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What We Believe

 
Doctrinal Statement
Urbandale Baptist Church
 
Section I - Of the Scriptures
We believe that the Holy Bible, as originally written, was verbally inspired and the product of Spirit
controlled men, and therefore is truth without admixture of error for its matter. We believe that it is
the true center of Christian union, and the only infallible rule for all human conduct, creeds, and opinions. 
II Timothy 3:l6,l7; II Peter l:l9-2l
 
Section II - Of the True God
We believe the one true and living God is one in essence, possessing three eternal, personal distinctions
which are revealed to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, equal in every divine perfection, yet executing distinct
but harmonious offices. Exodus 20:2; I Corinthians 8:6; I Peter l:2
 
We believe that Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary; that He is
one person possessing two natures, and thus is true God and true man; that He lived a sinless life and
gave Himself as a perfect substitutionary sacrifice for the sins of all men; that He arose in the very body, though
glorified, in which He was crucified; that He ascended into heaven, where He is seated at the right hand of God,

interceding for His people, and will return to the earth in keeping with His promises. 
Matthew l:20; John l:l,2; l4:l-3; II Corinthians 5:2l Ephesians l:20
 
We believe that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Triune Godhead; that He has been, and will
continue to be active throughout eternity; that, in gracious dealing with mankind, He has inspired the
writing of the Scriptures; that He is in the world today convincing men of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment,
and that He is calling out a people for God from among the Jews and Gentiles; that He
regenerates those who believe, places them into the body of Christ, indwells them, and produces in them
the fruit of the Spirit; and that He calls individuals to Christian service, and empowers and directs them
into that service. We believe that the Holy Spirit enables, enlightens, and empowers believers, but that
the so-called "charismatic gifts" of tongues and healing are not for this age. John l6:8-ll,l3;
Romans 8:ll-l4,l6; I Corinthians l2:l3; Galatians 5:22; Ephesians 4:30
 
Section III - of the Creation
We accept the Genesis account as being an historic record of creation and believe that the universe, with
all that is in it, was created by God, not produced by some process of evolution.
Genesis l,2; John l:3; Colossians l:l6
 
Section IV - of the Spirit Realm
We believe that God created and innumerable company of sinless spirit beings known as angels; and that
many of these continued in their holy state and are the ministers of God; that Lucifer (now known as
Satan or the Devil) and many others rebelled against God; that these fallen angels, though defeated in
the cross of Christ, still continue to oppose God and His work; that they will ultimately be judged by
God and cast into the lake of fire to suffer everlasting punishment, which is their righteous due. 
Isaiah l4:l2-l5; Matthew l8:l0; Hebrews l:l4-l2:22; II Peter 2:4; Jude 6; Revelation 20:l0
 
Section V - of Man
We believe that man was originally created in the image and after the likeness of God; that through
uncoerced disobedience Adam fell from his original state, became depraved in nature, was separated
from God, and came under condemnation and the sentence of death, that because of the unity of the
human race and the natural headship of Adam, all men (Jesus Christ only excepted) are born with sin
natures and have come under the same consequences of sin. We believe that the family was the first
institution established by God. We believe that God's plan is for one man and one woman to be united
for life. Thus, all polygamy, homosexuality, and sex outside of marriage is sin. We believe that life
begins at conception, and that the unborn fetus is a living soul, and that human life is sacred. Genesis l-3;
Psalm l39:l3-l6; Jeremiah l:5; Matthew l9:5,6; Romans l:l8; l:26-28; 5:l0-2l; 6:23; I Corinthians l5:45-50.
 
Section VI - of Salvation
We believe that Salvation is all of grace through the substitutionary work of Jesus Christ who paid the
0full redemptive price, fully satisfied God's righteous demands by suffering the death penalty for man's
guilt, and imputed to man His perfect righteousness, reconciling Him to God; that Salvation is made
effective to man only upon his exercise of personal faith in the crucified and risen Christ, which faith
is not a meritorious work but possible only by the grace of God.
 
We believe that salvation includes justification, regeneration, and adoption into the family of God,
sanctification (positional, progressive, and final), and glorification: that one who is truly born again
will, by the grace of God, be kept saved forever. Romans 8:35-39; l0:9-l3; I Corinthians l5:3,4;
Galatians 2:l6; Ephesians l:7; Ephesians 2:8,9; Titus 3:5; I Peter l:5; Jude 24,25.
 
Section VII - of Sanctification
We believe that every saved person is positionally, in Christ, completely set apart for God; that in
experience the saved person retains his sin nature, which is not eradicated in this life, and thus his
present state, is no more perfect than his daily experience; that there is a progressive sanctification
wherein the saved person is to grow in grace and into Christlikeness by the unhindered power of the
Holy Spirit; that when Christ appears the saved person will be fully sanctified so that his state will
conform to his standing.
 
