We believe that the Bible, is the word of God, verbally inspired and inerrant, in the original manuscripts. It is the sufficient and only source for our faith and teaching. (2 Timothy 3.16; 2 Peter 1.20-21; Acts 20.32.) Only English versions of the Bible that translate God’s word as literally and as accurately as possible from the original languages, including the King James Version, the New King James Version, the New American Standard Version, and the English Standard Version are acceptable for preaching and teaching. Versions which claim to be “gender sensitive” and paraphrases are not acceptable for such use.
We believe in the one true God, perfect in all His attributes, one in essence, eternally existing in three Persons–Father, Son, and Holy Spirit–each equally deserving worship and obedience. (Genesis 1.1-2, 26; Exodus 20.2-3; Deuteronomy 6.14; Isaiah 45.5-7; John 1.1,3, 14; Matthew 28.19; 2 Corinthians 13.14; Ephesians 4.5-6.)
We believe God the Father is an infinite, personal spirit Who infallibly foreknows all that shall come to pass and Who providentially concerns Himself in the affairs of men and who has determined to save His people from their sin through His Son. (Isaiah 14.24; 46.9-10; Matthew 23.9; John 3.16; 4.24; Romans 1.19-20; 11.33-36; 1 Tim 2.5-6; 1 Peter 1.3).
We believe Jesus Christ is the virgin-born Son of God, God incarnate and perfect man. He came into the world to reveal the Father, redeem men, and rule over God's kingdom. Jesus Christ died for our sins, was resurrected bodily from the grave, ascended to Heaven and is at the right hand of the Father interceding for Christians. (Psalm 2.7-9; Isaiah 7.14; 9.6; Matthew 1.25; Luke 1.26-35; John 1.14; 3.16; Romans 5.8; 6.23; 2 Corinthians 5.21; Philippians 2.5-8; Hebrews 1.3; 7.26; 10.12.)
We believe the Holy Spirit is equal in eternity and power with God the Father and God the Son. He indwells, sanctifies, instructs, and empowers Christians as well as sealing them unto the day of redemption. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are sovereignly given to individual believers according to His will. The Holy Spirit convicts men of their sin and testifies of Jesus Christ. (Matthew 28.19; John 15.26-27; 16.8; Acts 5.3-4; Romans 8.9; 1 Corinthians 3.16; 6.19; 12.7, 11; Galatians 5.22-26.)
We believe man was created by God with the intention that he should glorify God, enjoy His fellowship, and live forever in His will. Adam’s sin resulted in the fall of the human race and in the radical congenital depravity of all mankind. (Genesis 1.26-28; 1.15-25; 2.17; 3.1-19; Psalm 51.5; 58.3; John 3.36; Romans 3.23; 5.9, 12; 1 Corinthians 2.14; Ephesians 2.1-3.)
We believe the salvation of man is accomplished by the power of the Holy Spirit through the word of God when a person, enabled by the Holy Spirit, responds in repentant faith. Salvation is wholly of God by grace on the basis of the vicarious, redeeming work of Jesus Christ alone. All the redeemed are kept by God's power and are secure in Christ forever. (John 3.16, 18, 36; 10.27-29; Acts 11.18; 16.31; Romans 10.9-13; 1 Corinthians 15.1-4; Ephesians 2.8-9; Titus 3.3-7; 1 Peter 1.18-19; 2.24; 1 John 5.13.)
We believe in the literal, bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and his ascension into Heaven, as our High Priest and Advocate before the Father. (Acts 1.9-11; Hebrews 2.17; 7.25).
We believe all who put their faith in Jesus Christ are part of one spiritual Body, the church, of which Christ is the head. The local church, representing this Body, is an autonomous congregation composed of individual believers associated for the propagation of the faith, the administration of the ordinances, equipping for ministry, mutual edification, and reproof and discipline of individual members. (Matthew 16.18; 28.19-20; Acts 2.1-21, 38-47; Acts 20.28; Ephesians 1.22; 2.11-22; 4.11, 15; Colossians 1.18.)
We believe in the personal and visible return of Jesus Christ, the establishment of His Kingdom in its fulness and in the resurrection of the body for the judgment of believers and unbelievers. The righteous will enjoy eternal felicity in the presence of God while the wicked will suffer eternal punishment in the lake of fire. (Matthew 24 and 25; John 14.1-3; Acts 1.11; Romans 11.1-27; 1 Corinthians 15.51-52; 1 Thessalonians 4.16-17; Titus 2.13-14; Revelation 19.11-22.9.)
We believe in the reality of Satan and demons and in their certain judgment (Matthew 25.41; Revelation 14.10; 20.1-10).
We believe in two Christian ordinances to be observed by the church. Baptism is the immersion of a repentant believer in water, in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, by the authority of Jesus Christ (Matthew 28.19; Acts 2.38; 8.37). The Lord’s Supper, or Communion, was instituted by Christ for the participation by baptized believers to commemorate his death and to anticipate his return (1 Corinthians 11.23-26). Neither ordinance is efficacious but both are commanded.
We believe in the responsibility of individual Christians to be witnesses of the grace of God, both verbally and by lifestyle. (Matthew 5.16; Romans 12.1-3; 1 Corinthians 10.31; Ephesians 2.10; 5.8; Philippians 2.15-16; 1 Thessalonians 2.12; 1 Peter 2.9, 12; Hebrews 10.24.)
We believe in the importance of the Christian home, with marriage as a picture of the union between Christ and his church and with children as God’s gracious gift and holy responsibility to raise in the fear and admonition of the Lord. We acknowledge the church’s responsibility to assist families to fulfill these spiritual roles. (Ephesians 5.22-6.4.)
We believe God’s word commands that no intimate sexual activity between a man and a woman should be engaged in outside of marriage. Sodomy, homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery and pornography are perversions of God’s gift of the sexual relationship between a husband and a wife. Acceptance of such practices invites the judgment of God. Acceptance and/or practice of such sins is cause for refusal of church membership and termination of existing membership. Agape Baptist Church does not recognize nor endorse same sex marriage. (Genesis 128; 2.18-25; Leviticus 18.22; 20.13; Romans 1.26-27; 1 Corinthians 6.9-11; 1 Timothy 1.9-10; Hebrews 13.4).