Purpose
The purpose of this church is to promote and teach the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ; to promote missions at home and abroad; to provide such institutions, training classes, and organizations as would lead to the spiritual development of men, women and children to the end that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ might be glorified and His gospel carried to the end of the earth; and to be good stewards of Bible doctrine as defined in the Doctrinal Statement of the Glacierview Baptist Church.
Doctrinal Statement
Of the Scriptures
We believe that the Holy Bible as originally written was verbally and in every part inspired, has God as its Author, and is the product of Holy Spirit-controlled men; and therefore, Truth without any admixture of error. We believe in the literal interpretation of both Old and New Testaments.
We believe the Bible to be the true center of Christian unity, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds and opinions shall be tried.
II Tim 3:16-17
Of the True God
We believe in one God eternally existent in three persons; Father, Son and Holy Spirit; that these three Persons have the same nature, attributes and perfection.
John 1:1; Matthew 3:16-17; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Acts 5:3-4; Matthew 28:19; Titus 2:13;
John 14:16-17; John 10:30; Deuteronomy 6:4-5
Of Creation and the Fall of Man
We believe that the universe with all that is in it was created in the beginning by the Triune God; that man’s body was made from the dust of the ground and that he was created a living soul in the image of God, by a creative act of God; that the first man, Adam, fell and his original state of innocence became death, and because of the unity of the race in Adam, its natural head, all men have come under the consequences of sin, and in the case of those who reach moral responsibility, become accountable in thought, word and deed.
Genesis 1:1, 26-27; 2:2,4; 3:17-19; John 1:1-3; Romans 3:23; 5:12, 16, 18-19; 1 Corinthians 15:45-47
Of Christ
We believe in the absolute deity of the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ; that He was divine as no other man can be, being very God of very God, existing from all eternity co-equal with the Father and the Spirit; that He never ceased to be God for one instant and that His humiliation did not consist in laying aside His Deity; that as man He was miraculously begotten of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin, Mary. We believe that He is true God and true man; that He died for our sins as a substitutionary sacrifice; that He arose in the very body in which He had been crucified, that body being glorified, He ascended to heaven and is now seated on the right hand of God interceding for His redeemed people.
John 1:1-2; 20:27-31; 1 John 5:20; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-28;24:37-40; Genesis 3:5; Isaiah 7:14;
1 Corinthians 15:3-4, 13-14; Hebrews 7:24-25; 9:24
Of the Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a Divine Person with God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature; that He was active in creation; that in His relation to the unbelieving world He restrains the evil one until God’s purpose is fulfilled; that He convicts of sin, of righteousness and of judgment; that He bears witness to the truth of the gospel in preaching and testimony; that He is the agent in the new birth; that He seals, indwells every true child of God, enables, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies (sets apart), and is an ever present help to the believer.
Acts 5:3-4; Genesis 1:1-3; 2 Thessalonians 2:3-10; John 16:7-11; John 14:26; John 14:16-17; Luke 24:49; Romans 8:9, 14, 16, 26-27; Acts 4:29-31; Galatians 5:16-23; 2 Corinthians 2:11-13; John 1:13; Job 26:13; Genesis 1:1-3, 2:7; Romans 15:16; Job 33:4; Matthew 28:19; Hebrews 9:14; Luke 1:35; Acts 5:300-32;
John 3:5-6; Ephesians 1:13-14; Mark 1:8; Acts 11:16; Luke 24:49
Of Grace in the New Creation
We believe there is but one way of salvation, and that in order to be saved, a sinner must be born again; that the New Birth is a New Creation in Christ Jesus; that it is instantaneous and not a process; that in the New Birth, the one dead in trespasses and sins is made a partaker of the divine nature and receives eternal life, the free gift of God; that the New Creation is brought about in a manner above our comprehension, solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine Truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the Gospel; that its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance and faith and newness of life. We believe that through personal faith in the crucified and risen Christ, man is “justified freely from all things,” and is given the position of a child in the family of God. We believe in the eternal security of all those who place their faith in Jesus Christ as Savior. We believe 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 the Grace of God, and that no works, however good, make the salvation more secure, but rather prove its reality.
We believe that we are positionally sanctified in the sight of God when we accept Christ as our personal Savior; that progressively we are being sanctified daily; and that at our gathering together unto Him, we will be perfectly sanctified.
Acts 4:12; 16:31; John 3:3-8, 16-18; Titus 3:5-7; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 2:1-5, Ephesians 2:8-10;
John 10:27-30; Romans 8:33-39; 1 John 5:13; Romans 12:1-12
Of Satan
We believe in the distinct personality of Satan, that he is the unholy god of this age, author of all the powers of darkness and sin. We believe that the fallen angel known as Satan was originally perfect in his ways; that because of pride and opposition to God, he fell and drew with him a large number of other angels; that Satan, together with his demons, is active in opposition to God and His work; that Satan and his emissaries were defeated at the Cross of Christ.
