LBC STATEMENT OF FAITH

CONCERNING THE SCRIPTURES

We believe that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God, inspired not only in the parts but also the whole, and thus constitutes the all-sufficient rule of faith and practice (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:20-21).

CONCERNING GOD

We believe that there is but one living and true God (Deut. 6:4; 1 Cor. 8:4), perfect in all His attributes, eternally existing in three Persons (commonly referred to as the Trinity) - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Gen. 1:26; Matt. 28:19) - co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature.

We believe that Jesus Christ is both fully God and fully man (John 10:30; 14:9; Phil. 2:5-8). We believe in the virgin birth, the sinless perfection, the bodily resurrection and ascension into heaven of Jesus Christ, and that He now sits at the right hand of the Father as our Advocate and High Priest (Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:23-25; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Cor. 15:3-4; Acts 1:9; Rom. 8:34).

CONCERNING MAN

We believe that man was created by God in His image and likeness (Gen. 1:26). God's intention in the creation of man was that man should glorify God, enjoy God's fellowship, live his life in the will of God, and by this accomplish God's purpose for man in the world (Isa. 43:7; Col. 1:16; Rev. 4:11). But in Adam's sin of disobedience to the revealed will and Word of God, man lost his innocence, incurred the penalty of spiritual and physical death, became subject to the wrath of God, and became inherently corrupt, totally depraved, utterly incapable of choosing or doing that which is acceptable to God apart from divine grace (Rom. 5:12-21; 7:15-21).

CONCERNING SALVATION

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins and that all who believe in Him are justified on the merit of His shed blood, and not on the basis of human merit or works (John 1:12; Eph. 1:7; 2:8-10; 1 Pet. 1:18-19). Those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ are then kept by God's power and are thus secure in Christ forever (Rom. 8:31-39; Eph. 4:30; Heb. 7:25).

CONCERNING THE CHURCH

We believe that the Church is the assembly of true believers. We believe that all who place their faith in Jesus Christ are simultaneously baptized by the Holy Spirit into one united spiritual body, the church (1 Cor. 12:12-13), the bride of Christ (2 Cor. 11:2; Eph. 5:23-32; Rev. 19:7-8), of which Christ is the head (Eph. 1:22; 4:15; Col. 1:18).

We believe the church is distinct from Israel (1 Cor. 10:32), a mystery not revealed until this age (Eph. 3:1-6, 5:32).

We believe that the one supreme authority for the church is Christ (1 Cor. 11:3, Eph. 1:22; Col. 1:18) and that church leadership, gifts, order, discipline, and worship are all appointed through His sovereignty as found in the Scriptures. The biblically designated officers serving under Christ and over the assembly are elders (males, who are also called bishops, overseers, pastors, and pastor-teachers; Acts 20:28; Eph. 4:11) and deacons, both of whom must meet biblical qualifications (1 Tim. 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Pet. 5:1-5).

We believe that there were two kinds of gifts given to the early church: miraculous sign gifts of divine revelation, tongues, and healing, given temporarily in the apostolic era for the purpose of confirming the authenticity of the apostles' message (Heb. 2:3-4; 2 Cor. 12:12), and ministering gifts, given to equip believers for edifying one another. With the New Testament revelation now complete, Scripture becomes the sole test of a man's message (2 Tim. 3:17; 2 Jon 9; Jude 17). Miraculous gifts can even be counterfeited by Satan so as to deceive even believers (1 Cor. 13:13-14:12; Rev. 13:13-14). Thus, the only gifts in operation today are those non-revelatory equipping gifts given for edification (Rom. 12:6-8).

We believe that two ordinances have been committed to the local church: baptism and the Lord's Supper (Acts 2:38-42). Christian baptism by immersion (Acts 8:36-39) is the solemn and beautiful testimony of a believer showing forth his faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Savior, and his union with Him in death to sin and resurrection to new life (Rom. 6:1-11). The Lord's Supper is the commemoration and proclamation of His death until He comes, and should be always preceded by solemn self-examination (1 Cor. 11:28-32).

CONCERNING LAST THINGS

We believe in the imminence of the personal, bodily return of our Lord Jesus Christ before the seven-year tribulation (1 Thess. 4:16; Titus 2:13; Rev. 3:10) to take up His church from this earth (John 14:1-3; 1 Cor. 15:51-53; 1 Thess. 4:15-5:11).

We believe that immediately following the removal of the church from the earth (John 14:1-3; 1 Thess. 4:13-18) the righteous judgments of God will be poured out upon an unbelieving world (Jer. 30:7; Dan. 9:27; 12:1; 2 Thess. 2:7-12; Rev. 16), and that these judgments will be climaxed by the return of Christ in glory to the earth (Matt. 24:27-31; 25:31-46; 2 Thess. 2:7-12).

We believe that after this tribulation period, Christ will come to earth to establish His Messianic kingdom for a thousand years on the earth (Rev. 20:1-7), the saved will enter the eternal state of glory with God, after which the elements of this earth are to be dissolved (2 Pet. 3:10) and replaced with a new earth wherein only righteousness dwells (Eph. 5:5, Rev. 20:15, 21-22). Following this, the heavenly city will come down out of heaven (Rev. 21:2) and will be the dwelling place of the saints, where they will enjoy forever fellowship with God and one another forever (John 17:3; Rev. 21, 22).