What We Believe

Parkhills Baptist Church’s beliefs are the same as those contained in the Baptist Faith and Message, the confession of faith of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). The topics here provide a brief, partial summary of these beliefs. View the full text to learn even more.

The Scriptures

The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is God’s revelation of Himself to man. It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter. Therefore, all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. It reveals the principles by which God judges us, and therefore is, and will remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried. All Scripture is a testimony to Christ, who is Himself the focus of divine revelation.

Scripture References:

Exodus 24:4; Deuteronomy 4:1-2; 17:19; Joshua 8:34; Psalms 19:7-10; 119:11,89,105,140; Isaiah 34:16; 40:8; Jeremiah 15:16; 36:1-32; Matthew 5:17-18; 22:29; Luke 21:33; 24:44-46; John 5:39; 16:13-15; 17:17; Acts 2:16ff.; 17:11; Romans 15:4; 16:25-26; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Hebrews 1:1-2; 4:12; 1 Peter 1:25; 2 Peter 1:19-21.

God

There is one and only one living and true God (Deuteronomy 6:4; Jeremiah 10:10; 1 Corinthians 8:4–6). The eternal triune God reveals Himself to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence, or being (Matthew 28:19; Mark 1:9–11; John 14:6–13; 2 Corinthians 13:14).

Scripture References:

Genesis 1:1; 2:7; Exodus 3:14; 6:2–3; 15:11ff.; 20:1ff.; Leviticus 22:2; Deuteronomy 6:4; 32:6; 1 Chronicles 29:10; Psalm 19:1–3; Isaiah 43:3,15; 64:8; Jeremiah 10:10; 17:13; Matthew 6:9ff.; 7:11; 23:9; 28:19; Mark 1:9–11; John 4:24; 5:26; 14:6–13; 17:1–8; Acts 1:7; Romans 8:14–15; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 4:6; Colossians 1:15; 1 Timothy 1:17; Hebrews 11:6; 12:9; 1 Peter 1:17; 1 John 5:7.

God the Father

God as Father reigns with providential care over His universe, His creatures, and the flow of the stream of human history according to the purposes of His grace (Genesis 1:1; Psalm 103:19; Daniel 4:34–35; Matthew 6:9–13). He is all powerful, all loving, and all wise (Psalm 147:5; 1 John 4:8; Romans 11:33). God is Father in truth to those who become children of God through faith in Jesus Christ (John 1:12; Romans 8:14–16; Galatians 3:26; 4:6–7).

Scripture References:

Genesis 1:1; 2:7; Exodus 3:14; 6:2–3; 15:11ff.; 20:1ff.; Leviticus 22:2; Numbers 23:19; Deuteronomy 4:1–2; 6:4; 32:6; 1 Chronicles 29:10; Psalm 19:1–3; 24:1; 103:19; 104:1; Isaiah 43:3,15; 64:8; Jeremiah 10:10; 17:13; Matthew 6:9ff.; 7:11; 23:9; 28:19; Mark 1:9–11; John 4:24; 5:26; 14:6–13; 17:1–8; Acts 1:7; Romans 8:14–15; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 4:6; Colossians 1:15; 1 Timothy 1:17; Hebrews 11:6; 12:9; 1 Peter 1:17; 1 John 5:7.

God the Son

Christ is the eternal Son of God (Psalm 2:7; John 1:1–18; Hebrews 1:1–3). In His incarnation as Jesus Christ, He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18–23; Luke 1:35). He honored the divine law by His personal obedience (Matthew 5:17; John 8:29; Romans 5:19), and in His substitutionary death on the cross, He made provision for the redemption of men from sin (Isaiah 53:4–12; Romans 3:23–26; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 4:4–5; 1 Peter 2:21–25).

