OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE BELIEVE
Arbor Baptist Church is an independent, fundamental, Baptist Church. We are dispensational, pre-millenial, non-charismatic, and non-Calvinistic in our beliefs. We practice ecclesiastical and personal separation, i.e., holiness. We use the King James Version of the Bible and also reference the original Greek and Hebrew. We use traditional music and congregational hymns. We believe that salvation is by faith and, just as importantly, sanctification is also by faith. We practice personal soul-winning, including door-to-door calling, and supporting missionaries throughout the world to reach people with the Gospel.
OUR STATEMENT OF FAITH
1. That the Bible is the inerrant, verbally inspired Word of God, equally in all parts without error in its origin. II Tim. 3:16,17; II Peter 1:19-21.
2. That there is one true God, eternally existing in three persons–Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Deut. 6:4; Isaiah 42:8; John 10:30; Matt. 28:19.
3. That Jesus Christ is truly God and truly man. He was virgin born, lived a sinless life, died for our sins and rose again bodily. His personal return is imminent. John 1:1,14; Luke 1:26-38; Phil. 2:5-11; I Tim. 2:5,6; John 14:1-3; I Thess. 4:13-18; II Thess. 1:7-9.
4. That the Holy Spirit is a person who baptizes and indwells all true believers. He also empowers those believers who are yielded to God. John 14:26; I Cor. 12:13, 6:19; Eph. 5:18.
5. That man was created by the direct act of God; and that man deliberately sinned against his Creator and is therefore a sinner by nature and by choice. Gen. 1:26,27; Rom. 5:12.
6. That salvation has been provided for all by Christ’s shed blood and substitutionary death on the cross. I Cor. 15:1-4; I John 2:2; I Tim. 2:6; II Cor. 5:18-21.
7. That sinners are saved (born again, justified) by grace through faith in Christ alone, plus or minus nothing; and receive the free gift of eternal life. Eph. 2:8,9; John 14:6; Acts 4:12; I Tim. 2:5; Acts 16:31; Rom. 6:23; John 10:28-30; Rom. 8:35-39; I John 5:11-13.
8. That believers in Christ are to be careful to maintain good works, and keep themselves unspotted from the world. Titus 3:8; James 1:22, 27.
9. That Satan (the Devil) is actively opposing God and the people of God; but is doomed to eternal punishment in the Lake of Fire. I Peter 5:8; Matt. 25:41; Rev. 20:10.
10. That all who reject Christ will be in Hell and the Lake of Fire forever in the conscious torment of literal fire. Psalm 9:17; Luke 16:19-31; Rev. 20:11-15.
11. That God is sovereign in the bestowment of all His gifts; and that the gifts of evangelists and pastor/teachers are sufficient for the perfecting of the saints today, and that speaking in tongues and the working of sign miracles gradually ceased as the New Testament Scriptures were completed and their authority became established. I Cor. 12:11; Eph. 4:8,11-16; I Cor. 13:8-12.
12. That God has ordained the local church for the perpetuation of His truth and the witnessing of His saving grace through the ministry of the Holy Spirit by personal soul winning to fulfill the Great Commission. I Tim. 3:15; II Tim. 2:2; Matt. 28:19,20.