Our Beliefs
Our Beliefs
We at New Dorp Baptist Church stand in a rich and historic tradition of Christian beliefs, as outlined in the following statement of faith:
God the Father
We believe in God the Father, an infinite, personal Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power, and love. We believe He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of humanity, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ
We believe that Jesus Christ is God’s eternal Son, and has precisely the same nature, attributes and perfections as God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. We believe further that He is not only true God, but also true human, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. We also believe in His sinless life, His substitutionary atonement, His bodily resurrection from the dead, His ascension into heaven, His priestly intercession on behalf of His people, and His personal, visible return from heaven.
Holy Spirit
We believe in the Holy Spirit, His personality, and His work in regeneration, sanctification, and preservation. His ministry is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ, and implement Christ’s work of redeeming the lost and empowering the believer for godly living and service.
The Trinity
We believe in one God, Creator and Sustainer of all things, eternally existing in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; that these are equal in every divine perfection and that they execute distinct but harmonious offices in the work of creation, providence, and redemption.
The Word of God
We believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the inspired Word of God, inerrant in the original writings, complete as the revelation of God’s will for salvation, and the supreme and final authority in all matters to which they speak.
Christian Conduct
We believe that the supreme task of all believers is to glorify God in their lives; that their conduct should be blameless before the world; that they should be faithful stewards of their possessions; and that they should seek to realize for themselves the full stature of maturity in Christ.
Last Things
We believe in the bodily resurrection of the saved and the lost, the eternal existence of both in either heaven or hell, in divine judgments, rewards, and punishments.
Salvation
We believe in salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. We further believe that this salvation is based upon the sovereign grace of God, and was purchased by Christ on the cross, and is received through faith, apart from any human merit, works, or ritual. We further believe salvation results in righteous living, good works, and proper social concern.
The Church
We believe that the Church is the spiritual body of which Christ is the head. We believe that the true Church is composed of all persons who through saving faith in Jesus Christ have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit. We believe that this body expresses itself in local assemblies whose members have been immersed upon a credible confession of faith and have associated themselves for worship, for instruction, for evangelism, and for service. We believe the ordinances of the local church are believer’s baptism by immersion and the Lord’s Supper. We also believe in the interdependence of local churches and the mutual submission of believers to each other in love.
Separation of Church and State
We believe that each local church is self-governing in function, and must be free from interference by any ecclesiastical or political authority. We further believe that every human being is directly responsible to God in matters of faith and life, and that each should be free to worship God according to the dictates of his or her conscience.
Humanity
We believe God created humanity, male and female, in the image of God and free from sin. We further believe all people are sinners by nature and choice and are therefore spiritually dead. We also believe that those who repent of sin and trust Jesus Christ as Savior are regenerated by the Holy Spirit.
Sanctity of Human Life
We believe that human life begins at conception and that all human beings, however much affected by the fall, are created in the image of God and are therefore worthy of respect and protection. We believe this applies to the unborn, sick, disabled, and elderly.
Sanctity of Marriage
We believe that God’s exclusive model for marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime of godliness and fidelity. Marriage is a unique gift of God, illustrating the union between Christ and His Church. Marriage provides the framework for intimate companionship, the means for procreation according to Biblical standards, and is God’s foundation for the family. (Genesis 1:27-28; 2:18-25; Proverbs 5:15-22; Song of Solomon; Ephesians 5:25-33)
Gathering
We believe that God has called us to gather regularly to express our love and appreciation for all He has done and is doing among us and through us. We also gather to love, encourage, and strengthen one another through the mutual exercise of the gifts God has given to each of His followers.
Growing
We believe that every genuine Christian will grow in their likeness and obedience to Jesus Christ, through the means that He has so graciously provided. This is what the Word of God refers to as making disciples. We are blessed by God to be His instruments for real change in the lives of His followers.
Going
We believe that God desires to display His beauty and glory to all humankind. To that end, joining God in the renewal of all things through Jesus Christ means that we are to go and tell others, locally and globally, about the good news of salvation for the forgiveness of sin. This is a costly call, requiring a sacrificial lifestyle, forfeiting short-term pleasures for eternal rewards.