In This Section
Beliefs
Christ and Christianity
If you should die today and stand before God and He ask you why He should let you into His Heaven, what would you say? Do you not know (no guessing)? Are you really not 100% sure of where you'd be? What are you basing your eternal salvation and life on? Please continue reading and be 100% sure ...
You know, you can know! In 1st John 5:13, the Bible says, "I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life." and here is how you can know for sure. In Romans 3:10, the Bible says, "As it is written, There is no one righteous, not even one ..." and in verse 23, "For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God" That means that I'm a sinner, and my friend, Bill, is also a sinner, and that means YOU are a sinner, also. Most people do not realize the seriousness of sin. God is a holy God and ALL sin is against God.
Now, this verse shows how serious it is! In Romans 5:12, the Bible says. "Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned --" This word "death" doesn't mean just dying and going to the grave, it means separation from God forever and ever in a lake of fire. This is our punishment for our sin and a debt you owe as of right now.
But the story doesn't end there! In Romans 6:23, the Bible says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord." It's a gift; it's absolutely free! You can't buy it, work for it, go to church for it, or be good for it. It is free! It would be as if a friend went to the store and purchased you a present. He paid for it, wrapped it, put a pretty bow on it, and brought it to you. He did everything for you; all you have to do is receive it. That is what Jesus did! He left His home in Heaven, came to earth, died on the cross, shed His blood, bore our sins in His body, and paid for them. He did everything for you; all you have to do is receive it. And Romans 5:8 says He did this for us while we were yet sinners. "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Most people think they have to stop doing everything bad before God will save them. But God loves us as sinners and Christ died for us. He never did anything wrong. He left Heaven and died on the cross for you and me. When Jesus died for you, He made it possible for you to have forgiveness of sins and eternal life. But, just because Christ died for you that does not automatically save you.
Now, you know you're a sinner. You realize you're lost without Jesus in your heart. And you believe Jesus died on the cross and shed His blood for you . Then this is what you need to do. In Romans 10:9-13, the Bible says, "That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord", and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, "Everyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame". For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile -- the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, "Everyone (this means YOU!) who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Now "everyone" means you. We could put your name there, for Your name who calls on the name of the Lord and You will be saved. Do you think God would lie to you? Then, according to the Bible, if you asked Jesus into our heart right now, He would save you forever. Wouldn't you like to do this? I want to pray with you before I leave. Now, if you will trust Jesus to take you to Heaven when you die, just bow your head and close your eyes with me right now. If you mean this with all your heart, pray this prayer after me:
"Dear Jesus, forgive me of my sins and come into my heart. I trust you today, Jesus, to take me to Heaven when I die. Thank you for saving me! Amen."
Now, according to the Bible, if you were to die today, where would you go? . That's right, for in the Bible in John 3:36 it says "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; but whoever rejects the Son will not see life; for God's wrath remains on him."
After you pray to accept Christ, salvation is expressed by baptism (Romans 6:3-6) and repentance/changed living (Romans 6:14-16) and by sharing Christ with others (Romans 10:10-11) (Note: Baptism is an expression of Salvation, NOT the key to Salvation).
Okay ... now what do I do? What do I need to know?
Email us, and let us know of your decision, and we will get in contact with you. You have made the right decision, and you can look forward to being with the Lord in the future.
Brentview's Beliefs
Baptists, since their beginnings, repeatedly have composed confessions which expressed the doctrinal consensus among related churches. The purpose of their doctrinal summaries was to explain to other Christians and to the larger society what Baptists believed and practiced. Within and among Baptist churches, statements of faith also provided a standard for instruction, counsel and fellowship. These are the stated beliefs of the North American Baptist Conference of which Brentview is a Member. The basic beliefs are stated at the top of this page and then are repeated further down with scripture to back them up.
1. We believe the Bible as God's Word given by divine inspiration, the record of God's revelation of Himself to humanity, without error, the supreme authority and guide for all doctrine and conduct.
2. We believe in the one living and true God, perfect in wisdom, sovereignty, holiness, justice, mercy and love in three coequal persons who act together in creation, providence and redemption
3. We believe God created an order of spiritual beings called angels. Certain angels, called demons, through deliberate choice revolted and fell from their exalted position now tempt individuals to rebel against God. Their destiny in hell has been sealed by Christ's victory over sin and death
4. We believe God created man in His own image to have fellowship with Himself and to be steward over His creation
5. We believe salvation is redemption by Christ of the whole person from sin and death. It is offered as a free gift by God to all and must be received personally through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.
