ourFaith

What We Believe

Core Beliefs

We are Christian

            As Christians, we seek to follow the Lord Jesus Christ with whole-hearted devotion because we have come to know and understand by the grace of God that Christ, who was fully God and fully man, lived a sinless life on earth and died on the cross to pay the penalty for the sins of those who turn away from their sinfulness and turn to Christ in faith for salvation.  The fact that He rose from the dead is a testimony to the truthfulness of Christ's claims.  As Christians we join the historical church in confessing the Apostle's Creed and the Nicene Creed.

 The Apostle's Creed

(third-fourth centuries A.D.)

I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
    the Creator of heaven and earth,
    and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:

Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit,
    born of the Virgin Mary,
    suffered under Pontius Pilate,
    was crucified, died, and was buried.

*He descended into hell.

The third day He arose again from the dead.

He ascended into heaven
    and sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty,
    whence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy **catholic church,
    the communion of saints,
    the forgiveness of sins,
    the resurrection of the body,
    and life everlasting.

Amen.

 *The phrase "He descended into hell" is not attested in the earliest manuscripts of the creed and has various doctrinal problems associated with it.  Therefore, we strike this phrase whenever we recite this creed as a congregation.

**The word "catholic" refers not to the Roman Catholic Church, but to the universal church of the Lord Jesus Christ.  The word "catholic" is also used in the same sense in the Nicene Creed.

 The Nicene Creed

(A. D. 325; revised at Constantinople A. D. 381)

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made.

Who, for us men for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried; and the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.

And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets.

And I believe one holy catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

What We Believe

Characteristic Beliefs

             These early Christian creeds or confessions outline the heart of the Christian faith.  We may call these the "core" doctrines of the Christian faith.  Those who genuinely profess these truths are to be considered brothers and sisters in Christ.  In time, however, these doctrines were interpreted differently among various groups, and the various Christian groups began taking characteristics of their own.  As such, we may speak of "characteristic" beliefs or doctrines of particular Christian groups.  The following characterize who we are at High Pointe Baptist Church.

We are Evangelical

            Historically, evangelical identity has been marked by common convictions over biblical authority, a need for individual conversion and holiness and a passion for evangelism.  As Evangelicals, we identify with the convictions that were regained in the Reformation during the sixteenth century.  Protesting against the loss of the gospel in the church, the Reformers argued that Scripture alone is the church's authority.  Further, they argued that salvation was by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.  Such conversion is brought about by the grace of God, and as believers we continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ and pursue holiness by the power of the Holy Spirit.  As Evangelicals, we are focused on the "evangel" (i.e., gospel or good news).  It is our desire to see all peoples transformed by the truth of the gospel, for the gospel is the power of God for salvation.

We are Baptist

            As Baptists, we believe that only believers who profess faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior are to be baptized as an outward declaration of the converting work that Christ has done in that particular believer.  Since the New Testament word for baptism means to dip, dunk or immerse, we baptize in this manner.  Consequently, we practice what we call believer's baptism by immersion.  We do not baptize infants because they are unable to profess faith in Christ, and we do not believe that baptism is able to save.

We are confessional

            As a confessional church, we express our faith through historical confessions that are Christian, Evangelical and Baptist.  At High Pointe, we use the New Hampshire Confession of 1853 as our statement of faith for membership; however, the Second London Confession of 1689 is a clearer and more thorough expression of our faith; thus, our elders and teachers are required to teach according to and not contrary to the Second London Confession.

What We Believe

Charity Beliefs

            To be sure, there will always be areas in the Christian life where as brothers and sisters in Christ, we must agree to disagree.  We call these beliefs, charity beliefs.  When it comes to beliefs that do not call into question the core of Christianity or challenge that characteristics of our fellowship, then we will agree to disagree.