Statement of Faith.
Peniel Baptist Church (PBC) in Aruba is Southern Baptist Church.
PBC’s Statement of Faith is based primarily on “The Baptist Faith & Message” which was adopted by Southern Baptist Convention on June 14, 2000.
| SUBJECT | OUR BELIEF | SCRIPTURE | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bible | We believe that the Bible is the Word of God. We believe that it is the inerrant, inspired, authoritative Word of God. The Bible is the supreme and complete source of truth written by Godly authors (holy men) under the divine guidance of the Holy Spirit. | 2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:21 |
| 2 | God | We believe that there is one and only one living and true God. We believe in the Trinity as one God existing in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Each of these three persons in the Godhead are co-equal as God. | Eph. 3:14-19 |
| 2a | God, the Father | We believe that God as Father reigns with providential care over all. God is Father in truth to those who become children of God through faith in Jesus Christ. | |
| 2b | God, the Son | We believe that Jesus is the Son of God. He is part of the Trinity. He is eternal and co-equal with the Father. He is God. We believe Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin. We believe that Jesus Christ, as the perfect sacrifice for sin, died on the cross for the sins of all humanity. He rose on the third day from the grave to be victorious over death and sin. He reigns as King of Kings and Lord of Lords for all eternity. | John 1:1-5, Matthew 1:22-23 1 Cor. 15:3-4 |
| 2c | God, the Holy Spirit | We believe in the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God; he is part of the Trinity and is eternal and co-equal with the Father and the Son. He also lives within Christians and enables them to understand truth. He is the Spirit of Truth. | John 14:25-26 |
| 3 | Man | We believe man is made in God’s image. By his free choice, Adam sinned against God and brought sin into the human race. Every person inherits this sinful nature due to Adam’s sin, and is separated from God, in need of the only Savior, who is Jesus Christ. | Genesis 1:26, Romans 5:12 |
| 4 | Salvation | We believe in salvation, being born again through repentance from sin and faith in Jesus Christ. Salvation is God’s gift of eternal life to any person who believes in Jesus Christ and confesses Jesus Christ as Lord. Salvation is given through faith by God’s grace and is not based on man’s effort. We believe in eternal security. | John 3:16, Ephesians 2:8-9, John 14:6, Romans 10:9-10, John 3:7 John 10:28-30 |
| 5 | God’s Purpose of Grace | We believe in election which is the gracious purpose of God to regenerate, justify, sanctify, and glorify sinners who repent and believe in Jesus Christ. | – |
| 6 | Church | The New Testament church is a congregation operating under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. In Scripture, the church is also the body of Christ. | Mathew 16:15-19, Ephesians 5:22-32 |
| 7 | Church Ordinances | We believe in baptism by immersion. It is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer’s faith in Christ; it is testimony to the world of the salvation which has already taken place.
We believe in Communion, the Lord’s Supper. | Romans 6:4-5
1 Cor. 11:23-28 |
| 8 | Lord’s Day | The first day of the week is the Lord’s day! This first day is Sunday, the day that the Lord Jesus Christ rose from the dead! | John 20:1, 19-28, Acts 20:7 |
| 9 | The Kingdom | The kingdom of God is an everlasting kingdom. Through faith in Christ, a person becomes a part of the kingdom of God where Christ is King. | |
| 10 | Last Things | We believe in the second coming of Jesus Christ. The unbelieving sinners will be consigned to eternal punishment, and the believing saints will dwell forever with the Lord. | 1 Thess. 4:16-18, Rev. 20:1-22:13 |
| 11 | Evangelism | It is the duty and privilege of every Christian to endeavor to make disciples by sharing the good news (the Gospel) of Jesus Christ. The church is to be active in missions and evangelism. | Matt. 28:18-20 |
| 12 | Education | Christian education is necessary for the Christian to grow and become a mature disciple of Jesus Christ. | |
| 13 | Stewardship | God is the source of all blessings. Every Christian is under obligation to serve the Lord with his time, talents, and material possessions. Christians should give cheerfully and regularly for the advancement of God’s ministry on earth. | Genesis 14:20, Malachi 3:10, 1 Cor. 16:1-2) |
| 14 | Cooperation | Members of New Testament churches should cooperate with one another in the missionary, educational, and benevolent ministries for the extension of God’s kingdom. | |
| 15 | Christian order | All Christians are under obligation to seek to make the will of Christ supreme in their lives and human society. | |
| 16 | Peace and War | It is the duty of Christians to seek peace with all men on the principles of righteousness. | |
| 17 | Religious Liberty | A free church in a free state is the Christian ideal, and this includes the right of every person to freely seek God. | |
| 18 | The Family | God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. We believe that “marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime.” We believe life begins at conception. | Genesis 2:24 Psalm 139:13-14, Psalm 127:3 |