Scripture References:

Genesis 18:1ff.; Psalms 2:7ff.; 110:1ff.; Isaiah 7:14; 53:1–12; Matthew 1:18–23; 3:17; 8:29; 11:27; 14:33; 16:16,27; 17:5; 27; 28:1–6,19; Mark 1:1; 3:11; Luke 1:35; 4:41; 22:70; 24:46; John 1:1–18,29; 10:30,38; 11:25–27; 12:44–50; 14:7–11; 16:15–16,28; 17:1–5,21–22; 20:1–20,28; Acts 1:9; 2:22–24; 7:55–56; 9:4–5,20; Romans 1:3–4; 3:23–26; 5:6–21; 8:1–3,34; 10:4; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 2:2; 8:6; 15:1–8,24–28; 2 Corinthians 5:19–21; 8:9; Galatians 4:4–5; Ephesians 1:20; 3:11; 4:7–10; Philippians 2:5–11; Colossians 1:13–22; 2:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:14–18; 1 Timothy 2:5–6; 3:16; Titus 2:13–14; Hebrews 1:1–3; 4:14–15; 7:14–28; 9:12–15,24–28; 12:2; 13:8; 1 Peter 2:21–25; 3:22; 1 John 1:7–9; 3:2; 4:14–15; 5:9; 2 John 7–9; Revelation 1:13–16; 5:9–14; 12:10–11; 13:8; 19:16.

God the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, fully divine (Genesis 1:2; Acts 5:3–4; 1 Corinthians 2:10–11). He exalts Christ (John 15:26; 16:14). He convicts men of sin, of righteousness and of judgment (John 16:8–11). He enlightens and empowers the believer and the church in worship, evangelism, and service (John 14:26; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 12:7–11; Ephesians 5:18–20).

Scripture References:

Genesis 1:2; Judges 14:6; Job 26:13; Psalms 51:11; 139:7ff.; Isaiah 61:1–3; Joel 2:28–32; Matthew 1:18; 3:16; 4:1; 12:28–32; 28:19; Mark 1:10,12; Luke 1:35; 4:1,18–19; 11:13; 12:12; 24:49; John 4:24; 14:16–17,26; 15:26; 16:7–14; Acts 1:8; 2:1–4,38; 4:31; 5:3–4; 6:3; 7:55; 8:17,39; 10:44; 13:2; 15:28; 16:6; 19:1–6; Romans 8:9–11,14–16,26–27; 1 Corinthians 2:10–14; 3:16; 12:3–11,13; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 1:13–14; 4:30; 5:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:19; 1 Timothy 3:16; 4:1; 2 Timothy 1:14; 3:16; Hebrews 9:8,14; 2 Peter 1:21; 1 John 4:13; 5:6–7; Revelation 1:10; 22:17.

Man

Scripture References:

Salvation

Salvation involves the redemption of the whole man (Romans 8:23; 1 Thessalonians 5:23), and is offered freely to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour (John 3:16; Romans 10:9–13), who by His own blood obtained eternal redemption for the believer (Ephesians 1:7; Hebrews 9:12). In its broadest sense salvation includes regeneration (John 3:3–8; Titus 3:5), justification (Romans 3:24; 5:1), sanctification (1 Corinthians 1:30; 1 Thessalonians 4:3), and glorification (Romans 8:30; Philippians 3:20–21).

Scripture References:

Genesis 3:15; Exodus 3:14–17; 6:2–8; Matthew 1:21; 4:17; 16:21–26; 27:22–28:6; Luke 1:68–69; 2:28–32; John 1:11–14,29; 3:3–21,36; 5:24; 10:9,28–29; 15:1–16; 17:17; Acts 2:21; 4:12; 15:11; 16:30–31; 17:30–31; 20:32; Romans 1:16–18; 2:4; 3:23–25; 4:3ff.; 5:8–10; 6:1–23; 8:1–18,29–39; 10:9–13; 13:11–14; 1 Corinthians 1:18,30; 6:19–20; 15:10; 2 Corinthians 5:17–20; Galatians 2:20; 3:13; 5:22–25; 6:15; Ephesians 1:7; 2:8–22; 4:11–16; Philippians 2:12–13; Colossians 1:9–22; 3:1ff.; 1 Thessalonians 5:23–24; 2 Timothy 1:12; Titus 2:11–14; Hebrews 2:1–3; 5:8–9; 9:24–28; 11:1–12:8,14; James 2:14–26; 1 Peter 1:2–23; 2:2–3; 2:21–25; 3:18–22; 1 John 1:6–2:11; 3:2–3; Revelation 3:20; 21:1–22:5.

