Articles of Faith
First Baptist church
Columbia falls, Montana
I. OF THE SCRIPTURES
We believe that the Holy Bible as originally written was verbally inspired and the product
of Spirit-controlled men, and therefore has truth without any admixture of error for its
matter. We believe the Bible to be the true center of Christian union and the supreme
standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions, shall be tried. II Tim 3:16,
17; II Pet 1:19-21.
II. OF THE TRUE GOD
We believe there is one, and only one, living and true God, an infinite intelligent Spirit,
the Maker and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth; inexpressively glorious in Holiness,
and worthy of all possible honor, confidence and love; that in the unity of the Godhead
there are three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, equal in every divine
perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption.
Ex 20:2,3; I Cor 8:6, Rev 4:11; I John 5:7; Deut 6:4.
III. OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person; equal with God the Father and God the
Son and of the same nature; that He was active in the creation; that in His relation to the
unbelieving world He restrains the evil one until God’s purpose is fulfilled; that He
convicts of sin, of righteousness, and of judgement; that He bears witness to the Truth of
the Gospel in preaching and testimony; that He is the agent in the New Birth; that He
seals, guides, teaches, witnesses to, sanctifies and helps the believer. John 14:16,17; Matt
28:19; Heb 9:14; John 14:26; Luke 1:35; Gen 1:1-3; John 16:8-11; Acts 5:30-32; John
3:5,6; Eph 1:13,14; Mark 1:8; John 1:33; Acts 11:16; Luke 24:49; Rom 8:14; Rom
8:16,26,27.
IV. OF THE DEVIL OR SATAN
We believe in the existence of the personality of Satan, that he is the unholy god of this
age, and the author of all the powers of darkness, and is destined to the judgement of an
eternal justice in the lake of fire. Matt 4:1,3; II Cor 4:4; Rev 20:10.
V. OF THE CREATION
We accept the Genesis account of creation and believe that man came by direct creation
of God and not by evolution. Gen, chapters 1 & 2; Col 1:16,17; John 1:3.
VI. OF THE FALL OF MAN
We believe that man was created in innocence under the Law of his Maker, but by
voluntary transgression fell from his sinless and happy state in consequence of which all
mankind are now sinners, not only by constraint, but of choice; and therefore under just
condemnation without defense or excuse. Gen 3:1-6; Rom 5:19, 5:12, 5:10-19, 1:18,32.
VII. OF THE VIRGIN BIRTH
We believe that Jesus was begotten of the Holy Spirit in a miraculous manner; born of
Mary, a virgin, as no other man was ever born or can ever be born of woman, and that He
is both the Son of God, and God, the Son. Gen 3:15; Isa 7:14; Matt 1:18-25; Luke 1:35;
John 1:14.
VIII. OF THE ATONEMENT FOR SIN
We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace; through the mediatorial
offices of the Son of God, who by the appointment of the Father, freely took upon Him
our nature, yet without sin, honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and by His
death made a full and vicarious atonement for our sins; that His atonement consisted not
in setting us an example by His death as a martyr, but was a voluntary substitution of
Himself in the sinners’ place, the Just dying for the unjust; Christ the Lord, bearing our
sins in His own body on the tree; that having risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in
Heaven, and uniting in His wonderful person the tenderest sympathies with divine
perfection, He is in every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate and an all-
sufficient Savior. Eph 2:8; Acts 15:11; Rom 3:24; John 3:16; Matt 18:11; I John 4:10;
Phil 2:7; Heb 2:14; Isa 53:4-7; Rom 3:25; I Cor 15:3; II Cor 5:21.
IX. OF GRACE IN THE NEW CREATION
We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again; that the new birth is a
new creation in Christ Jesus; that it is instantaneous and not a process; that in the new
birth the one dead in trespasses and in sin is made a partaker of the divine nature and
receives eternal life, the free gift of God; that the new creation is brought about in a
manner above our comprehension, solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection
with divine truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the Gospel; that its proper
evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance and faith and newness of life. John 3:3;
II Cor 5:17; I John 5:1; John 3:5,6; Acts 16: 30-33; II Pet 1:4; Rom 6:23; Eph 2:1; II Cor
5:19; Col 2:13; John 3:8.
