1.THE SCRIPTURE: We believe that the entire Bible, comprised of its sixty-six books was originally written by Holy Men of God guided and verbally inspired by the Holy Spirit (II Timothy 3:14-17; II Peter 1:10-11; Luke 1:70; 24:44-46; Hebrews 1:1) and is inerrant, infallible, authoritative, a perfect treasure of heavenly instruction (John 10:35; 17:17; Psalms 19:7,8; Proverbs 30:5-6; Romans 3:4); that it reveals the principles by which God will judge us (Romans 2:12; John 12:47-48); and therefore is and shall remain forever, the true center of Christian union (Philippians 3:16; Matthew 5:18; I Peter 1:25; Psalms 119:89); and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinion should be tried (I John 4:1; Isaiah 8:20); no other version shall be used for preaching and teaching services at Blessed Hope Baptist Church except the AUTHORIZED KING JAMES VERSION.

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2.THE TRUE GOD: We believe that there is one, and only one, living and true God, an infinite, intelligent Spirit, Jehovah and Maker and Supreme Ruler of Heaven and earth (John 4:24; Psalms 147:5; 83:18; Hebrews 3:4; Romans 1:20; Jeremiah 10:10); inexpressibly glorious in holiness (Exodus 15:11); that in the unity of the Godhead  there are three persons, the FATHER, the SON, and the HOLY SPIRIT (Matthew 28:19; John 15:16; I John 5:7) equal in every Divine Perfection (John 10:30) and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption (Ephesians 2:18; II Corinthians 13:14). HE is worthy of all possible honor.

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3.THE LORD JESUS CHRIST: We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ was and is and ever shall be the eternal Son of God; that He was with the Father and the Holy Spirit in the beginning; that He was God in the flesh; that while here on earth He lived a sinless and spotless life; that He died a supernatural and vicarious death upon the cross for the sins of mankind; that He bodily arose from the dead the third day; that He ascended to the right hand of God to make intercession for the saints; that He will return in the air for the saints and to the Mount of Olives with His saints to rule and reign for a thousand years on earth; that He hath been given a name that is above every name and all enemies will be put under His feet; and that He will reign eternally  (Acts 1:1-4; 9-11; Philippians 2:5-11; John 1:1-4, 29; Luke 1:31-35; I Corinthians 15:1-8, 25; Colossians 1:14; 2:15; I Timothy 2:5; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Hebrews 9:28; Jude 14,15; Revelations 5:10; Hebrews 10:13).

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4.THE HOLY SPIRIT: We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person, who convicts the world of sin, of Righteousness, and of Judgment, regenerates, indwells, seals, enlightens, and empowers the saved to live a Godly life (John 14:16, 17; 16:8-13;3:3-6; I Corinthians 3:16; 12:13; Galatians 5:16; Ephesians 4:30).

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5. SATAN: We believe that Satan is an angelic person whose name is Lucifer, that he fell from the original creation to become the Old Serpent called the devil and Satan, who deceived the whole world and is the adversary of the saints and God (Ezekiel 28:11-28; Isaiah 14:12-17; I Peter 5:8; Job 1:6-7; Revelations 20:1-15).

6.THE FALL OF MAN: We believe that man was created in a perfect state of innocence, under the law of His maker (Genesis 1:27; Ecclesiastes 7:29) but by voluntary and willful disobedience and transgression fell from that state (Genesis 3:6-24; Romans 5:12); in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners by nature and by choice (Romans 5:19; John 3:6; Psalm 51:5: Psalm 58:3; Isaiah 53:6; Genesis 6:12; Romans 3:9-18; Ephesians 2:3), and being by nature utterly void of that holiness required by the Law of God, positively inclined to evil; and therefore under just condemnation to eternal ruin (Ephesians 2:13: Romans 1:18, 31; 2:1-16), without defense or excuse (Ezekiel 18:19,20; Romans 1:20, 3:19).

