Read with Bible in hand as each article is followed by the Scriptural references from which they are derived.

WE BELIEVE...

 

That Man Has a Purpose:

We believe that a man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever!                
 

(Isaiah 43:6-7, Romans 11:36, I Peter 4:11, Revelation 4:11.  The statement above is borrowed from the first question of the Westminster Shorter Catechism).

 

In the Word of God:
We believe that the Bible is God’s written revelation to man.  It is verbally inspired in every word and absolutely inerrant in the original documents. We affirm the infallibility of Scripture, meaning that the Bible's overall message and teaching is without flaw.  We also affirm the sufficiency of Scripture, which maintains that the Bible is a reliable rule for every realm of our lives and contains the solution to all of our problems; problems which often occur when we reject that rule.

 

(Psalm 12:6, Proverbs 30:5-6, John 6:63, I Thessalonians 2:13, II Timothy 3:16-17, II Peter 1:19-21, Jude 3) 

 

In the Trinity:
We believe that there is but one living and true God, an infinite, all-knowing Spirit, perfect in all His attributes, one in essence, eternally existing in three Persons …the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit…each equally deserving worship and obedience.

 

("One living and true God": Deuteronomy 6:4-5, Isaiah, 40:12-25, Isaiah 43:10-11, I Corinthians 8:5-6. "Eternally existing in three Persons": II Corinthians 13:14, I Peter 1:2. "Father, Son, and Holy Spirit" [their union]: John 1:1-3, 14-18, John 10:30, 14:7-10, 16-18, Romans 8:9)

 

In the Deity of Jesus Christ:

We believe in the Deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, meaning that Christ was none other than God incarnate.  We also believe in Christ's virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and His personal return in power and glory.

 

(The Deity of Jesus Christ: John 1:1-3, 14-18, 10:30, 14:6-10, 20:28, Acts 20:28, Romans 3:21, 9:5, Philippians 2:5-11, I Timothy 3:16, Titus 2:13-14, Hebrews 1:1-13, I John 5:20) 

 

There is Hope for Man to be Saved:

1.  Total Depravity Necessitates Monergistic
     Regeneration:

The word "monergistic" simply means that there is one agent involved in the work of salvation.  We use this term as opposed to its opposite "synergistic" meaning that more than one party must be involved.  In his current state, man is so sinful and lost that he will never search for God on his own, much less find Him.  Therefore, man's only hope is a merciful God who monergistically accomplishes the work of salvation in its totality, without any help from the one being saved.  Sin leaves the sinner spiritually dead!  One need only visit a nearby graveyard to learn that a dead man cannot assist in his own resurrection. 

(All have sinned leaving us spiritually dead: Romans 3:10-18, 23, 8:7-8, Psalm 51:5, James 2:10. Monergistic regeneration: John 6:44, Hebrews 12:2, Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 3:19-26)

 

2.  God's Call is Effectual, Always Resulting in Regeneration & Profession:

The salvation of man is instantaneously accomplished solely by the power of the Holy Spirit through the instrumentality of the Word of God.  The Holy Spirit effectually calls sinners to Himself by regenerating the hearts of His chosen, bringing them out of a state of death and into spiritual life.  A profession of faith will ineluctably follow as the new man is indwelt by the Spirit of God.

(Regeneration: Ephesians 2:1-4, Colossians 2:13-15, II Timothy 2:25, Jeremiah 24:7, John 6:44.   A profession of faith inevitably follows regeneration: Matthew 10:32-33, Romans 10:9-10, Galatians 4:4)  

 

3.  The Atonement of Christ is Effective in Saving and Preserving His Elect:

Salvation is by grace, through faith in the finished work of Christ on the Cross.  In His atoning work, Christ took upon Himself the punishment for sin that the elect deserved, while the elect received the perfect declaration of innocence that only Christ deserved.  This atonement is based on the merit of Christ's perfect life and shed blood; not on the basis of human merit or works. All the redeemed are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever.  A great Christian teacher named Erroll Hulse illustrated this well by saying, "The baby cries because it is first born, it is not born because it first cries."  When we cry out to God it is evidence that God has already been at work in our hearts.  

