GOSPEL
In the simplest of terms, the Gospel is “Good News”. But, what exactly is the Good News that we proclaim at Salem First Baptist Church? Knowing the answer to this question is vital, because it holds the key to experiencing a life-transforming relationship with Jesus Christ!
Hear about the Good News from one of our pastors:
1 Corinthians 15:1-4 provides a good summary of the gospel:
"Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures."
THE GOSPEL
The Gospel is Good News because Christ’s death on the cross and His resurrection from the dead provides the only means by which mankind can be delivered from the power and penalty of sin. Sin is like a spiritual cancer that infects all of us, and the condition is fatal because it separates us from a Holy God.
Many people want to know what they must “do” in order to bridge the distance that exists between them and God, but no amount of good works or human effort will ever be enough to earn salvation. But there is hope, because Jesus has already done the work for us! Because God loves you, He sent His son to die on the cross so that you might have an “antidote” to save you from the deadly condition of your spiritual cancer. Jesus died on the cross so that we wouldn’t have to.
In Christ’s death on the cross, we see God dealing righteously with sin. His death provided everything that was needed in order to bridge the gap that was created by the sins of mankind…including yours! You cannot work your way to heaven, but because of Christ’s work on the cross, you can experience forgiveness that is found in Him alone. His grace is greater than any sin you may have committed. God’s free gift of salvation is available by God’s grace alone, though faith alone in Jesus Christ alone. The Bible teaches that anyone who puts their trust in Jesus Christ as their Savior will be saved! This is Good News!
BELIEFS
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 authority in all matters to which they speak.
II Tim 3:15; II Pet 1:20-21; II Tim 1:13; Ps 12:6,119:105: Prov 30:5
THE
TRINITY
We believe in one God, Creator and Sustainer of all things, eternally existing in three persons- Father, Son and Holy Spirit; that these are equal in every divine perfection and that 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, 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 come to Him through Jesus Christ.
Gen 12:1; Ps 90:2; Mt 28:19; I Ptr 1:2; II Cor 13:14
JESUS
CHRIST
We believe that Jesus Christ is God's eternal Son, and has precisely the same nature, attributes and perfections as God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. We believe further that He is not only true God, but true man, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. We also believe in His sinless life, His substitutionary atonement, His bodily resurrection from the dead, His ascension into Heaven, His priestly intercession on behalf of His people, and His personal visible, premillennial and imminent return from Heaven.
Mt 1:22-23; Isa 9:6; Jn 1:1-5; 14:10-30; Heb 4:14-15;
I Cor 15:3-4; Rom 1:3-4; Acts 1:9-11; I Tim 6:14-15; Tit 2:13
HOLY
SPIRIT
We believe in the Holy Spirit, His personality, and His work in regeneration, sanctification and preservation. His ministry is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ, to implement Christ's work of redeeming the lost and to empower the believer for godly living and service.
II Cor 3:17; Jn 16:7-13, 14:16-17; Acts 1:8;
I Cor 2:12, 3:16; Eph 1:13; Gal 5:25; Eph 5:18
MAN
We believe God created man--male and female--in the image of God and free from sin. We further believe that man became and is now 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.
Gen 1:27; Ps 8:3-6; Isa 53:6a; Rom 3:23; Isa 59:1-2
SALVATION
We believe in salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. We further believe that this salvation is based upon the sovereign grace of God and was purchased by Christ on the cross, and is received by man through faith, apart from any human merit, works or ritual. We further believe salvation results in righteous living, good works and proper social concern. We believe on the basis of John, Chapter 10 and Romans, Chapter 8, that this salvation once experienced by the individual is eternally secure.
Rom 6:23; Eph 2:8-9; Jn 14:6, 1:12; Tit 3:5; Gal 3:26; Rom 5:1
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 regenerated by the Holy Spirit. We believe that this body expresses itself in local assemblies whose members have been immersed upon a credible confession of faith and have associated themselves for worship, for instruction, for evangelism and for service. We believe that the two ordinances of the local church are believer's baptism by immersion and the Lord's Supper.
SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE
We believe that each local church is self-governing in function and must be free from
interference by any ecclesiastical or political authority. We further believe that every
human being is directly responsible to God in matters of faith and life and that each
should be free to worship God according to the dictates of his conscience.
CHRISTIAN
CONDUCT
We believe that the supreme task of every believer is 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.
I Cor 3:9-15; II Cor 5:9-11
LAST THINGS
We believe in the bodily resurrection of the saved and the lost, the eternal existence of all men in Heaven or Hell, in divine judgments, rewards and punishments.
Jn 3:16, 14:17; Rom 6:23, 8:17-18; Rev 20:15; I Cor 2:7-9