Revelation 12:7-9; Matthew 4:1-3; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 6:11-12; 1 Thessalonians 2:8, 18; 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12; Revelation 20:1-3; Hebrews 2:13-15; Revelation 20:7-10
Of the Body of Christ
We believe that the Church universal is a New Testament institution, unknown to the Old Testament prophets, established by Jesus Christ who is its sole Head, revealed through His holy apostles, brought into being, empowered and perpetuated by the Holy Spirit. It began at Pentecost when Jesus promise of sending the Holy Spirit to indwell and empower the believer was fulfilled. It will be consummated at the Coming of Christ in the Rapture.
Matthew 16:18; John 14:16,17,26; John 15:26; John 16:7,13; Acts 1:8; 2:1-13, 41-47; Romans 16:26;
1 Corinthians 12:12-28; Ephesians 1:22-23; 3:21; 5:23-33; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
Of the Local Church
We believe that the Church universal is manifested through 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; governed by His laws; exercising the gifts, rights and privileges invested in it by His Word. We believe that its officers are Pastors and Deacons; that it has the absolute right of self-government, directed by the Holy Spirit; that it is answerable only to Christ.
It is the duty of the local church to watch over its members, to purify itself from all impurities, to build itself up in the “most Holy Faith,” and to engage zealously in evangelistic and missionary work; and to train its membership to do effective work in God’s service.
Matthew 18:15-17; 1 Corinthians 1:1-9; 6:4-5; 7:17; 11:16; 1 Timothy 3:1-15; Titus 1:4-9; Ephesians 1:19-23; 2:19-22; 3:20-21; 4:11-13; 1 Thessalonians 1:3-7; Acts 2:40-47; 13:2 Jude 20-21; Romans 6:3-11; 1 John 3:1-3; Galatians 1:1-5
Of Church Ordinances
We believe that there are two church ordinances: baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Baptism is the immersion of a believer in water and is properly called “Believer’s Baptism.” It sets forth in a solemn and beautiful way our faith in a crucified, buried and risen Savior. This identification with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection is an outward manifestation of God’s inward work of creating believers as new creations in Christ Jesus, believers being made dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus and being raised to share Jesus resurrection life. It further identifies the believer with the local body of believers. Baptism is a prerequisite to the privileges of a church relation.
The Lord’s Supper is the commemoration of our Lord’s death until He comes and our continual fellowship with Him, and should be preceded by solemn self-examination.
We do not believe that there is any saving merit in church membership, baptism, or the Lord’s Supper.
Matt. 28:19-20; Acts 2:37-41; 8:12-16, 36-38; 9:18; 10:47-48; 16:15, 31-34; 18:8; 19:5; Romans 6:3-4;
1 Corinthians 11:23-28, 12:13; Colossians 2:12; 1 Peter 3:21;
Of the Righteous and the Wicked
We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked; that only those who through faith are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and sanctified by the Spirit of God are truly righteous in God’s sight, while all who continue in their sin and unbelief are in His sight wicked and under the curse; and that this distinction holds among men both during life and after death.
Malachi 3:18; Romans 6:17-23; Matthew 25:34-41
Of the Return of Christ
We believe in the personal, visible, imminent, and premillenial return of our Lord Jesus Christ, in the bodily resurrection of all those who have died in Christ, and the gathering unto Him of all those who are alive in Christ at His coming; that He will reign on earth during the Millennium.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; John 14:1-3; Acts 1:10-11; Luke 21:36; 1 Corinthians 15:51-53; 2 Peter 2:9;
2 Thessalonians 2:1-14; Revelation 3:10; 20:1-15; 21:7-8
Statement on Marriage and Sexuality
We believe the term “marriage” has only one meaning and that marriage is sanctioned by God which joins one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture. We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to only occur between a man and a woman who are married to each other. We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity should occur outside of marriage between a man and a woman.
We believe that any form of sexual immorality, such as adultery, fornication, homosexuality, bisexual conduct, beastiality, incest, pornography or any attempt to change one’s sex, or disagreement with one’s biological sex, is sinful and offensive to God.
We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of the church as the local Body of Christ, and to provide the biblical role model to the church members and the community, it is imperative that all persons employed by the church in any capacity, or who serve as volunteers, should abide by and agree to this Statement of Marriage and Sexuality and conduct themselves accordingly.
Because we believe in the biblical teaching that marriage is between one man and one woman, marriage outside those parameters will not be performed by church ministers or on church property.
We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ.
We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity. Hateful or harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture nor the teaching of this church.
Genesis1:27; Genesis 2:24; Leviticus 18:22-23; Leviticus 20:13; Romans 1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9.