05/24/2026
Statement of Faith
Saint Matthew Baptist Church
Preamble
We, the members of Saint Matthew Baptist Church, affirm that the Holy Scriptures are the inspired, infallible, sufficient, and authoritative Word of God. We joyfully confess the doctrines summarized in the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith as a faithful expression of biblical Christianity and historic Baptist conviction.
Our desire is to glorify God through the preaching of the gospel, the making of disciples, the worship of the Triune God, and the pursuit of holiness in every area of life.
I. The Holy Scriptures
We believe that the Holy Bible, consisting of the Old and New Testaments, is the inspired Word of God, without error in all that it affirms, and is the final authority for faith and practice. Scripture alone is sufficient to reveal God, salvation, and the way of holy living.
II. God and the Holy Trinity
We believe there is one true and living God, eternal, all-powerful, all-knowing, holy, just, loving, merciful, and sovereign over all things.
God eternally exists in three distinct Persons:
God the Father
God the Son
God the Holy Spirit
These three are one in essence, equal in glory and majesty, yet distinct in personhood.
III. God’s Sovereignty and Providence
We believe that God eternally decrees and sovereignly governs all things according to the counsel of His own will for His glory. Nothing comes to pass outside of His providence, yet God is neither the author of sin nor does He violate the responsibility of His creatures.
IV. Creation
We believe that God created the heavens and the earth out of nothing in six ordinary days and declared all creation good. Humanity was uniquely created in the image of God as male and female.
V. The Fall of Man and Sin
We believe that Adam, acting as the representative head of humanity, fell into sin through disobedience. As a result, all mankind is born spiritually dead, corrupted by sin, and under God’s righteous judgment. Apart from the grace of God, man is unable to save himself or come to Christ.
VI. Jesus Christ
We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God who became fully man through the virgin birth while remaining fully God.
We believe:
He lived a sinless life
Fulfilled the Law perfectly
Died on the cross as a substitutionary atonement for sinners
Was bodily raised from the dead on the third day
Ascended into heaven
Now reigns at the right hand of the Father
Will physically return in glory to judge the living and the dead
Salvation is found in Christ alone.
VII. Salvation
We believe salvation is entirely by God’s grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, according to Scripture alone, for the glory of God alone.
God effectually calls sinners through the gospel and regenerates them by the Holy Spirit. Those whom God saves are justified, adopted, sanctified, and ultimately glorified.
Repentance and faith are gifts of God and are necessary responses to the gospel.
VIII. The Holy Spirit
We believe the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, regenerates sinners, indwells believers, sanctifies the church, equips believers for service, and glorifies Christ.
The Spirit empowers believers to live holy lives and produces spiritual fruit in all who belong to Christ.
IX. The Church
We believe the church is the body of Christ composed of all true believers. Christ has ordained local churches for worship, discipleship, fellowship, evangelism, and the administration of the ordinances.
We affirm regenerate church membership and congregational church governance under the lordship of Christ.
The biblical offices of the church are:
Elders/Pastors
Deacons
X. Baptism and the Lord’s Supper
We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as a public confession of faith in Christ.
We believe the Lord’s Supper is a sacred ordinance given to the church to remember Christ’s atoning death and proclaim His gospel until He returns.
Neither ordinance saves, but both are acts of obedience instituted by Christ.
XI. Sanctification and Christian Living
We believe that all believers are called to pursue holiness through the power of the Holy Spirit. Though believers continue to struggle against sin, God progressively conforms them into the image of Christ.
Christians are called to:
Love God and neighbor
Walk in humility and repentance
Live in sexual purity
Pursue justice and mercy
Proclaim the gospel
Submit to Scripture in every area of life
XII. The Perseverance of the Saints
We believe that those whom God has truly saved will be kept by His power and will persevere in faith until the end. True believers may stumble into sin, but God preserves His people and brings them to final salvation.
XIII. The Return of Christ and Final Judgment
We believe that Jesus Christ will return bodily and visibly to judge the world in righteousness.
The righteous will enter eternal life in the presence of God, and the wicked will face eternal conscious judgment apart from Him.
XIV. Marriage, Family, and Human Sexuality
We believe that marriage is ordained by God as a covenant union between one man and one woman for life. Sexual intimacy is reserved by God for marriage alone.
We believe that all human life is sacred and that every person is created in the image of God and therefore worthy of dignity, compassion, and truth.
XV. The Mission of the Church
We believe the church is commissioned to make disciples of all nations through:
The preaching of the gospel
The teaching of Scripture
Baptism
Prayer
Mercy ministry
Fellowship
Worship
The church exists ultimately for the glory of God and the exaltation of Jesus Christ.
Closing Affirmation
We affirm these doctrines not as a replacement for Scripture, but as a faithful summary of biblical truth rooted in the historic Christian faith and reflected in the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith.
“To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:21)
