| CHURCH OBJECTIVES AND PRINCIPLES |
| The Church adopts the following principles which it believes to be in harmony with the purpose of Christ's Church as declared in the New Testament: |
| To glorify God through:- |
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| WHAT WE BELIEVE |
| WE BELIEVE IN THE FOLLOWING |
| 1. The Nature and Unity of the Godhead In one God, eternally existing in three persons; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Deuteronomy 6:4, Matthew 28:19 |
| 2. The Deity and Humanity of Christ That Jesus Christ was begotten by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, and is true God and true man. Matthew 1:23, Romans 8:3 |
| 3. The Divine Inspiration of the Scriptures In the Scriptures of the Old and the New Testaments as inspired by God and that they are of supreme and final authority in faith and life. 2 Timothy 3:16 |
| 4. The Sinfulness of Man Man was made in the image of God and for fellowship with Him. By transgression of God’s command he fell from fellowship with God and his nature was corrupted. As a consequence, all men are spiritually dead under Satan’s dominion and control and subject to God’s wrath and condemnation. Therefore, apart from God’s grace, man is helpless and hopeless. Romans 3:23 |
| 5. Christ’s Atonement for the Sin of Man That Jesus Christ, by His death on the cross made full atonement for all sin. This atonement is the only ground of salvation and is sufficient for all who repent. 2 Cor. 5:21 |
| 6. The Holy Spirit In the life of the believer the Holy Spirit makes real the presence of Christ, leads into all truth, bestows gifts for Christian service and gives power for holy living. 1 Peter 2:9 |
| 7. The Work of the Holy Spirit in Salvation That the Holy Spirit convinces sinners of their sinfulness, regenerating and leading them to a personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. At conversion, the believer is indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 1:13 |
| 8. The Baptism of Believers Only, and Only by Immersion That baptism is a command of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a public declaration of a person’s faith in Him as Lord and Saviour. According to the New Testament it should be administered only by total immersion. Baptism symbolises (or teaches) these two things:- (a) the believer’s identification with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection. (b) the dedication of the believer to a new and better life for God. Matthew 28: 18-20 |
| 9. The Communion That the Lord’s Supper is a command of the Lord Jesus Christ. Bread and wine are used in the service as symbols of our Lord’s death for us. The communion is for all believers and is to be observed until the Lord comes again. It commemorated and declares our thanks for the Lord’s substitutionary death. The celebration of the command expresses our fellowship with and in the Lord Jesus Christ as members of the Body of which He is the Head. 1 Corinthians 11:23-32 |
| 10. Rewards and Punishments in a Future State That God has appointed a day of judgement for the World. Those judged righteous will receive their rewards and will dwell forever in Heaven with the Lord. The unrighteous will go to Hell, the place of everlasting separation from God. 2 Corinthians 5:10 |
| 11. The Resurrection of the Dead That at the end of this age, according to His promise, Jesus Christ will return to the earth personally and visibly. The full coming of the Kingdom of God will be ushered in when Jesus comes again and that there will be a bodily resurrection of the dead, both of the saved unto life and the unsaved unto condemnation. John 5:24, John 6:40 |
| BOWRAL BAPTIST CHURCH Merrigang Street, Bowral, NSW, Australia (next to Corbett Gardens) Email: marcus.right@bigpond.com Church Office Phone: 4861 5510 |
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