7.THE WAY OF SALVATION: We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly and only by the Grace of God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord (Ephesians 2:5,8; I John 4:10; John 3:16; 1:1-14); that Christians are sustained and kept by the power of God through the shed Blood of Christ and intercessory work of Christ on our behalf at the right hand of God (Philippians 2:6-8; Hebrews 2:9,14; Isaiah 42:21; Isaiah 53:4,5; Matthew 20:28; Romans 4:25; Hebrews 1:3-8; Colossians 3:14)

8.REGENERATION: We believe that in order to be saved every sinner must be regenerated or born again; that the agents in this new birth are the Word of God and the Holy Spirit; that these two work together in the heart and mind bringing conviction of sin and conversion; that if proper evidence appears in the Holy fruits of Repentance, faith, and newness of life; that by it we become partakers of the divine nature and a transformed life leads us to a Christian love of all men and to practice righteousness; that one is born again or regenerated the moment he believes in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior (John 3:3-7; II Corinthians 5:17; Ezekiel 36:26; Romans 2:28,29; John 3:8, John 1:13; James 1:16-18; I Peter 1:22-25; I John 5:1; Ephesians 4:20-24; 5:9; Romans 8:9 Galatians 5:16-23; Ephesians 3:14-21).

9.JUSTIFICATION AND RIGHTEOUSNESS: We believe that Justification and Righteousness are inseparably united in the Scripture; that justification may be defined as the judicial act of God whereby He justly declares righteous one who believes on the Lord Jesus Christ; that it is bestowed, not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done, but solely by Grace through faith in the Redeemer’s Blood; that the believing sinner is justified because Christ, having borne his sins on the cross, has been “made unto Him righteousness;” (I Corinthians 1:30); that the saved, justified Christian has, instead of condemnation, peace and favor in the courts of God; and that justification secures for us every spiritual blessing that is needed for time and eternity (John 1:16; Ephesians 3:8; Acts 13:39; Romans 8:1; 5:9, 17, 19; Titus 3:5,6; Romans 4:4,5; 3:34-38; 5:1-3,11; Matthew 6:23).

10.REPENTANCE AND FAITH: We believe that repentance and faith are scriptural necessities and inseparable graces to regeneration, whereby being deeply convinced of our guilt, danger, and helplessness, and of the way of Salvation in Christ,(Mark 1:15; Acts 11:18; Ephesians 2:8; I John 5:1; John 16:8; Acts 2:37,38; Acts 16:30, 31) we turn to God with unfringed contrition, confession, and supplication for mercy; at the same time heartily receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as our Prophet, Priest and King and relying on Him alone as the only and all sufficient Savior (Luke 18:13; James 4:7-10; Romans 10:9-13; Acts 3:22, 23; Hebrews 1:8; Hebrews 3:1).

11.THE FREENESS OF SALVATION: We believe that the blessings of salvation are made free to all by the Gospel of Christ (Isaiah 55:1; Revelations 22:17; Romans 1:15-17, 16:26; Mark 1:15) and that nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner on earth, but his own inherent depravity and voluntary rejection of the Gospel of Christ (John 5:4; Romans 9:32; John 3:19; Matthew 11:20); that this freeness of salvation is consistent with the sovereign work of God and the free agency of man (II Timothy 1:8,9; Ephesians 1:3-14; Romans 8:28-34, 11:5,6, 28-36; II Thessalonians 2:13,14; Acts 13:48; John 10:16; Exodus 33:18, 19; Matthew 20:16; Romans 9:23,24); and that it excludes boasting and promotes humility (Romans 3:21-31).

12.SANCTIFICATION: We believe that Sanctification is the process by which according to the will of God, we are made partakers of His holiness (I Thessalonians 3:4, 5:23; II Corinthians 7:1) that sanctification, meaning to set apart wholly to God’s use, is in three tenses; we were sanctified in Christ eternally when we accepted Christ as our Savior (Hebrews 2:11, 10:10,14; I John 2:29; Hebrews 13:12); we are being sanctified daily through the indwelling presence and power of the Holy Spirit and the cleansing of the Word of God and prayer (John 17:17; Ephesians 5:26; Romans 8:26-27;I Timothy 4:5; II Timothy 2:21; Romans 15:16; Philippians 2:12-16; Ephesians 4:11-16; I Peter 2:2); and that we will be completely sanctified when we are with Christ in our new bodies (I John 3:1-3; Romans 8:18-25; I Corinthians 15:51-57; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Ephesians 1:13-14, 4:30).

