Our Statement of Faith
We believe that a clear statement of faith is a wonderful gift to the church of Jesus Christ. Similarly, our statement of faith seeks to establish historical continuity and unity with other Christians. We aim to show that we are not given to theological novelties, but stand with two feet firmly planted in the historic Christian tradition.
Salem Reformed Baptist Confession of Faith
SALEM REFORMED BAPTIST
CONFESSION OF FAITH
Man
SECTION IV
We believe that in the beginning it pleased God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, for the manifestation of the glory of his eternal power, wisdom, and goodness, to create (or make) the world, and all things therein, whether visible or invisible by the power of his Word (John 1:2, 3; Hebrews 1:2; Job 26:13; Romans 1:20; Colossians 1:16; Genesis 1:31). After God had made all other creatures, He created man, male and female, with reasonable souls, rendering them fit unto that life to God for which they were created; being made after the image of God, in knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness; having the law of God written in their hearts, and power to fulfil it, and yet under a possibility of transgressing, being left to the liberty of their own will, which was subject to change. (Genesis 1:27; Genesis 2:7; Ecclesiastes 7:29; Genesis 1:26; Romans 2:14, 15; Genesis 3:6).[3]
We believe that God directly created Adam from the dust of the ground and Eve from his side. We believe that Adam and Eve were the historical parents of the entire human race; that they were created male and female equally in the image of God, without sin; that they were created to glorify their Maker, Ruler, Provider, and Friend
We believe that, because all men were in Adam, a nature corrupted by Adam’s sin has been transmitted to all men (all mankind) of all ages, Jesus Christ being the only exception.
Friend by trusting His all-sufficient goodness, admiring His infinite beauty, enjoying His personal fellowship, and obeying His all-wise counsel; and that, in God’s love and wisdom, they were appointed differing and complementary roles in marriage as a type of Christ and the church.
We believe that God’s intention in the creation of man was that man should glorify God, enjoy God’s fellowship, live his life in the will of God, and by this accomplish God’s purpose for man in the world (Isaiah 43:7; Colossians 1:16; Revelation 4:11).
We believe that in Adam’s sin of disobedience to the revealed will and Word of God, man lost his innocence, incurred the penalty of spiritual and physical death, became subject to the wrath of God, and became inherently corrupt and utterly incapable of choosing or doing that which is acceptable to God apart from divine grace. With no recuperative powers to enable him to recover himself, man is hopelessly lost. Man’s salvation is thereby wholly of God’s grace through the redemptive work of our Lord Jesus Christ (Genesis 2:16-17; 3:1-19; John 3:36; Romans 3:23; 6:23; 1 Corinthians 2:14; Ephesians 2:1-3; 1 Timothy 2:13-14; 1 John 1:8).
We believe that, because all men were in Adam, a nature corrupted by Adam’s sin has been transmitted to all men (all mankind) of all ages, Jesus Christ being the only exception. All men are thus sinners by conception, by choice, and by divine declaration (Psalm 14:1-3; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:9-18, 23; 5:10-12).
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[3] This paragraph is derived from chapter 4 of the 1689 London Baptist Confession.