DOCTRINAL STATEMENT

Liberty Baptist Fellowship

Liberty Church Planting Network
I.

OF THE SCRIPTURES

We believe that the Holy Bible was written by men supernaturally inspired; that it has
truth without any admixture of error for its matter; and therefore is, and shall remain to
the end of the age, the only complete and final revelation of the will of God to man; the
true center of Christian union and the supreme standard by which all human conduct,
creeds and opinions should be tried.
1. By the Holy Bible we mean that collection of sixty-six books from Genesis
to the Revelation which, as originally written, does not only contain and
convey the Word of God, but is the very Word of God.
2. By Inspiration we mean that the books of the Bible were written by holy
men of old, as they were moved by the Holy Spirit in such a definite way, that
their writings were supernaturally and verbally inspired and free from error, as
no other writings have ever been or ever will be inspired.
II.

THE TRUE GOD

We believe that there is one, and only one, living and true God, an infinite intelligent
Spirit, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth; inexpressibly glorious in
holiness, and worthy of all possible honor, confidence and love; that in the unity of the
Godhead, there are three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, equal in every
divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of
redemption.
III.

THE HOLY SPIRIT

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person; equal with God the Father and God the
Son and of the same nature; that He was active in the creation, and in his relation to the
unbelieving world, He restrains the evil one until Gods purpose is fulfilled; that He
convicts of sin, of judgment and of righteousness; that He bears witness to the truth of the
gospel in preaching and testimony; that He is the agent in the New birth; that He seals,
endues, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies, and helps the believer.
IV.

OF THE DEVIL OR SATAN

We believe that Satan was once holy, and enjoyed heavenly honors; but through pride
and ambition to be as the Almighty, fell and drew after him a host of angels, that he is
now the malignant prince of the power of the air, and the unholy god of this world. We
hold him to be mans great tempter, the enemy of God and His Christ, the accuser of the
saints, the author of all false religions, the chief power back of the present apostasy; the
lord of the Antichrist, and the author of all the powers of darknessdestined, however, to

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final defeat at the hands of Gods Son, and the judgement of an eternal justice in hell, a
place prepared for him and his angels.
V.

OF THE CREATION

We believe in the Genesis account of creation, and that it is to be accepted literally, and
not allegorically or figuratively; that man was created directly in Gods own image and
after His own likeness; that mans creation was not a matter of evolution or evolutionary
change of species, or developments through interminable periods of time from lower to
higher forms, that all animals and vegetable life were made directly, and Gods
established law was that they should bring forth only after their kind.
VI.

OF THE FALL OF MAN

We believe that man was created in innocence under the law of his Maker, but by
voluntary transgression, fell from his sinless and happy state, in consequence of which,
all mankind are now sinners, not by constraint, but by choice; and therefore, under just
condemnation without defense or excuse.
VII.

OF THE VIRGIN BIRTH

We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten of the Holy Ghost in a miraculous manner;
born of Mary, a virgin, as no other man was ever born or can ever be born of a woman,
and He is both the Son of God and God the Son.
VIII.

OF THE ATONEMENT FOR SIN

We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace, through the mediatorial
offices of the Son of God, who by the appointment of the Father, freely took upon him
our nature, yet without sin, honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and by His
death made a full and vicarious atonement for our sins; that his atonement consisted not
in setting us an example by his death as a martyr, but was the voluntary substitution of
Himself in the sinners place, the just dying for the unjust, Christ the Lord, bearing our
sins in his own body on the tree; that, having arisen from the dead, He is now enthroned
in heaven and uniting in his wonderful person the most tender sympathies with divine
perfection. He is every way qualified to be a suitable, compassionate and an all-sufficient
Savior.
IX.

OF GRACE IN THE NEW CREATION

We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again; that the new birth is a
new creation in Jesus Christ; that it is instantaneous and not a process; that in the new

birth, the one dead in trespasses and in sins is made a partaker of the divine nature and
receives eternal life, the free gift of God; that the new creation is brought about in a
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manner above our comprehension, not by culture, not by character, nor by the will of
man, but wholly and solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine
truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the Gospel; that the proper evidence
appears in the holy fruits of repentance and faith and newness of life.
X.