X. OF JUSTIFICATION
We believe that the great gospel blessing which Christ secures to such as we believe in
Him is Justification: That Justification includes the pardon of sin, and the gift of eternal
life on principles of righteousness, and that it is bestowed not in consideration of any
works of righteousness which we have done; but solely through faith in the Redeemers’
blood, His righteousness is imputed to us. Acts 13:39; Isa 53:11; Zec 13:1; Rom 8:1;
Rom 5:9; Rom 5:1; Gal 2:16.
XI. OF FAITH AND SALVATION
We believe that faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the only condition of salvation. John
3:16; Acts 16:31; Eph 2:8,9.
XII. OF THE LOCAL CHURCH
We believe that a local church is a congregation of immersed believers, associated by
covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ;
governed by His Laws; and exercising the gifts, rights and privileges invested in them by
His Word; that its officers are Pastors and Deacons whose qualifications, claims, and
duties are clearly defined in the Scriptures; we believe that true mission of the church is
the faithful witnessing of Christ to all men as we have opportunity. We hold that the
local church has the absolute right of self-government, free from the interference of any
hierarchy of individuals or organizations; and that the one and only superintendent is
Christ, through the Holy Spirit; that it is scriptural for true churches to co-operate with
each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the Gospel; that each
local church is the sole judge of the measure and method of its cooperation; on all matters
of membership, of polity, of government, of discipline, of benevolences, the will of the
local church is final. Acts 2:41,42; I Cor 11:2; Eph 1:22,23; Eph 4:11; Acts 20:17-28; I
Tim 3:1-13; Col 1:18; Eph 5:23,24; Acts 15: 13-18.
XIII. OF BAPTISM AND THE LORD’S SUPPER
We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water to show forth in
a solemn and beautiful emblem our faith in the crucified, buried and risen Savior, with its
effect in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life; that it is pre-requisite to the
privileges of a church relationship. We believe that the Lord’s Supper is the
commemoration of His death until He come, and should be preceded always by solemn,
self-examination. Acts 8:36-39; John 3:23; Rom 6:3-5; Matt 3:16; Col 2:12; I Cor 11:23-
28.
XIV. OF THE SECURITY OF THE SAINTS
We believe that all who are truly born again are kept by God the Father for the Lord Jesus
Christ. Phil 1:6; John 10:28,29; Rom 8:28-39; Jude 1 (R.V.)
XV. OF THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED
We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the
wicked; that such only as through faith are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ,
and sanctified by the Spirit of our God, are truly righteous in His esteem; while all such as
continue in impenitence and unbelief are in His sight wicked, and under the curse; and
this distinction holds among men both in and after death, in the everlasting felicity of the
saved and the everlasting conscious suffering of the lost. Mal 3:18; Gen 18:23; Rom
6:17,18; I John 5:19; Rom 7:6; Prov 14:32; Luke 6:25; Matt 25:34-41; John 8:21.
XVI. OF CIVIL GOVERNMENT
We believe that civil government is of divine appointment, for the interests and good
order of human society; that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored
and obeyed; except in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the only
Lord of the conscience, and the coming Prince of the Kings of the earth. We believe in
the absolute separation of church and state; that the church should be free from State
support or supervision. Gen 9:1-7; Rom 13:17; II Sam 23:3; Ex 18:21,22; Acts 23:5;
Matt 22:21; Acts 5:20; Acts 4:19,20; Dan 3:17,18.
XVII. OF THE RESURRECTION, PERSONAL, VISIBLE, PRE-MILLENNIAL
RETURN OF CHRIST, AND RELATED EVENTS
1. We believe in the Bodily resurrection. Matt 28:6,7; Luke 24:39; John 20:27; I Cor
15:4; Mark 16:6; Luke 24:2-6.
2. The Ascension. Acts 1:9-11; Luke 24:51; Mark 16:19; Rev 3:21; Heb 12:2;
3. The High Priesthood. Heb 8:6; I Tim 2:5; I John 2:1; Heb 2:17;; 5:9,10.
4. The Second Coming. John 14:3; Acts 1:11; I Thess 4:16; James 5:8; Heb 9:28.
5. The resurrection of the Righteous Dead. I Thess 4:13-18; I Cor 15:42-44; 15:52.
6. The Change of the Living in Christ. I Cor 15:51-53; I Thess 4:13-18; Phil 3:20,21.
7. The Throne of David. Luke 1:32; Isa 9:6,7; Acts 2:29,30.
8. The Millennial Reign. I Cor 15:25; Isa 32:1; Isa 11:4,5; Psa 72:8; Rev 20:14; 20:6.