ARTICLES OF FAITH

Purposes of the Church

The purposes of New Jerusalem Haitian Baptist Church are based upon the Great commission of Christ in Matthew 28:19-20. By the grace of God and for His glory, NJHBC will seek to fulfill the following biblical purposes:

1

Witnessing

Proclaim by preaching and personal witnessing the gracious offer of God to save all those who come to Him through faith in Jesus Christ.

2

Teaching

Strengthen believers by teaching them the Word of God, in order that they might understand and worship God and how to love and serve others.

3

Interceding

Intercede with God for everyone, whether they are fellow believers in Christ, people who do not yet know Him, or rulers of this world needing wisdom and understanding.

4

Grow

Plant other churches near at hand and far away, as God may provide opportunity, personnel, and funds in other that lost people may get saved and other believers may grow up in Christ through fellowship in His church.

5

Serve

Accomplish charitable purposes common to a pastoral church ministry as defined by Scripture.

Articles of Faith

Our vision is to take Jesus from Tampa to our world! We accomplish our vision by lifting up Jesus (worship), building up believers (fellowship, discipleship), and reaching out to unchurched people (evangelism, missions).

HOLY BIBLE

We believe that the Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is a perfect treasure of heavenly instruction: that it has God for its author, salvation for its end of the world, the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds and opinions will be tried. 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Proverbs 3:5-6; John 12:47-48.

ONE GOD

We believe that there is but one true and living God, infinite in being and perfection: that in the unity of the Godhead, there are three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, each possessing the divine essence and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the work of redemption. John 4:24; Mark 12:30; Ephesians 2:18; 2 Corinthians 13:14.

DEATH

We believe that God created man holy. Had he remained free and unhindered in his relationship to God, eternal life would have been secured unto him; but by voluntary disobedience he fell from this holy state and in consequence spiritual, temporal and eternal death has been entailed upon the human race, and that, while there is no way to escape temporal death unless the return of Christ occurs first, there is deliverance from spiritual and eternal death through salvation of our Lord Jesus Christ. Genesis 1:27; Genesis 3:6-24; Romans 5:19; Isaiah 53:4-5; Ephesians 2:1-3

SALVATION

We believe that salvation is wholly of grace through faith procured in no part by any works or merits of the creature, but solely by the atonement and righteousness of Christ. Ephesians 2:8; John 3:16; Isaiah 53:4-5; Hebrews 7:25.

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JUSTIFICATION

We believe that justification is by faith alone in the blood of Jesus without any desert in the creature; that by virtue of this faith the perfect righteousness of the Redeemer is freely imputed by God to believers and reinstated them in the divine favor as completely justified. Romans 4:4-5.

REGENERATION

We believe that none is saved without regeneration; that regeneration is the work of the Holy Spirit in connection with the Word of God; that it consists in creating spiritual life within the soul and manifests itself in faith, repentance and holiness of conduct. John 3:3, 6-8; 2 Corinthians 5:17; John 5:24.

SANCTIFICATION

We believe that sanctification is the work of the Spirit of God carried on by means of the truth imparted to the hearts of His people which makes them partakers of His holiness; that this work is progressive and is begun in regeneration, securing believers to final victory over sin and death and perfect fitness for eternal inheritance with God. 1 Thessalonians 4:3; Proverbs 4:18; Romans 8:5; Philippians 2:12-13.

FINAL PERSEVERANCE

We believe in the final perseverance of all saints. John 8:31; 1 John 2:19; Romans 8:28: Philippians 1:6; John 10:27-30.

CHURCH

We believe that a visible church is a congregation of baptized believers united for the purpose of worshiping God and promoting the cause of true Christianity in accordance with the revealed laws and ordinances of the gospel. 1 Corinthians 11:2; Matthew 28:19-20; Philippians 1:1, 27.

ORDINANCES

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has committed two ordinances to the local church, baptism and the Lord’s Supper. We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of the believer in water into the name of the triune God. We believe that the Lor’s Supper was instituted by Christ for commemoration of His death. The Lord’s Supper is purely a church ordinance in which none should participate who has not been admitted into the church by Chrisitan baptism. We believe that these two ordinances should be observed and administered until the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. We do not believe these ordinances hold any salvific value; that is, they do not convey saving grace upon the recipient. Matthew 28:18-20; Romans 6:3-5; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; Acts 8:26-39; Acts 2:41-42.

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CHRISTIAN CONDUCT

We believe that a Christian should live for the glory of God and the well-being of his fellow men; that his conduct should be blameless before the world; that he should be a faithful steward of his possessions; and that he should seek to realize for himself and others the full stature of maturity in Christ. 1 Corinthians 10:31; Romans 12:13; Hebrews 12:1-2; John 14:15, 23-24; 1 John 2:3-6; 2 Corinthians 9:6-9; 1 Corinthians 4:2; Colossians 1:9-10.

RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

We believe in religious liberty. We believe that every human being is created in the image of God and is responsible to God alone in all matters of faith; that each church is independent and must be free from interference by an ecclesiastical or political authority. 1 Timoth 2:5; Romans 14:7-9, 12.

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MARRIAGE

We believe that the only legitimate marriage is the joining of one man and one woman. Genesis 2:24; Romans 7:2; 1 Corinthians 7:10; Ephesians 5:22-23.

JESUS’ RETURN

We believe in the personal and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth and in His eternal kingdom in heaven. We believe in the resurrection of the body, the final judgment, the eternal felicity of the righteous and the endless suffering of the wicked. Matthew 16:27; Mark 14:62; John 14:3; Acts 1:11; Philippians 3:20; 1 Thessalonians 4:15; 2 Timothy 4:1; Titus 2:13; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 1 Corinthians 15; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10; Revelation 20:4-6, 11-15.

FOR MORE INFO

A full description of our beliefs may be found in “The Baptist Faith and Message,” a statement adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention, 2000.