(Salvation is by grace, apart from works: Ephesians 2:8-9, II Timothy 1:9, Titus 3:5. Christ died to make atonement for sin: II Corinthians 5:21, Romans 5:8, Isaiah 53, I Peter 2:24, Romans 3:24-26.  This atonement was designed for His elect: John 10:16, 17:6, 20, Hebrews 2:10-13, 10:14. The Preservation & Perseverance of the Saints: I Peter 1:5, John 6:37, 10:26-29, Hebrews 10:10-14).  


In the Spirit-Filled Life:

We believe that as the supernatural and sovereign Agent in regeneration, the Holy Spirit baptized all believers into the Body of Christ at the moment of salvation. The Holy Spirit also indwells, sanctifies, instructs, empowers them for service, and seals them unto the day of redemption.

 

(Romans 8:9-13, Galatians 5:16, 22-25, Ephesians 1:11-14, II Corinthians 3:17-18) 

In the Bodily Resurrection at Christ's Return:

We believe in one Bodily resurrection, both of the saved and the unsaved at Christ's return.  The saved will partake in the resurrection of life and the unsaved in the resurrection of damnation.
 

("The Bodily Resurrection": John 5:25-29, Daniel 12:2, I Corinthians 15:51-55, Revelation 20:11-15. "Christ's Return": Matthew 24:19-29-31, II Thessalonians 2:1-3, Revelation 1:7)

In the Body of Christ, Which is the Church:

We believe that all who put their faith in Jesus Christ are immediately placed by the Holy Spirit into one united spiritual Body, the church, of which Christ is the head. The purpose of the church is to glorify God by building its members up in the faith, by instruction of the Word, by fellowship, by keeping the ordinances, and by advancing and communicating the Gospel to the entire world. The formation of the church, the Body of Christ, began on the Day of Pentecost and will be completed at the second coming of Christ, who will return visibly, in bodily form.

 

(Romans 12:4-8, I Corinthians 12:12-26, Ephesians 1:15-23, 2:19-22, 4:11-16, I Peter 2:5-10)
 

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THE BAPTIST FAITH AND MESSAGE:
We are a proud part of the Southern Baptist Convention and wholly affirm each article of the Baptist Faith and Message. To read this statement of faith, go to the following link: http://www.sbc.net/bfm/bfm2000.asp.

 

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REFORMED THEOLOGY:

We affirm Reformed Theology, which maintains that the Protestant Reformation of the Sixteenth century was desperately needed in an age when the authority of God's word had been undermined and that it is just as desperately needed today.

 

Churches often succumb to the temptation to neglect the clear teaching of God's Word because it is often found to be offensive.  These churches give the impression of being biblical by sprinkling their messages with snippets of Scripture here and there.  Yet these verses are often wrenched so far out of context that the overall message of the Bible is exchanged for one that is entirely unbiblical.  Some of these popular, yet unbiblical                    (Memorial Wall of the Reformers in Geneva)

messages are heard in statements such as: "God's aim for you is to be
rich", or, "it is never God's will for you to be sick."                        
                                                                                                           

This message, often known as the "Health-Wealth Gospel", is sometimes effective in drawing a crowd; but it is lethal to the true presence of the Holy Spirit.  None of us wants to offend anyone.  However, the Gospel message is inherently offensive because it tells us that we are at war with God, and desperately need to make peace with God by accepting the death of His Son for the forgiveness of sins. 

 

Some popular teachers may steer clear of heresies such as the "Health-Wealth Gospel", but instead choose an even more bland approach, removing parts of the Christian message which seem offensive, such as talk of sin and the need for repentance.  However, this message is no better off because as J. I. Packer wisely quipped, "A half-truth masquerading as a whole truth becomes a complete untruth."

 

The Apostle Paul's central message was always one of reconciliation with God, against whom our sin is an offense (II Corinthians 5:19-21).  It is no wonder that people will be offended when you tell them they need to be reconciled to God when they have heard for so long that they are at perfect peace with God.  Paul didn't even try to butter his audience up before preaching this hard message.  He said, "I determined not to know anything among you save Jesus Christ and Him crucified (I Corinthians 2:2). 

