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08/30/2026

Catechism Question 5

What is catechism? A catechism provides an organized set of affirmations on biblical doctrine. These questions represent a way to reach adults, children,and youth basic beliefs of Baptists.
We include Scripture for each question so you have a biblical basis in front of you for why we believe such things.

Question: May all men make use of the Holy Scriptures?

Answer: All men are not only permitted, but commanded and exhorted to read, hear, and understand the Holy Scriptures.

Scripture: John 5:38; Acts 8:30; Revelation 1:3; Deut. 17:18

This question may seem silly to us. If you grew up in a protestant church, you were encouraged by your pastors, teachers, and parents to read, hear, and memorize the Bible. I, however, did not grow up in church, and this was a foreign concept to me. Throughout history, and even today, some groups say that only specially trained people can read and understand the Bible.

Men like John Wycliffe and William Tyndale knew that if the common man read the Bible and understood it, a lot of false teaching would be eliminated. Even under great persecution, these men kept translating the Bible into English.

The Holy Spirit illuminates the Scriptures to us and helps us understand. Take the time to hear, read, study, and apply the Bible to your lives. Biblical illiteracy should not be part of the believer's life.

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08/23/2026

Bethel Service

08/23/2026

Catechism Question 4

What is catechism? A catechism provides an organized set of affirmations on biblical doctrine. These questions represent a way to teach adults, children, and your basic beliefs of Baptists. We include Scripture for each question so you have a biblical basis in front of you for why we believe such things.

Question: What is the Word of God?

Answer: The Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the Word of God, and the only certain rule of faith and obedience.

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16; Ephesians 2:20

We believe that the Bible is God's revelation of Himself to us. Therefore, the Old and New Testament are God's truth written down.

We believe the Bible teaches us what to believe, what not to believe, how to act, and how not to act. God moved Holy men who wrote the Bible to write essential truths, and we believe them to be true.

Faith is that persuasion of truth that is based on testimony. When we have faith, we believe something is true because someone else says it is true. Saving faith is believing that what God has said is true. John 17:17 says, "Sanctify them in the truth, your word is truth." Everything we know about Christ and His Salvation we know by faith.

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08/16/2026

Catechism Question 3:
Some have asked, What is catechism? A catechism provides an organized set of affirmations on biblical doctrine. These questions represent a way to teach adults, children, and youth basic beliefs of Baptists. We include Scripture for each question so you have a biblical basis in front of you for why we believe such things.

Question: How may we know there is a God?

Answer: The light and nature of man and works of God clearly declare there is a God; but His Word and Spirit only do it fully and effectually for the salvation of sinners.

Scripture: Psalm 19:1-3, Acts 17:24, Romans 1:19-20, 1 Cor. 2:10, 2 Tim. 3:15-16

God surely has revealed Himself plainly in the works of creation. Creation alone does not provide what is required for salvation.

A person can believe that there is a God and still not trust Him for salvation. Despite all the seemingly undeniable evidence that there is a God, until God convinces us of His existence through His Word and Spirit, we remain unable to know Him. "The natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them because they are spiritually appraised": 2 Cor. 2:14.

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08/09/2026

Catechism Question 2:

Ought everyone believe there is a God?

Answer: Everyone ought to believe there is a God, and it is their great sin and folly who do not.

Scripture: Hebrews 11:6, Psalm 14:1

Everyone ought to believe there is a God, even if that person has never been to church or read the Bible. God has revealed Himself in the most obvious way, in an unavoidable place: through creation.

God requires us to know Him, and therefore it is a sin not to believe in God.

In this context, the word folly means unreasonable, immoral thinking. Not believing in God compromises our greatest ability: the capacity for focused, meaningful reason that recognizes and embraces truth.

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07/31/2026

A few weeks ago, during a message, I mentioned we would begin with our Baptist Catechism the first Sunday in August. This is the first post, yes, a few days early. My hope is that, over the next week, you will ponder the question and its answer. Take time to meditate on the Scriptures. The goal of this is not knowledge alone; it is to KNOW HIM more completely.

Question: Who is the first and chiefest being?

Answer: God is the first and chiefest being.

Scripture: Isaiah 44:6; 48:12

The chief end of man is to glorify God. When a person intentionally orders their life to glorify God his/her life will be lived well.

There was a time when ONLY God existed. God has created everything that now exists, including us.

Because God created us, he knows how we were made to live. That alone gives Him the right to tell us what to do.

God is above all the beings He created. Nothing created, including humans, can compete with God.

07/15/2026

Prayer meeting begins at 6:30 Tonight!!!

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03/29/2026

Hosanna in the highest!

Today we remember the joyful welcome Jesus received as He entered Jerusalem.

Join us for Palm Sunday at Bethel Baptist Church in Ellicott City as we celebrate the King who brings hope and salvation. We'd love for you to worship with us.

03/28/2026

You're invited to worship with us this Sunday at Bethel Baptist Church in Ellicott City.

We celebrate the King who has come to set His people free, and every week we gather to worship, grow, and encourage one another.

If you're looking for a church community in Ellicott City, we would love to welcome you.