What We Believe

We are Independent and Bible Believing Baptists

 

Our B-A-P-T-I-S-T Distinctives:

B     The Bible is our Sole Authority for Faith and Practice

  • The King James Bible is our final authority in all matters of faith and practice!  It is the Inspired, Inerrant, Preserved Word of God, it bears the absolute authority of God Himself.
    • John 1:1-4 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.”
  • No human opinion or religious decree can usurp the teachings of the Scripture.  Whatever the Bible says, we as Baptists accept as literally true.

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    • 2 Peter 1:20-21 “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”
    • 2 Timothy 3:15-17 “And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”
    • 1 Thessalonians 2:13 “For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.”
    • Psalms 12:6-7 “The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. 7 Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.”
    • Psalms 119:128 “Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way.”
    • Matthew 5:18 “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”

A     Autonomy of the Local Church

  • MRBC is not affiliated with, nor controlled by any outside organization, school, fellowship or agency. We are guided and directed, as a congregation, by our Lord Jesus Christ through His Holy Word.
    • Ephesians 4:11-16 “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.”
  • The local Church is to be self-governing under the sole rule of the Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians (As corrupt of a church as they were, Paul did not go in and make them change, he left the changing up to them and God.)

P     The Priesthood of the Believer

  • 1 Timothy 2:5-8 “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. 7 Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity. 8 I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.”
  • Hebrews 4:16 “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
  • 1 Peter 2:9 “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:”
    • As a Priesthood, the local church has come out from the world, separated unto the gospel of God, through Jesus Christ.  We now perform the work of the Priesthood, under our High Priest Jesus Christ!

T     Two Ordinances

  • We keep the ordinances as delivered to the Apostles by Jesus Christ:
    • Baptism
      • Matthew 28:18-20 “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19   Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”
      • We Baptize only those who have been saved by faith through repentance, trusting in Christ’s finished work alone, the gospel, for the salvation of their soul.  If they have a desire to follow Christ, and to be identified with this Church, and upon their public confession of this faith, we will baptism them with the authority of Jesus Christ through our Church.
        • Acts 8:35-39 “Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. 36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? 37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. 38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. 39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.”
        • Acts 2:41 “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.”
    • Lord’s Supper
      • This ordinance is given to each local church to privately observe.
        • It is patterned after the Last Supper, which the Lord had with His disciples in the closed upper room.
        • It was observed with those that were close to the personal ministry of Jesus Christ, even though one of those who was close, was lost.  It was at this event that Judas ate and drink damnation unto himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.
      • The purpose of the Lord’s Supper is to remember what Jesus did for us on the cross of Calvary, and to move us to purify ourselves prior to partaking.
        • 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 “For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: 24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. 26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.”
      • We observe the Lord’s Supper as oft as the Lord moves us to observe it.
      • The elements of the Lord’s Supper are unfermented fruit of the vine, and unleavened bread.  There is nothing mystical about these elements!  They are symbolic, to move us to remember the Lord’s broken body and shed blood.

 I     Individual Soul Liberty

  • Baptists do not use physical force to cause anyone to assent to or deny any doctrine.
    • We do not coerce anyone to worship God against their will or to refrain from worshiping God as they believe they should, unless their worship involves a practice that violates basic moral and ethical principles.
    • Baptists do not believe in using imprisonment, confiscation of property, torture or other coercive methods as punishment for rejecting Christianity.
    • We may not agree with a person’s decision on a religious matter, and that person’s beliefs may be totally wrong according to the Scriptures, but if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.
      • 1 Corinthians 14:38 “But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.”
    • We will not use any means of force to make someone think differently.
    • This does not imply that Baptists will not oppose error when they find it, and seek to persuade others to embrace the truth.
  • Each person has the God given right to interpret the Scriptures as the Holy Spirit guides him. He will personally give account of himself to God.
    • Romans 14:4 “Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.”
    • Romans 14:9-13 “For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. 10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. 12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. 13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.”

S     Saved, Baptized Church Membership

  • Salvation is by grace, through faith in the work of Christ, to include His death, burial and resurrection.
    • Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
  • “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved”
    • This belief is two fold:
      • Belief what Christ has done for you to save you from your sin.
      • Repentance, which is a willingness to turn away from your own attempts to save self, and to trust Christ completely, as your Lord and Saviour!
        • Acts 3:19 “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;”
  • Only those who are Saved, and Scriptural Baptized are permitted to join our Church.
    • Acts 2:41 “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.”

T     Two Offices, Pastor and Deacon

S     Separation of Church and State

·   The State is not set up to govern the Church. Neither is the Church set up to govern the State. They are two separate institutions with two separate purposes. Romans 13