OF THE FREENESS OF SALVATION

We believe in Gods electing grace; that the blessings of salvation are made free to all by
the Gospel; that it is their immediate duty of all to accept them by a cordial, penitent and
obedient faith; and that nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner on earth but
his own inherent depravity and voluntary rejection of the gospel; which rejection
involves him in an aggravated condemnation.
XI.

OF JUSTIFICATION

We believe that the great Gospel which Christ secures to such as believe in Him is
justification; that justification includes the pardon of sin, and the gift of eternal life on
principles of righteousness; that it is bestowed not in consideration of any works or
righteousness which we have done, but solely through faith in the Redeemers blood, His
righteousness is imputed unto us.
XII.

OF REPENTANCE AND FAITH

We believe that repentance and faith are solemn obligations; and also inseparable graces,
wrought in our souls by the quickening Spirit of God; thereby, being deeply convicted of
our guilt, danger and helplessness, and of the way of Salvation by Christ, we turn to God
with unfeigned contrition, confession and supplication for mercy; at the same time
heartily receiving the Lord Jesus Christ and openly confess Him as our only and allsufficient Savior.
XIII.

OF THE CHURCH

We believe that a church of Christ is a congregation of baptized believers associated by a

covenant of faith and fellowship of the gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ;
governed by His laws; and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by
His Word; that its officers of ordination are pastors and deacons, whose qualifications,
claims and duties are clearly defined in the Scriptures; we believe the true mission of the
church is found in the Great Commission: First, to make individual disciples; second,
to build up the Church; third, to teach and instruct as He commanded. We do not believe
in the reversal of this order; we hold that the local church has the absolute right of self
government, free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations;
and that the one and only superintendent is Christ through the Holy Spirit; that it is

scriptural for true churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and
for the furtherance of the Gospel; that every church is the sole and only judge of the
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measure and method of its cooperation; on all matters of membership, of policy, of
government, of discipline, of benevolence, the will of the local church is final.
XIV. OF BAPTISM AND THE LORDS SUPPER
We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion in water of a believer, in the name of
the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, with the authority of the local church, to
show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem of our faith in the crucified, buried and
risen Savior, with its effect in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life; that it is
prerequisite to the privileges of a church relation and to the lords Supper; in which the
members of the church, by the sacred use of the bread and the cup, are to commemorate
together the dying love of Christ and celebration of His soon return, preceded always by
solemn self-examination.
XV.

THE PRESEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS

We believe that such only are real believers as endure unto the end; that their persevering
attachment to Christ is the grand mark which distinguishes them from superficial
professors that a special Providence watches over their welfare; and that they are kept by
the power of God through faith unto eternal salvation.
XVI. OF THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED
We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the
wicked; that such only as through faith are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and
sanctified by the Spirit of our God, are truly righteous in His esteem; while all such as
continue impenitence and unbelief and in His sight wicked, and under the curse, and this
distinction holds among men both in and after death, in the everlasting felicity of the
saved and the everlasting conscious suffering of the lost.
XVII. OF CIVIL GOVERNMENT
We believe that civil government is of divine appointment, for the interests and good
order of human society; that magistrates are to be prayed for; conscientiously honored
and obeyed; except only in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ; who is the
only lord of the conscience, and the coming Prince of the kings of earth.
XVIII. OF THE RESURRECTION AND RETURN OF CHRIST
AND RELATED EVENTS

We believe in and accept the sacred Scriptures upon these subjects at their face and full
value. Of the resurrection, we believe that Christ arose bodily the third day according to
the Scriptures; that He ascended to the right hand of the throne of God, that He alone
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is our merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God; that this same
Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have
seen Him go into heavenbodily, personally, and visibly; that the dead in Christ shall
rise first; that the living saints shall be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an
eye, at the last trump; that the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His Father
David; and that Christ shall reign a thousand years in righteousness until he hath put all
enemies under His feet.
XIX. OF MISSIONS
We believe that the command to give the Gospel to the world is clear and unmistakable
and this commission was given to the churches.
XX.

OF THE GRACE OF GIVING

We believe that Gods method of financing His earthly work of spreading the Gospel to
all nations, the care of the churches and the support of the ministry is by the tithes and
offerings of His people. It is to be given to the Lord through His church or storehouse to
be distributed as directed by the leadership of the Spirit as the need arises. The time to
tithe is upon the first day of the week. Everyone is accountable to the Lord for one-tenth
of his income and tithing was instituted long before the law was ever given and practiced
by the early church.