Finaghy Baptist Church

Glorifying God together as disciples making disciples

What We Believe

God

The one and only true God is the Creator of all and the Ruler and Judge of all He has created. He remains active in creation, providence and redemption. He exists eternally in three distinct but equal persons, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

The Lord Jesus

Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, conceived of the Holy Spirit, became fully human through virgin birth. He is the only mediator between God and mankind. He lived a sinless life in obedience to His Father and through His death on the cross He bore the penalty for the sins of all humankind and is counted by God as the only valid substitute for sinners. He was buried, bodily resurrected and ascended to heaven. He now exercises His high priestly ministry and will return personally, in power and glory, to raise the dead and judge all people.

The Holy Spirit

Believers receive the Holy Spirit who gives them new life, lives in them, teaches them, develops within them a life pleasing to God, and makes it possible for them to serve God acceptably.

The Scriptures

The Bible, both the Old and New Testament, was written by people inspired by the Holy Spirit. It is entirely true and able to be trusted as originally given by God. It is the fully adequate authority for what we believe and do.

The Devil (Satan)

We acknowledge the personality of the devil; his evil activity in the world and the final destruction of his malign influence through his ultimate defeat.

Humanity

As basic tenets of our faith we uphold the creation of humanity, male and female, in the image of God and equal in value; the creation of the ordinance of marriage as the lifelong union of one man and one woman; the original sin of mankind through Adam’s disobedience; that everyone is a sinner by nature and practice and that all are subject to God’s wrath and condemnation on account of that sinful nature and practice. We uphold the responsibility upon all to repent and to believe the gospel of Jesus Christ if they are to be saved.

The Church

All believers everywhere are united by the Holy Spirit in the one Body of Christ, the Church Universal. The Church locally is to be a worshipping people of God, a home of fellowship and ministry for and to believers and a centre for taking the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the love of God to the world. The Lord Jesus Christ is head of His Church.

FBC is a local Church comprised of those who profess faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour and, save in exceptional circumstances, have committed to the ordinance of believer's baptism and the celebration of Communion. The Offices of FBC are Elders and Deacons. FBC acknowledges the priesthood of all believers and gives expression to this belief in its congregational Church governance, where authority within the Church arises from the decisions of its members taken in properly constituted Church Members Meetings (see section 8). FBC endorses the separation of Church and State but promotes the positive contribution of its members to the development and upholding of a law abiding, morally upright, caring and godly society.

Justification, Forgiveness and Adoption

We can be counted just by God, receive forgiveness of sins, eternal life and adoption into God’s family, only on the basis of what Christ has done for us. This is only by the grace of God, for all who repent and put their faith in Christ. Believers are kept by the power of God until they ultimately join with the Lord Jesus Christ in Glory.

The Future State

The Lord Jesus Christ will one day return personally, in power and glory, to raise the dead, judge all people and decide where they will spend eternity. Unbelievers, together with a finally defeated Satan, will receive eternal condemnation and separation from God. Believers will be welcomed into the presence of God forever.

Christian Behaviour

The responsibility of all believers is to model their lives on the teachings of Jesus, obey and serve the Lord Jesus and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives i.e. living as a true disciple of Jesus Christ.