13. ETERNAL SECURITY AND PERSEVERANCE: We believe that every person that is truly saved (Romans 10:13) is eternally saved,  that saved people have tests, temptations, a continual warfare with the flesh, world, sin and the devil (I Peter 5:8, Galatians 5:17; I Peter 2:11; I John 2:15-17) and may sin (I John 2:1,2); that saved people persevere, continue in the faith, and overcome by the Grace of God (I John 5:4, 4:2-19); that they are chastened and suffer loss of reward for disobedience (Ephesians 3:14-21; II Timothy 4:6-8; Hebrews 12:3-11; I Corinthians 3:12-16); that they are rewarded for faithfulness in service (I Corinthians 9:25; II Timothy 4:8; James 1:12; I Peter 5:4, Revelations 2:10, 3:11); that true partakers of Christ that continue in the faith are kept by the power of God through faith and the grace of God (I Peter 1:5; Colossians 1:22-23; Hebrews 3: 12-14; I Peter 1:5 that they have eternal life and shall never perish (John 10:27-29).

14. SEPARATION: We believe that all of the saved are called into a life of separation from all worldly and sinful practices
(II Corinthians 6:11-18; John 17:9-23; 8:1-13; I John 2:15-17; James 4:4; Romans 12:1,2; I Peter 1:15, 16, 2:9-19; John 15:1-17; I Thessalonians 5:5-24).

15. THE CHURCH:

A. Visible, Local, New Testament: We believe that a local, visible, New Testament Church of the Lord Jesus Christ is a congregation of baptized believers associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the Gospel, meeting together regularly for worship, the teaching and preaching of God’s Word, the observance of the baptism and the Lord’s supper, and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invented in them by His word to actively fulfill the great Commission (I Corinthians 1:1-13, 5:12, 13, 11:2, 23, 14:12; Matthew 18:17, 28:19,20; Acts 5:11, 8:1, 2:14-42, 47; II Corinthians 8:5; II Thessalonians 3:6; Romans 16:17-20; John 14:15, 21; I John 4:21; Ephesians 4:21; Philippians 1:27).
 
B. Offices: We believe it’s only scriptural ordained offices are Bishops and Deacons (Philippians 1:1; Acts 14:23; I Timothy 3:1-13; Acts 13:1-4; I Timothy 4:14; II Timothy 1:6, 11, 4:5; Acts 6:1-7; I Corinthians 12, 1 Peter 5:1-4).
 
C. Body of Christ: We believe that the body called the Church is made up of all who are truly saved and born again regardless of race, color, or denomination; that one becomes a member of the body of Christ the moment he accepts Christ as his Savior and Lord; that his body is a holy temple for the habitation of God through the Spirit; that it is one flesh with Christ, and is espoused to Him as a chaste virgin to one husband (Ephesians 2:21,22, 4:4-6, 11, 5:30-31; II Corinthians 2:2-4).
 
D. Baptism and Lord’s Supper: We believe that baptism and the Lord’s Supper are the only ordinances of Christ given to the local Church; that baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; that this act is a symbol and a public testimony of our faith in a crucified, buried and risen Savior; that it shows our death to sin and resurrection to newness of life; The Lord’s Supper commemorates the death of our Lord and Savior and the attendees of Blessed Hope Baptist will remember the Lord’s death until He comes; that a solemn self-examination must always precede the taking of this supper (Acts 8:36-39; Matthew 3:5,6, 28:19,20; John 3:22,23; Acts 10:47, 48; Romans 6:4; Colossians 2:12; Acts 2:41, 42; I Corinthians 11:23-24; Matthew 26:26-29; I Corinthians 5:8).

E. Maintenance: We believe that God’s ordained way to support the local church is tithes and offerings as God hath prospered. (I Corinthians 16:1-2; Acts 4:32-37; II Corinthians 9:6-15).

