Tabernacle Baptist Church - New Britain, CT

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Beliefs

  1. SCRIPTURES: We believe the Holy Bible is the Word of God, is inspired and has been preserved by God in the Masoretic Text and the Textus Receptus. Since the KJV is the only English translation that comes from these texts, we preach and teach from the KJV and it is all that we use in our services. This is our final authority in all matters of faith and practice. (II Timothy 3:16,17)
  2. TRUE GOD: We believe that there is one – and only one God – living and true God, and infinite, intelligent Spirit, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of all heaven and Earth. That in the Godhead there are three persons God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19,20)
  3. JESUS CHRIST: We believe that Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God, which is to say that He is very God manifested in the flesh; conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the virgin Mary; He died upon the cross as a substitutionary sacrifice for the sin of the world. He arose from the dead after 3 days and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God where He maketh intercession for the saints. (John 1:1: John 8:46)
  4. THE HOLY SPIRIT: We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person, equal with God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature; He bears witness to the truth and that HE convicts the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgement and HE comforts, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies and helps the child of God. (John 7:38,39; John 14:16,17)
  5. THE DEVIL OR SATAN: We believe that Satan was once holy and enjoyed heavenly honors; but through pride and ambition to be as the Almighty, fell and drew after him a host of angels; that he is now the malignant prince of the power of the air, and the unholy god of this world. His final resting place will be an eternal judgement in the lake of fire, a place prepared for him and his angels. (Isaiah 14:12-14; Ezekiel 28:12-19)
  6. THE CREATION: We believe in the Genesis account of creation, and that it is to be accepted literally – not allegorically or figuratively; that man was created directly in God\’s own image and after His own likeness. AND that evolution of any kind had NO part in that process. (Genesis 1:26)
  7. THE FALL OF MAN: We believe that man was created in innocence under the law of His maker but by voluntary tansgression fell from his sinless and happy state; in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners – not by constraint, but by CHOICE; and, therefore, are under just condemnation without defense or excuse. (Romans 5:12; Ephesians 2:1-5)
  8. THE VIRGIN BIRTH: We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten of the Holy Spirit in a miraculous manner, was born of Mary, a virgin, as no other man was ever born or can ever be born of woman, and is born the Son of God and God the Son. (Isaiah 7:14; Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 1:26)
  9. THE ATONEMENT FOR SIN: We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of Grace through the mediatorial offices of the Son of God, Who, by appointment of the Father, freely took upon Himself our nature, yet with-out sin; honored the divine law by His personal obedience; and, by His death and shed blood, made a full, vicarious atonement for our sins; that His atonement consisted not in setting us an example by His death as a martyr, but was the voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner\’s place — the just dying for the unjust. (Acts 16:31; Romans 4:1-5; Ephesians 2:8,9)
  10. GRACE IN THE NEW CREATION: We believe that, in order to be saved, sinners must be born again; that the new birth is a new creation in Jesus Christ; that it is instantaneous and not a process; that in the new birth the one dead in trespasses and in sins is made a partaker of the divine nature and receives eternal life, the free gift fo God. (John 3:3-8; Acts 20:21)
  11. THE FREENESS OF SALVATION: We believe in God\’s electing grace; that the blessings of salvation are made free to all by the Gospel; It is free and open to all who believe and those who do not believe are condemned already. (Romans 10:13; John 3:36)
  12. JUSTIFICATION: We believe that the great Gospel which Christ secures to such as believe in Him is justification; that justification includes the pardon of sin and the gift of eternal life on principles of righteousness; that it is bestowed not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done; that solely through faith in the Redeemer\’s blood, His righteousness is imputed to us. (Romans 5:1)
  13. REPENTANCE AND FAITH: We believe that repentance and faith are solemn obligations (as well as inseparable grace) wrought in our souls by the quickening Spirit of God; thereby, being deeply convicted of our guilt, danger and helplessness, and assured of the way of salvation by Christ, we turn to God with unfeigned contrition, confession and supplication for mercy; at the same time heartily receiving the Lord Jesus Christ and openly confessing Him as our only and all-sufficient Savior.(Luke 13:3-5; Romans 5:1-9)
  14. THE CHURCH: We believe the church of Christ is a congregation of baptized believers associated by a covenant of faith and fellowship in the Gospel – observing the ordinances of Christ, governed by His laws, and exercising the gifts, rights and privileges invested in it by His word. IT IS the institution that God uses in these last days to reach a lost and dying world with the Gospel. (Matthew 16:18)
  15. BAPTISM AND THE LORD\’S SUPPER: We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion in water of a believer in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, with the authority of the local church. That the church is the custodian of the two ordinances: baptism and the Lord\’s supper. That there is NO saving efficacy in either. Believers Baptism is a step of obedience and identification and that the Lord\’s supper as often as it\’s done is a solemn reminder of our faith in the Lord Jesus and preserves our fellowship with him, preceded always by careful self-examination. (I Corinthians 11:23-34)
  16. THE PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS: We believe that such only are believers as endure unto the end; that their preserving attachment to Christ is the grand mark which distinguishes them from superficial professors; that a special Providence watches over their welfare; and that they are kept by the power of God through faith unto eternal salvation. (Romans 8:35-39)
  17. THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED: We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked; that such only as through faith are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and sanctified by the Spirit of our God are truly righteous in His esteem; while all such as continue in impenitence and un-belief are in His sight wicked and under the curse. This is held in the everlasting felicity of the saved, and the everlasting, conscious suffering of the lost. ( I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 20:11-15)
  18. CIVIL GOVERNMENT: We believe that civil government is of divine appointment for the interests and good order of human society; that magistrates are to be prayed for and conscientiously honored and obeyed, except only in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the only Lord of the conscience and the coming Lord of lords and King of kings. (Romans 13; II Timothy 2:1-5)
  19. THE RESURRECTION AND RETURN OF CHRIST AND RELATED EVENTS: We believe in and accept the sacred Scriptures upon these subjects at their face and full value; That Christ shall come again and receive His saints unto Himself, the dead in Christ shall rise first and then those that are alive and remain shall be caught up together — and so shall we EVER be with the Lord. This is the rapture. He will come again, and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David, and that Christ shall reign a thousand years in righteousness until He hath put all enemies under his feet. (I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Acts 1:10,11; Luke 1:31-33)
  20. MISSIONS: We believe that the command to give the Gospel to the world is clear and unmistakable, and this commission was given to His church. (Matthew 28:19,20; Acts 1:8)
  21. THE GRACE OF GIVING: We believe that God\’s method of financing His earthly work of spreading the Gospel to all nations, the care of the churches, and the support of the ministry, is by tithes and offerings of His people. That they are to be given to the Lord through His church – the storehouse. (Malachi 3:10,11)
  22. HEAVEN: We believe in a literal Heaven where Jesus is today preparing a place for His believers. Only those who have received Him as their Savior and Sacrifice will be able to enter Heaven. It is a prepared place for a prepared people. It is God\’s throne. It is the dwelling place of the righteous. It is the place from which the wicked are excluded. (John 14:1,2; Matthew 25:46)
  23. HELL: We believe in a literal Hell of everlasting fire. Everlasting destruction, everlasting punishment. Those who do not accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and reject His sacrifice of sin will spend Eternity in a literal place called Hell that was prepared for the Devil and his angels. The most alarming fact ought to be that it is a total and eternal separation from a Holy God and there is NO second chance. THIS is the final and eternal state of the wicked after the resurrection and the last judgement. (Luke 16:19-31; Revelation 20:9,10)