What We Believe

The following are the core beliefs of Hebron Baptist Church based on the foundational truths taught in the Bible. All of our teaching and ministry is rooted in and flows out of these Biblical doctrines.

There is one eternally existing God who has three distinct persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. He is the creator of all that exists, both visible and invisible, and is therefore worthy of all glory and praise.  God is perfect in love, power, holiness, goodness, knowledge, wisdom,  justice, and mercy. He is unchangeable and therefore is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 64:8; Matthew 3:16–17, Matthew 28:19; John 16:7–15; Hebrews 1:2–3

God has revealed himself to us through his son, Jesus Christ, who is the visible image of the invisible God. He has also revealed Himself in the holy Scriptures, and through all of creation itself.

Psalm 19; Matthew 11:25-27; Luke 10:21-22; John 14:7-9;
2 Timothy 3:15-17

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.

Psalm 19:7–10; 2 Timothy 3:15–17; 2 Peter 1:19–21

We believe that God created us in his image to worship him and give him glory. This is true of both men and women, who are equal and complementary partners in God's mission and reflect his beauty, goodness, and creativity.

Genesis 1:26–27, Genesis 2:18; Isaiah 43:7; Psalm 96:9; Matthew 4:10; Galatians 3:28; 1 Timothy 2:11–15

When Adam and Eve chose not to obey God, they ceased to be what they were made to be and became distorted images of God. This caused them to fall out of fellowship with God, and fractured all of creation ever since that time. Sin separates all humans from God and is deserving of His wrath.

Romans 5:12-20; Romans 3:10, 23

Jesus Christ came to reconcile us with God. He lived a life without sin and willingly died on the cross to pay the penalty for our transgressions. We believe that on the third day following His crucifixion, God raised Jesus bodily from the dead and now, by grace, offers as a free gift eternal life to all who follow Christ, by faith, as their Savior. That is why salvation can be found in Christ alone. We believe that the gospel is the central truth of the Bible, the foundation of our faith, and should be the driving force of every Christian and church.

John 3:16-17; Acts 2:22-39; Romans 3:21-24; Galatians 3:13; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; 2 Corinthians 5:21

We believe that the church is the body  and bride of Christ on earth. The church exists, under the lordship of Jesus Christ, to evangelize the world and make disciples. The local church is an autonomous local congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel; observing the two ordinances of Christ, governed by His laws, exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word, and seeking to extend the gospel to the ends of the earth. We believe that every born-again Christian  should be identified with a local church for the purpose of mutual encouragement, spiritual growth, and accountability.

1 Corinthians 12:12-31; Ephesians 4:11-16; Colossians 1:18-20, 3:12-25; 1 Peter 2:9; Hebrews 10:24-25

Once a person becomes a follower of Christ, we believe that they should continually grow in their walk with Him. We believe that disciples should grow as worshippers who know, love and obey God above all else. We believe that disciples should be family members, committed to membership in our church. We believe that disciples should be servants, joyfully using their gifts, time, and energy for the good of others and the glory of God. We believe that disciples should be faithful stewards of God's good gifts, investing their resources financial and otherwise in God's purposes through the church. Finally, we believe that all disciples are commanded to be witnesses, proclaiming Christ in both word and deed.

Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 4:19, 12:46-48, 28:18-20; Philippians 2:5-7; 1 Peter 4:10
 

We believe that water baptism by immersion is a church ordinance that represents a new believer's first public act of confession of faith in Christ and obedience to Him. While baptism by immersion is nowhere required for salvation in Scripture, it is the New Testament pattern that believers be baptized. As such, we do not practice paedobaptism (the baptism of infants).

Matthew 3:6, 13-17; Acts 2:38-41, 22:16; Romans 6:4-11;
1 Peter 3:21

We believe that the Lord Jesus ordained two distinct offices within the local church: (1) Deacons who serve the church in practical ways, often by caring for church members physical needs (Acts 6), and (2) Elders--also called "pastors" or "overseers" who are charged with the special responsibility to preach God's Word and to protect the church from false teaching. The qualifications and responsibilities for deacons and elders can be found in Romans 16:1; 1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:6-9; 1 Peter 5:1-5.

God, in His own time and in His own way, will bring the world to its appropriate end. According to His promise, Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory to the earth; the dead will be raised; and Christ will judge all men in righteousness. The unrighteous will be consigned to Hell, the place of everlasting punishment. The righteous in their resurrected and glorified bodies will receive their reward and will dwell forever in Heaven with the Lord.

Isaiah 2:4; 11:9; Matthew 16:27; 18:8-9; 19:28; 24:27,30,36,44; 25:31-46; 26:64; Mark 8:38; 9:43-48; Luke 12:40,48; 16:19-26; 17:22-37; 21:27-28; John 14:1-3; Acts 1:11; 17:31; Romans 14:10; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 15:24-28,35-58; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Philippians 3:20-21; Colossians 1:5; 3:4; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18; 5:1ff.; 2 Thessalonians 1:7ff.; 2; 1 Timothy 6:14; 2 Timothy 4:1,8; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 9:27-28; James 5:8; 2 Peter 3:7ff.; 1 John 2:28; 3:2; Jude 14; Revelation 1:18; 3:11; 20:1-22:13.