17. THE LORD’S DAY: We believe that the first day of the week is the Lord’s Day (Revelation 1:10; I Corinthians 16:2); that it was established as a Christian institution for regular observance in the New Testament; that it commemorates the resurrection of Christ from the dead and should be employed in exercise of worship and spiritual devotion, both public and private, and by refraining from amusements, and resting from secular employments, the only exception being works of mercy and necessity (Colossians 2:16, 17; Acts 20:7; Luke 24:47; John 20:19; Matthew 28:9; Mark 16:9; 28:8; Luke 24:34; Psalms 118:22; Acts 1:22; 4:10-20; Hebrews 4:9).

18. CIVIL GOVERNMENT: We believe that civil government is of divine appointment, for the interest and good order of human society; that those in authority are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed; except in those things that are contrary to the Word of God and opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ; that the church and state should be separate and that the church should not resort to civil power or authority to carry on its work; that the Christian ideal is a free church in a free state; that the church has the right to form and propagate opinions in the sphere of religion without interference by any civil power (Romans 13:1-7; Deuteronomy 16:18; II Samuel 23:3; Matthew 22:21; Titus 3:1; I Peter 2:13; I Timothy 2:1-9; Acts 5:29; Matthew 10:28; Daniel 3:15-18; 6:7-10; Matthew 23:10; Romans 14:4; Revelations 19:16; Psalms 72:11)

19.RIGHTEOUS AND WICKED: We believe that there is an essential and scriptural difference between the righteous and the wicked, the saved and the unsaved; that only those born again and justified by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ are truly righteous in God’s sight; that those who continue in impenitence and unbelief are wicked in His sight and under condemnation; that all who are ever saved by faith in Christ out of every age of time dwell with Christ forever and the unbelieving or lost of all ages of time, along with the devil and his angels will be in eternity forever in the Lake of Fire (Malachi 3:18; Proverbs 12:26; Romans 6:16; Romans 1:17, 7:6, 6:18-22; I John 2:29, 3:7, 5:19; Galatians 3:10; John 3:36; Proverbs 15:32, 10:24; Luke 16:25; John 8:21-24; Revelations 20:15).

20.THINGS TO COME: We believe that we are now living in a time of unrevealed duration except for the signs (Matthew 24:36, 25:13; Mark 13:32; Acts 1:7; I Thessalonians 5:1,2); that this time will be concluded by the Coming of Lord in the air at which time those who have died in the Lord will receive resurrected bodies and those who are saved and living shall be changed and both caught up to meet the Lord in the air (I Thessalonians 4:13-18; I Corinthians 15:51-53; Hebrews 9:28; Revelations 3:10, 22:20); that the saints will be judged for rewards according to their works (II Corinthians 5:10;  I Corinthians 3:11-15); that after the rapture God’s relations to Israel as His earthly people will resume, at which time the seventh “week” of Daniel’s prophecy will run its course, the anti-christ will rise to power on earth and after peaceful means have failed, plunge it into warfare that will usher in the Great Tribulation and lead to universal catastrophe and the Battle of Armageddon  (Matthew 24:15; Mark 13:14; II Thessalonians 2:8-10; Revelations 16:16; Daniel 9:27; Luke 12:35-40; Philippians 4:5; James 5:7; II Peter 3:9; Revelations 22:7); that Christ will descend to the earth with His saints personally and bodily (Jude 14; Zechariah 14:4; Acts 1:11), at which time the anti-christ is disposed, Satan is bound, nations are judged, and the Thousand Year Reign is begun on earth (II Thessalonians 2:8; Revelations 19:11, 20:1-6, 5:10); that at the close of the thousand years Satan will be released for a little season to wage his last rebellion which will be avenged with fire from Heaven and at which time the Great White Throne Judgment will take place. The wicked dead along with Satan and his followers shall be forever cast into the Lake of Fire (Revelations 20:5, 7-15), while the Righteous shall enter into eternal joy with the Lord (Revelations 7:15-17, 22:1-7), that these judgments will fix forever the final state of men in Heaven or Hell on principles of righteousness (Romans 3:5,6; II Thessalonians 1:6-12; Hebrews 6:1-2; Romans 2:2-16).

21. MISSIONS: We believe that it is the obligation and duty of every saved person and every church to witness by life, word and financial support so the truths of this Declaration the Gospel may be proclaimed to all the world (Acts 1:8; II Corinthians 5:19-20; John 20:21; Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19,20; Acts 13:1-13).