God’s Purpose of Grace

Election is the gracious purpose of God, according to which He regenerates, justifies, sanctifies, and glorifies sinners (Romans 8:28–30; Ephesians 1:3–14). It is consistent with the free agency of man, and comprehends all the means in connection with the end (2 Thessalonians 2:13–14). It is the glorious display of God’s sovereign goodness, and is infinitely wise, holy, and unchangeable (Exodus 33:18–19; Romans 9:11–23). It excludes boasting and promotes humility (1 Corinthians 1:26–31).

Scripture References:

Genesis 12:1–3; Exodus 19:5–8; 1 Samuel 8:4–7,19–22; Isaiah 5:1–7; Jeremiah 31:31ff.; Matthew 16:18–19; 21:28–45; 24:22,31; 25:34; Luke 1:68–79; 2:29–32; 19:41–44; 24:44–48; John 1:12–14; 3:16; 5:24; 6:44–45,65; 10:27–29; 15:16; 17:6,12,17–18; Acts 20:32; Romans 8:28–39; 9:1–24; 10:12–15; 11:5–7,26–36; 1 Corinthians 1:1–2; 15:24–28; Ephesians 1:4–23; 2:1–10; 3:1–11; Colossians 1:12–14; 2 Thessalonians 2:13–14; 2 Timothy 1:12; 2:10,19; Hebrews 11:39–40; James 1:12; 1 Peter 1:1–2; 2:4–10; 2 Peter 1:10–11; 1 John 1:7–9; 2:19; Revelation 3:20–22; 21:1–8.

The Church

A New Testament church of the Lord Jesus Christ is an autonomous local congregation of baptized believers (Acts 2:41–42; 1 Corinthians 1:2), associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel (Acts 2:42; Philippians 1:5), observing the two ordinances of Christ (Matthew 28:19–20; 1 Corinthians 11:23–26), governed by His laws (Colossians 1:18), exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word (1 Corinthians 12:4–11; Ephesians 4:7–12), and seeking to extend the gospel to the ends of the earth (Matthew 28:19–20; Acts 1:8). Each congregation operates under the Lordship of Christ through democratic processes (Matthew 18:15–20; Acts 6:1–6). In such a congregation each member is responsible and accountable to Christ as Lord (Romans 14:4,12). Its scriptural officers are pastors and deacons (Philippians 1:1; 1 Timothy 3:1–13). While both men and women are gifted for service in the church (Galatians 3:28; 1 Corinthians 12:4–11), the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture (1 Timothy 2:11–14; 3:1–7; Titus 1:5–9).

Scripture References:

Matthew 16:15–19; 18:15–20; Acts 2:41–42,47; 5:11–14; 6:3–6; 13:1–3; 14:23,27; 15:1–30; 16:5; 20:28; Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 3:16; 5:4–5; 7:17; 9:13–14; 12; Ephesians 1:22–23; 2:19–22; 3:8–11,21; 5:22–32; Philippians 1:1; Colossians 1:18; 1 Timothy 3:1–15; 4:14; Hebrews 11:39–40; 1 Peter 5:1–4; Revelation 2–3; 21:2–3.

Baptism & the Lord’s Supper

Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water (Matthew 3:13–17; Acts 8:36–39). It is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer’s faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Saviour, the believer’s death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus (Romans 6:3–5; Colossians 2:12). It is a testimony to his faith in the final resurrection of the dead (1 Corinthians 15:20–22).

The Lord’s Supper is a symbolic act of obedience whereby members memorialize the death of the Redeemer and anticipate His second coming (Matthew 26:26–30; 1 Corinthians 11:23–26).

Scripture References:

Matthew 3:13–17; 26:26–30; 28:19–20; Mark 1:9–11; 14:22–26; Luke 3:21–22; 22:19–20; John 3:23; Acts 2:41–42; 8:35–39; 16:30–33; 20:7; Romans 6:3–5; 1 Corinthians 10:16,21; 11:23–29; Colossians 2:12.