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The Free Will Baptist Articles of
Faith
The Bible. The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were given by inspiration of God, and are our infallible rule of faith and practice. God.
There is one living and true God, revealed in nature as the
Creator, Preserver, and Righteous Governor of the universe; and
in the Scriptures as Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; yet as one God,
infinitely wise and good, whom all intelligent creatures are
supremely to love, adore, and obey.
Christ. Christ is God manifest in the flesh; in His divine
nature truly God, in His human nature truly man. The mediator
between God and man, once crucified, He is now risen and
glorified, and is our ever present Savior and
Lord.
The Holy Spirit. The Scriptures assign to the Holy Spirit all the
attributes of God.
The Government of God. God exercises a wise and benevolent
providence over all beings and all things by maintaining the
constitution and laws of nature. He also performs special acts,
not otherwise provided for, as the highest welfare of men
requires.
The Sinfulness of Man. Man was created innocent, but by disobedience
fell into a state of sin and condemnation. His posterity,
therefore, inherit a fallen nature of such tendencies that all
who come to years of accountability, sin and become guilty before
God.
The Work of Christ. The Son of God by His incarnation, life,
sufferings, death, and resurrection effected for all a redemption
from sin that is full and free, and is the ground of salvation by
faith.
The Terms of Salvation. The conditions of salvation are:
(1) Repentance or sincere sorrow for sin and hearty renunciation of it. (2) Faith or the unreserved committal of one's self to Christ as Savior and Lord with purpose to love and obey Him in all things. In the exercise of saving faith, the soul is renewed by the Holy Spirit, freed from the dominion of sin, and becomes a child of God. (3) Continuance of faith and obedience unto death. Election. God determined from the beginning to save all who
should comply with the conditions of salvation. Hence by faith in
Christ men become His elect.
Freedom of the Will. The human will is free and self-controlled,
having power to yield to the influence of the truth and the
Spirit, or to resist them and perish.
Salvation Free. God desires the salvation of all, the Gospel
invites all, the Holy Spirit strives with all, and whosoever will
may come and take of the water of life
freely.
Perseverance. All believers in Christ, who through grace persevere in
holiness to the end of life, have promise of eternal
salvation.
Gospel Ordinances. BAPTISM, or the immersion of believers in water,
and the LORD'S SUPPER, are the ordinances to be perpetuated
under the Gospel. FEET WASHING, an ordinance teaching humility,
is of universal obligation, and is to be ministered to all true
believers.
Tithing. God commanded tithes and offerings in the Old
Testament; Jesus Christ endorsed it in the Gospel (Matthew
23:23), and the apostle Paul said, "Upon the first day of
the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath
prospered him" (I Corinthians 16:2a).
The Christian Sabbath. The divine law requires that one day in seven
be set apart from secular employment's and amusements, for
rest, worship, holy works, and activities, and for personal
communion with God.
Resurrection, Judgment, and Final
Retribution. The
Scriptures teach the resurrection of all men at the last day.
Those who have done good will come forth to the resurrection of
life, and those who have done evil unto the resurrection of
damnation; then the wicked will "go away into eternal
punishment, but the righteous into life
eternal."
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