We believe that progressive sanctification involves separation not only from ungodly living but also
from ungodly teaching; that though we love all men and seek their salvation, there are areas
in which we cannot have fellowship with unbelievers; that, in areas of ecclesiastical fellowship, it may
be necessary to separate even from our brethren in Christ, if they in turn maintain fellowship with
unbelievers. Romans 8:26; II Corinthians 6:l4; Ephesians 2:l0; Philippians l:6; II Thessalonians 3:6;
Jude l: Hebrews l0:l0; I John 4:l
 
Section VIII - of Dispensations
We believe that the dispensations are not ways of salvation, (this has always been "by grace through
faith,") but are stewardships by which God administers His purpose on earth through man under varying
responsibilities; that changes in dispensational dealings depend upon changed situations in which man is
bound in relation to God due to man's failures and God's judgments; that though several dispensations
cover the entire history of mankind, only three of these are the subject of extended revelation in Scripture;
that these three (Mosaic Law, Grace, and Millennial Kingdom) are distinct and are not to be intermingled
or confused. Genesis 2:7-25; 3:23; 8:20; l2:l; Exodus l9:8-20; John l:l7; Ephesians l:l0.
 
Section IX - of the Church
We believe that the universal Church, which is His body, is composed of all the true believers (those who
have been born again through a personal acceptance of Christ as Savior) from Pentecost to the Rapture;
that his Church was brought into being on the day of Pentecost by the Holy Spirit's baptizing into one
body all who were believers at that time; that on the day of Pentecost and since that time others have
been and are being added to the Church as they personally accept Christ as Savior: that at the rapture
this Church will be complete and will be caught up to be united with Christ as His bride, never to be
separated from Him. Matthew 3:ll;   I Corinthians l2:3; Ephesians l-6.
 
We believe that local Churches are gatherings of professing believers in given communities, organized
for the purpose of united worship, fellowship, administration of the ordinances (baptism and Lord's
Supper) 0edification, discipline, and effective promotion of the work of Christ throughout the world;
that such local Churches should be limited in membership to those who are born again, desire to follow
Christ in 0obedience and have been immersed; that Christ is the supreme head and every member has
access to Him and is responsible to seek His will; that the only offices recognized in such New Testament
Churches are those of pastor (bishop, presbyter, elder) and deacon; that government is democratic with
every member responsible to vote in keeping with his understanding of the will of Christ; that each local
Church is responsible directly to Christ and not to some other local Church or organization; that there is
value in fellowship and cooperation with other local Churches of like convictions. 
Matthew l8:l5-l7; 28:l8-20; Acts 2:42; 8:38; I Corinthians l; 2:ll-26; 28; I Timothy 3:l-7; 8-l5
 
Section X - of Civil Government
We believe that civil government was instituted of God and is still His means of maintaining peace and
order among men; that believers here on earth are responsible in the area of civil government and should
participate in it to promote and preserve good order in human society; that civil governments and
Churches (and fellowship of Churches) are distinct from each other, must be organizationally separate
from each other, and neither must seek to control the other.
Matthew l8:l5-l7; I Timothy 2:l,3; Romans l3:l-7; Acts 4:l9,20; 5:29; Colossians 3:22-24; I Peter 2:l3-l4
 
Section X - of Things to Come
We believe that the Scriptures do foretell certain future events among which are the following:
  
Rapture of the Church; We believe that Jesus Christ will return to the atmosphere of this earth; that the
0dead in Christ will rise first; then believers who are still living will be caught up together with them to
meet the Lord in the air and to ever be with the Lord; that the Rapture is the next event on the revealed
calendar and that no prophecy need be fulfilled before it occurs.
I Corinthians l5:5l-54; I Thessalonians 4:l3-l8; Titus 2:l3
 
Tribulation: We believe that the Rapture of the Church will be followed on earth by Israel's seventieth
week that, though there will be salvation, this will be a time of great judgments
Daniel 9:26; 27; Revelation 7:4,9,l4; l3:6-l7.
 
Second Coming: We believe that, following the tribulation, Christ will return to the earth with His
glorified saints to establish the millennial kingdom; that during the l000 years of peace and prosperity
Satan will be bound and Christ will reign with a rod of iron; that at the end of the millennium Satan will
be released for a short time, deceive many and lead them in final rebellion before being destroyed with
his armies. Psalm 2; Isaiah 26:20; Daniel 9:24; l2:l,2: Revelation 20;l-l0.
 
Eternal State:  We believe that the unsaved of all ages will be resurrected, and together with the evil
angels will be finally judged and condemned to everlasting, conscious punishment in hell; that all saved
of all ages in glorified bodies will enjoy everlasting blessing in the presence of God. I Corinthians 3:l3-l5;
II Corinthians 5:l0; Revelation 20:6,7,l5; Revelation 2l:22.

Doctrinal Statement PDF