6. We believe the Church is the body of which Christ is the head and all who believe in Him are members. Each church is a self-governing body under the lordship of Christ with all members sharing responsibility. The ordinances of the church are baptism and the Lord's Supper.
7. We believe religious liberty, rooted in Scripture, is the inalienable right of all individuals to freedom of conscience with ultimate accountability to God. Church and state exist by the will of God. Each has distinctive concerns and responsibilities, free from control by the other.
8. We believe Christians, should oppose greed, selfishness and vice; and promote truth, justice and peace; and aid the needy and preserve dignity of people of all races and conditions.
9. We believe God, in His own time and in His own way, will bring all things to their appropriate end and establish the new heaven and the new earth.
We, as the North American Baptist Conference, presently feel the need to state more fully our Baptist understanding of the Christian faith. The purpose that guided us in writing and the use that we intend for this declaration are :
- to further the sense of identity and the spirit of unity within our North American Baptist Conference by declaring our common doctrinal understandings;
- to provide a basis for doctrinal instruction within our Conference;
- to provide a basis for doctrinal discussions in the hiring of Conference personnel;
- to serve as a reference point when opinions differ;
- to provide a basis for doctrinal discussion in admitting new churches and new pastors into our various associations;
- to provide a doctrinal guide for new churches; and
- to give a doctrinal witness beyond our Conference.
1. We believe the Bible as God's Word given by divine inspiration, the record of God's revelation of Himself to humanity (II Timothy 3:16). It is trustworthy, sufficient, without error - the supreme authority and guide for all doctrine and conduct (I Peter 1:23-25; John 17:17, II Timothy 3:16-17.) It is the truth by which God brings people into saving relationship with Himself and leads them to Christian maturity (John 20:31, I John 5:9-12; Matthew 4:4; I Peter 2:2).
2. We believe in the one living and true God, perfect in wisdom, sovereignty, holiness, justice, mercy and love (I Timothy 1:17; Psalm 86:15; Deuteronomy 32:3-4). He exists eternally in three coequal persons who act together in creation, providence and redemption (Genesis 1:26; I Peter 1:2; Hebrews 1:1-3).
(a) The Father reigns with providential care over all life and history in the created universe; He hears and answers prayer (I Chronicles 29:11-13; Matthew 7:11). He initiated salvation by sending His Son, and He is Father to those who by faith accept His Son as Lord and Saviour (I John 4:9-10; John 3:16; John 1:12; Acts 16:31).
(b) The Son became man, Jesus Christ, who was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary (John 1:14; Matthew 1:18). Being fully God and fully man, He revealed God through His sinless life, miracles and teaching (John 14:9; Hebrews 4:15; Matthew 4:23-24). He provided salvation through His atoning death in our place and by His bodily resurrection (I Corinthians 15:3-4; II Corinthians 5:21; Romans 4:23-25). He ascended into heaven where He rules over all creation (Philippians 2:5-11). He intercedes for all believers and dwells in them as their ever present Lord (Romans 8:34; John 14-23).
(c) The Holy Spirit inspired men to write the Scriptures (II Peter 1:21). Through this Word, He convicts individuals of their sinfulness and of the righteousness of Christ, draws them to the Savior, and bears witness to their new birth (James 1:18; John 16:7-11; I Thessalonians 1:5-6; Romans 8:16). At regeneration and conversion, the believer is baptized in the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 12:13). The Spirit indwells, seals and gives spiritual gifts to all believers for ministry in the church and society (Romans 8:9-11; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 12:5-8; I Peter 4:10). He empowers, guides, teaches, fills, sanctifies and produces the fruit of Christ likeness in all who yield to Him (Acts 4:31; Romans 8:14; I Corinthians 2:10-13; Ephesians 5:18; II Thessalonians 2:13; Galatians 5:16; 22-23).
3. We believe God created an order of spiritual beings called angels to serve Him and do His will (Psalm 148:1-5; Colossians 1:16). The Holy angels are obedient spirits ministering to the heirs of salvation and glorifying God (Hebrews 1:6-7, 13-14). Certain angels, called demons, Satan being their chief, through deliberate choice revolted and fell from their exalted position (Revelation 12:7-9). They now tempt individuals to rebel against God (I Timothy 4:1; I Peter 5:8). Their destiny in hell has been sealed by Christ's victory over sin and death (Hebrews 2:14; Revelation 20:10).