 

There is a beautiful verse in the Psalms which goes, "weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning" (Psalm 30:5).  When someone accepts the Bible's message, offensive as it may be to their pride, and admits that they are a sinner, there certainly will be weeping for a time.  James 4:9 even tells us that if we ever hope to draw near to God, we must let our laughter be turned to mourning and our joy to heaviness.  However, joy and rejoicing awaits when we receive the assurance that our sins have been forgiven and that we, who were once at war with God, now have peace with God through the death of Christ on the Cross (Colossians 1:20-21, Romans 5:1). 

The Reformers affirmed five biblical principles in order to guard against exchanging the true Gospel for a false one.  These principles hold the leadership of True North Baptist Church accountable as well.  They are as follows:

Sola Scriptura: (Scripture Alone) The Scriptures alone revealed in the sixty-six books of our biblical canon are the sole authority for understanding God, man, and the way to salvation.  It is also the only infallible, practical guide to all of life (Jude 3, I Timothy 6:3-4, Galatians 1:6-9, I Timothy 1:3-4, II Timothy 3:14-17).

Solus Christus: (Christ Alone) Jesus Christ is the sole mediator between God and man. He alone is responsible for accomplishing salvation through His atoning death on the Cross.  He alone has the power to grant us a right standing before God through justification, which results from the imputation of His righteousness to sinners (I Timothy 2:5, Romans 3:19-27, 5:1-2, John 14:6).

Sola Gratia: (Grace Alone) The grace of God alone is able to regenerate our hearts, accomplishing the work of salvation by bringing our souls out of a state of death and into spiritual life (John 6:44, I Corinthians 15:10, Ephesians 2:8-9).

Sola Fide: (Faith Alone) Faith alone in Christ's perfect life and atoning death on the Cross is able to justify us and reconcile us before a holy God.  This faith is not inherent within our nature, but is a gift that only God can grant through his sovereign will (II Timothy 2:25-26, Genesis 15:8, Romans 4:4-8).

Soli Deo Gloria: (The Glory of God Alone) Everything God created was created for His glory and His pleasure alone. St. Augustine helps us understand our design as humans when he writes, "Thou hast made us for thyself, and our hearts are restless until we find rest in thee" (Romans 11:36, Revelation 4:11, Isaiah 43:

6-7).

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Martin Luther was the driving force behind the Protestant Reformation, particularly in affirming that the Bible alone was authoritative as the Word of God. He was put on trial at the city of Worms, January 22, 1521, where he was ordered to recant his writings, which were viewed as usurping the authority of the Pope and the Catholic church.

 

Standing there on trial before the Emperor, Charles V and the Pope, Luther responded with words that would drop like a bomb-shell on everyone's theological playground, "Unless I am convinced by Scripture and plain reason, I do not accept the authority of Popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other, my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe-- Here I stand. I can do no other. God help me. Amen." Everyone who heard these words knew that Luther's refusal to recant would certainly mean death.  Yet, God had other plans.  

Ironically, before the Catholic church could catch up to him, Luther's life was  spared by being kidnapped and hid in the Wartburg Castle for more than a
     (Luther as a monk, Lucas Cranach)       year.  During this time of hiding he produced one of his greatest
                                                    achievements; the translation of the New Testament into German.  Before
long, many others were emblazoned with courage to translate God's word into common tongues; getting it out of the iron fist of Papal hegemony and into the hands of the average plow boy in the field. 

 

It is historically accurate to say that it was due to the unbelievable courage of men like Luther that most of us have the privilege of reading the Bible for ourselves today.  Furthermore, the Enlightenment which followed the Reformation, largely culminated from this new voracious appetite for learning that started with the drive to grant people everywhere access to the Scriptures.
 

For more information on the life of Martin Luther, you will be greatly encouraged by Roland Bainton's biography on the life of Martin Luther, Here I Stand.  If a movie sounds more appealing than this voluminous book, you would enjoy watching the movie: Luther (MGM Studios, 2003).

I have taken great joy in writing all of the above material. However, if I have left any point unclear, you are welcome to contact me and it would be my pleasure to provide greater clarity.
-Pastor, Jeremy Blythe