Statement of Beliefs
Fairview Baptist Church holds firmly to the foundational truths of the Christian faith as revealed in the Holy Scriptures.
The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is God's revelation of Himself to man. It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter. Therefore, all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. It reveals the principles by which God judges us, and therefore is, and will remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried. All Scripture is a testimony to Christ, who is Himself the focus of divine revelation.
There is one and only one living and true God. He is an intelligent, spiritual, and personal Being, the Creator, Redeemer, Preserver, and Ruler of the universe. God is infinite in holiness and all other perfections. God is all powerful and all knowing; and His perfect knowledge extends to all things, past, present, and future, including the future decisions of His free creatures. To Him we owe the highest love, reverence, and obedience. The eternal triune God reveals Himself to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence, or being.
A. God the Father
God as Father reigns with providential care over His universe, His creatures, and the flow of the stream of human history according to the purposes of His grace. He is all powerful, all knowing, all loving, and all wise. God is Father in truth to those who become children of God through faith in Jesus Christ.
B. God the Son
Christ is the eternal Son of God. In His incarnation as Jesus Christ He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. Jesus perfectly revealed and did the will of God, taking upon Himself human nature and making provision for the redemption of men from sin through His substitutionary death on the cross and resurrection.
C. God the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, fully divine. He exalts Christ, convicts men of sin, calls men to the Saviour, and seals the believer unto the day of final redemption.
Salvation involves the redemption of the whole man, and is offered freely to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, who by His own blood obtained eternal redemption for the believer. In its broadest sense salvation includes regeneration, justification, sanctification, and glorification.
A. Regeneration
Regeneration, or the new birth, is a work of God's grace whereby believers become new creatures in Christ Jesus through conviction of sin, repentance, and faith.
B. Justification
Justification is God's gracious and full acquittal of all sinners who repent and believe in Christ, bringing peace and favor with God.
C. Sanctification
Sanctification is the experience by which the believer is set apart to God's purposes and enabled to progress toward moral and spiritual maturity through the Holy Spirit.
D. Glorification
Glorification is the culmination of salvation and is the final blessed and abiding state of the redeemed.