{"id":12,"date":"2014-07-21T18:11:27","date_gmt":"2014-07-21T18:11:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ridgefieldbaptist.org\/web\/?page_id=12"},"modified":"2025-08-30T22:36:55","modified_gmt":"2025-08-31T02:36:55","slug":"what-we-believe","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.ridgefieldbaptist.org\/web\/about\/what-we-believe\/","title":{"rendered":"What We Believe"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
<\/p>\n

The Bible<\/h2>\n

We believe in the absolute authority and accuracy of the sixty-six canonical books of the Bible, its full verbal inspiration in the original manuscripts and its all-sufficiency as the Christian’s rule of faith and practice.<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n
    \n
  • II Timothy 3:16<\/li>\n
  • II Peter 1:19-21<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    <\/div>\n<\/div>

    <\/div>\n
    \n
    \n
    <\/p>\n

    God<\/h2>\n

    We believe that there is but one God, the Creator, Preserver, and Ruler of all things, Who is perfect in holiness and love, infinite in wisdom and measureless in power, and Who reveals Himself to us as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.<\/div>\n

    <\/p>\n
      \n
    • Deuteronomy 6:4<\/li>\n
    • Nehemiah 9:6<\/li>\n
    • I Chronicles 29:11-12<\/li>\n
    • Exodus 15:11<\/li>\n
    • I John 4:8b<\/li>\n
    • Matthew 28:19<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      <\/div>\n<\/div>

      <\/div>\n
      \n
      \n
      <\/p>\n

      Jesus<\/h2>\n

      We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal and only begotten Son of God, conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, and that He is true God and true man and is the only and sufficient mediator between God and man.<\/div>\n

      <\/p>\n
        \n
      • Matthew 1:20<\/li>\n
      • Luke 1:35<\/li>\n
      • John 1:1-2, 14<\/li>\n
      • John 12:45<\/li>\n
      • John 14:9<\/li>\n
      • I Timothy 2:5<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        <\/div>\n<\/div>

        <\/div>\n
        \n
        \n
        <\/p>\n

        The Holy Spirit<\/h2>\n

        We believe that the Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Trinity, Whose ministry is to convict the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment, to regenerate the unbelieving, and to seal, sanctify, teach, and comfort those who believe in Jesus Christ.<\/div>\n

        <\/p>\n
          \n
        • John 16:8-11; 3:3, 7; 14:26<\/li>\n
        • Ephesians 1:13<\/li>\n
        • John 14:16-18<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          <\/div>\n<\/div>

          <\/div>\n
          \n
          \n
          <\/p>\n

          Mankind<\/h2>\n

          We believe that man was created in the image of God by direct creation, that man sinned and thereby incurred both physical and spiritual death. Thus, we believe that all men by nature and by choice are sinners and, apart from Christ, shall be forever separated from God.<\/div>\n

          <\/p>\n
            \n
          • Genesis 1:26; 2:17<\/li>\n
          • Ezekiel 18:20a<\/li>\n
          • Romans 6:23<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            <\/div>\n<\/div>

            <\/div>\n
            \n
            \n
            <\/p>\n

            Atonement<\/h2>\n

            We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, Himself without sin, died for our sins according to the Scriptures as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice, that all who believe in Him are justified on the ground of His shed blood.<\/div>\n

            <\/p>\n
              \n
            • I Corinthians 15:3-4<\/li>\n
            • Revelation 1:5<\/li>\n
            • II Corinthians 5:21<\/li>\n
            • I John 3:5<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

              <\/div>\n<\/div>

              <\/div>\n
              \n
              \n
              <\/p>\n

              Salvation<\/h2>\n

              We believe that salvation is by grace through faith, not of works, and that all who receive Jesus Christ by faith as Lord and Savior are born again of the Holy Spirit, thereby becoming children of God. We believe in the eternal security of the believer.<\/div>\n

              <\/p>\n
                \n
              • Ephesians 2:8-10<\/li>\n
              • John 3:3, 7; 1:12<\/li>\n
              • John 10:27-29<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                <\/div>\n<\/div>

                <\/div>\n
                \n
                \n
                <\/p>\n

                Resurrection<\/h2>\n

                We believe in the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord, in His ascension into Heaven, and in His present ministry there for us as High Priest and Advocate. We believe in the personal, visible, imminent return of the Lord Jesus Christ for His Church and in His coming in glory with the saints to set up His kingdom upon the earth.<\/div>\n

                <\/p>\n
                  \n
                • I Corinthians 15:4<\/li>\n
                • Acts 1:8-11<\/li>\n
                • Hebrews 4:14-16<\/li>\n
                • I John 2:1-2<\/li>\n
                • I Thessalonians 4:13-17<\/li>\n
                • Revelation 19:11-16; 20:1-15<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                  <\/div>\n<\/div>

                  <\/div>\n
                  \n
                  \n
                  <\/p>\n

                  Afterlife<\/h2>\n

                  We believe that upon physical death the spirit of the believer enters immediately into the presence of God. We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just, the bodily resurrection of the unjust, the everlasting conscious blessedness of the saved and the everlasting conscious punishment of the lost.<\/div>\n

                  <\/p>\n
                    \n
                  • I Corinthians 15:20-24<\/li>\n
                  • Revelation 20:12-15; 21:1-4; 22:3-5<\/li>\n
                  • II Corinthians 5:8<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                    <\/div>\n<\/div>

                    <\/div>\n
                    \n
                    \n
                    <\/p>\n

                    The Church<\/h2>\n

                    We believe that a local church is a voluntary association of baptized believers, equal in rank and privilege, subject to the Word of God, and independent of any external ecclesiastical control whatsoever. We believe that God’s Word commands every believer to be baptized and that the Scriptural mode is immersion in water. Though baptism has no saving merit, it does show forth in solemn and beautiful symbol the believer’s faith in, and union with the crucified, buried, and risen Savior.<\/div>\n

                    <\/p>\n
                      \n
                    • Acts 8:38; 18:8<\/li>\n
                    • Romans 6:3-5<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                      <\/div>\n<\/div>

                      <\/div>\n
                      \n
                      \n
                      <\/p>\n

                      The Lord’s Supper<\/h2>\n

                      We believe that the Lord’s Supper is a provision of bread and the cup which are symbolic of Christ’s broken body and shed blood; that the Lord’s Supper is partaken of by saved individuals in commemoration of the suffering and death of their Lord and in anticipation of His soon coming again; that its observance is to be preceded by faithful self-examination.<\/div>\n

                      <\/p>\n
                        \n
                      • Luke 22:19-20<\/li>\n
                      • I Corinthians 11:23-30<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                        <\/div>\n<\/div>

                        <\/div>\n
                        \n
                        \n
                        <\/p>\n

                        The State<\/h2>\n

                        We believe that the civil powers are ordained of God and are to be obeyed and supported in all fidelity except in actions contrary to the Word of God. The civil powers and the church are and shall remain separate in conformity with the Constitution of the United States of America.<\/div>\n

                        <\/p>\n
                          \n
                        • Matthew 22:21<\/li>\n
                        • Romans 13:1-7<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                          <\/div>\n<\/div>

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