unbiblical. Is 28:11; Acts 2:1-16; 1Cor 13:9,10
13. That the local church which is a congregation of immersed believers, associated by covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; exercising the gifts, rights and privileges invested in it by His Word; has the absolute right of self government directed by the Holy Spirit and is answerable only to Christ, and that in all matters of membership, polity, and government the local church is the final authority. 1Cor 1:2; 6;4,5
14. That those who are saved, should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Saviour and Lord, and that we should be separate from all religious apostasy; all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices, and associations as commanded by God. 1Jn 2:15-17; Rom 12:1,2; 2Cor 6:14; 7:1
15. We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity should be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman. We believe that any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bi-sexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery, and pornography are sinful perversions of God’s gift of sex. Gen 2:24; 19:5,13; Gen 26:8,9; Lev 18:1-30; Rom 1:26-29; 1Cor 5:1; 6:9; 1Thess 4:1-8; Heb 13;4
16. We believe that God hates divorce and intends marriage to last until one spouse dies. Divorce and re-marriage is adultery. Although divorced, or divorced and remarried persons, may hold positions of service in the Church and be greatly used of God for Christian service, they may not be considered for the office of pastor or deacon. Mal 2:14-17; Mt 19:3-12; Rom 7:1-3; 1Tim 3:2; Titus 1:6
17. We believe that human life begins at conception and that the unborn child is a living human being. Abortion constitutes the unjustified and inexcusable taking of human life and is, hence, murder. We reject any reasoning to accommodate this wicked practice (incest, rape, etc.). Job 3:16; Psalms 51:5; 139:1-16; Is 44:24; 49:1,5; Jer 1:5; 20:15-18; Lk 1:44
18. We believe that every Christian, as a steward of that portion of God’s wealth entrusted to him and is obligated to support his local church financially. We believe that God has established the tithe as a basis for giving, but, every Christian should also give offerings sacrificially and cheerfully to the support of the church, the relief of those in need, and the spread of the Gospel. We believe that a Christian relinquishes all individual or personal rights to direct the use of the tithe and/or offering once the gift has been made. Gen 14:20; Prov 3:9,10; Acts 4:34-37; 1Cor 16:2; 2Cor 9:6,7; Gal 6:6 Eph 4:28; 1Tim 5:17,18; 1Jn 3:17
19. We believe that Christians are prohibited from bringing civil lawsuits against other Christians or the church to resolve personal disputes. We believe the church possesses all the resources necessary to resolve personal disputes between members. We do believe, however, that a Christian may seek compensation for injuries from another Christian’s insurance company as long as the claim is pursued without malice or slander. 1Cor 6:1-8; Eph 4:31,32
20. We believe that God is the giver and taker of life. Therefore, we believe that Euthanasia is man interfering with God, is sin, and is equal with murder. Heb 9:27