Fairfax Baptist Temple Declaration of Faith

Section A. The Scriptures: We believe in the verbal plenary inspiration of the Scriptures (both the Old and New Testaments) and that “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God” (II Timothy 3:16). We believe that the original autographs were written without error because of the work of the Holy Spirit as He moved each man to record the words of God (II Peter 1:20, 21). We believe that God has supernaturally superintended the preservation of His Word through the years. We use the King James Version of the Bible for all English language preaching and teaching because we believe it to be the best of the English language translations. Services of the Church that are conducted in other than the English language will use a version of the Bible appropriate to that language and that is based on the family of manuscripts used for the English King James Version of the Bible.

Section B. God: We believe in one God with three eternal distinctions: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. They are of the same essence (John 4:24) but separate in personalities (Matthew 3:16, 17; Matthew 28:19, 20; II Corinthians 13:14).

Section C. Jesus Christ: We believe that Jesus Christ is God (John 10:30; 20:31) and that He is eternal (John 1:1, 2). We believe that when Jesus Christ came to take on the form of man (Philippians 2:6-8) that He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:22, 23). We believe that He lived a sinless life (II Corinthians 5:21) and that He provided that necessary atonement for our sins vicariously by the “sacrifice of Himself” (Isaiah 53:4-6; Hebrews 9:26; I Corinthians 15:3). And, we believe that after He died and was buried that “He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures” (I Corinthians 15:4).

Section D. Holy Spirit: We believe that the Holy Spirit is God and indwells every believer (I Corinthians 6:19; Romans 8:9). We believe that the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment (John 16:8); that He is active in the new birth (John 3:5, 6); that He testifies of Christ (John 15:26); that He seals the believer unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30); and, that He makes intercession for believers (Romans 8:26).

We believe that it is essential for man to be filled with the Spirit—or controlled by the Spirit—(Ephesians 5:18) by keeping sin confessed and walking in the light (I John 1:6, 7). We believe that being filled with the Spirit is not the same as speaking in tongues, which is a sign gift that is not extant for believers today.

Section E. Satan: We believe that Satan is a real and personable being who is void of truth (John 8:44). We believe also that he is the god of this world (II Corinthians 4:4) who has blinded the eyes of them which believe not (Acts 26:18) and that he is in constant battle against Christians (Ephesians 6:11, 12).

Section F. Creation: We believe in and accept by faith (Hebrews 11:3) the Genesis account of creation (Genesis 1:1, 2). We believe that God created all things (Colossians 1:16) including man. Our belief in creation discounts all hypotheses of evolution.

Section G. Hell: We believe in a literal hell of everlasting fire (Matthew 25:41), everlasting destruction (II Thessalonians 1:9), and everlasting punishment (Matthew 25:46).

Section H. Heaven: We believe in a literal heaven where Jesus is today preparing a place for His believers (John 14:1, 2). We believe that only those who have been saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ will be able to enter into heaven (Matthew 7:13, 14).

Section I. Fall of Man: We believe that God created a man in innocence. By willful disobedience that man sinned (Romans 5:12, 19) and because of this everyone is a sinner (Romans 3:10, 23) with an inherited sinful nature (Psalm 51:5). Therefore, all men are under just condemnation (John 3:19) without defense or excuse (Romans 5:16-18).

Section J. Salvation: We believe that salvation is of the Lord (Philippians 1:6) on the merit of the shed blood of Jesus Christ (Romans 3:24, 26). Salvation is a free gift (Ephesians 2:8, 9; Romans 6:23) which excludes any possible merit on the basis of works (Ephesians 2:8, 9; II Timothy 1:9; Titus 3:5). We believe that the two essential doctrines that must be present in every lost person that wants to be saved are repentance (Acts 2:38) and faith (Acts 16:31; Romans 10:9, 10). We also believe that once a person has been saved that there is no chance of his ever going to hell and that he is eternally secure in Christ (John 3:16, 36; I John 5:11-13).

Section K. Church: We believe that the local church is a group of professing believers in Christ, Scripturally baptized by immersion after salvation, who unite and regularly assemble together to serve Christ (Matthew 28:19, 20). From this same commission, the Church also has the responsibility of teaching, evangelizing, and baptizing. The local church should also provide fellowship and worship and prayer.

Section L. Ordinances:

1. Lord’s Supper: We believe that the Lord’s Supper symbolizes the Lord’s death (I Corinthians 11:26). We believe that the elements used to symbolize His blood and body should be grape juice and crackers or bread. 
2. Baptism: We believe that baptism is a symbol of the believer’s identification with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection (Romans 6:4, 5) and joins the believer to the local church administering the ordinance. We believe that the only Scriptural mode of baptism is by immersion in water by authority of the local church.

Section M. Lord’s Second Coming: We believe in the imminent, pre-millennial, pre-tribulational, and bodily (Acts 1:11) return of Jesus Christ (Matthew 24:42, 44) at which time the church, existing for the first time as the general assembly (Hebrews 12:23), will meet Him in the air (I Thessalonians 4:16-18).