4. We believe God created man in His own image to have fellowship with Himself and to be steward over His creation (Genesis 1:26-28). As a result each person is unique, possesses dignity and is worthy of respect (Psalm 139:13-17). Through the temptation of Satan, Adam chose to disobey God; this brought sin and death to the human race and suffering to all creation (Genesis 3; Romans 5:12-21; 8:22). Therefore, everyone is born with a sinful nature and needs to be reconciled to God (Romans 3:9-18,23). Satan tempts people to rebel against God, even those who love Him (Ephesians 4:27; II Corinthians 2:11, Matthew 16:23). Nonetheless, everyone is personally responsible to God for thoughts, actions and beliefs and has the right to approach Him directly through Jesus Christ, the only mediator (Romans 14:12; I Timothy 2:5).
5. We believe salvation is redemption by Christ of the whole person from sin and death (II Timothy 1:9-10; I Thessalonians 5:23). It is offered as a free gift by God to all and must be received personally through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ (I Timothy 2:4; Ephesians 2:8-9; Acts 20:21). An individual is united to Christ by the regeneration of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 2:20; Colossians 1:27). As a child of God, the believer is acquitted of all guilt and brought into a new relationship of peace (Romans 5:1). Christians grow as the Holy Spirit enables them to understand and obey the Word of God (II Peter 3:18; Ephesians 4:15; I Thessalonians 3:12).
6. We believe the Church is the body of which Christ is the head and all who believe in Him are members (Ephesians 1:22-23; Romans 12:4-5). Christians are commanded to be baptized upon profession of faith and to unite with a local church for mutual encouragement and growth in discipleship through worship, nurture, service and the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world (Acts 2:41-42, 47; Luke 24:45-48). Each church is a self-governing body under the lordship of Christ with all members sharing responsibility (Acts 13:1-3; 14:26-28). The form of government is understood to be congregational (Matthew 18:17; Acts 6:3-6; 15:22-23).
The ordinances of the church are baptism and the Lord's Supper. Baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:18-20). It is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer's identification with the death, burial and resurrection of the Savior Jesus Christ (Romans 6:3-5). The Lord's Supper is the partaking of the bread and of the cup by believers together as a continuing memorial of the broken body and shed blood of Christ. It is an act of thankful dedication to Him and serves to unite His people until He returns (I Corinthians 11:23-26).
To express unity in Christ, local churches form associations and a conference for mutual counsel, fellowship and a more effective fulfillment of Christ's commission (Acts 15; I Corinthians 6:1-3).
7. We believe religious liberty, rooted in Scripture, is the inalienable right of all individuals to freedom of conscience with ultimate accountability to God (Genesis 1:27; John 8:32; II Corinthians 3:17; Romans 8:21; Acts 5:29). Church and state exist by the will of God. Each has distinctive concerns and responsibilities, free from control by the other (Matthew 22:21). Christians should pray for civil leaders, and obey and support government in matters not contrary to Scripture (I Timothy 2:1-4; Romans 13:1-7; I Peter 2:13-16). The state should guarantee religious liberty to all persons and groups regardless of their religious preferences, consistent with the common good.
8. We believe Christians, individually and collectively, are salt and light in society (Matthew 5:13-16). In a Christ like spirit, they oppose greed, selfishness and vice; they promote truth justice and peace; they aid the needy and preserve dignity of people of all races and conditions (Hebrews 13:5; Luke 9:23; Titus 2:12; Philippians 4:8-9; I John 3:16-17; James 2:1-4
We affirm the family as the basic unit of society and seek to preserve its integrity and stability (Genesis 2:21-25; Ephesians 6:1-4).
9. We believe God, in His own time and in His own way, will bring all things to their appropriate end and establish the new heaven and the new earth (Ephesians 1:9-10, Revelation 21:1). The certain hope of the Christian is that Jesus Christ will return to the earth suddenly, personally and visibly in glory according to His promise (Titus 2:13; Revelation 1:7; 3:11; John 14:1-3). The dead will be raised, and Christ will judge mankind in righteousness (John 5:28-29). The unrighteous will be consigned to the everlasting punishment prepared for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25-41, 46; Revelation 20:10). The righteous, in their resurrected and glorified bodies, will receive their reward and dwell forever with the Lord (Philippians 3:20-21; II Corinthians 5:10; I Thessalonians 4:13-18).
Adopted by the North American Baptist Conference delegates, August 10-15, 1982, at Niagara Falls, New York.