A New Mind

Statement of Faith

• I believe that the Bible is the perfect, inerrant, and infallible Word of God, and is the only source of doctrine. I believe that the Bible has been divinely inspired and preserved, and that the King James Bible, also known as the Authorized Version, is completely accurate for all English speaking people.
• I believe that there is only one true and living God, who is manifested eternally in three distinct parts, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. He was before all things, will remain forever, and He is active in all events.
• I believe that mankind is fallen since the sin of Adam, and that man as he is born has a natural predisposition to sin. In his sinful nature, he is damned not only to a future punishment, but a present life without any ability to do good.
• I believe in a literal Heaven and a literal Hell. All men are resurrected either to an eternal life in fellowship with God in Heaven, or into an eternal damnation apart from God, first in Hell, and then for eternity in the Lake of Fire.
• I believe that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, both fully God and fully man, was literally born of a virgin, lived the only sinless life, and willingly died a literal death on a cross, and was literally resurrected on the third day according to the Scriptures. It was this substitutionary death that alone can take away the sins the world and save men from eternal damnation. Apart from this sacrifice, no sin could be forgiven, and if rejected, there remains no remedy for sin.
• I believe that salvation is by faith alone in Jesus Christ, without works, and completely undeserved by the recipient. This faith itself is a gift of God, and no man will seek it unless God first calls. God calls all men unto Him. However, this gift must be accepted, and that requires that the person confess his sinful nature, repent of his own ways and desires, and believe on the finished work of Jesus Christ to become Lord of his life.
• I believe that the savlation of the spirit, being the gift of God cannot obtained by works, or maintained by works. Once a believer has been born into the family of God, he is "sealed with that holy Spirit of promise" and that God will continue to perform that work in him. Therefore, it is impossible that a person could lose that salvation. However, one who is truly regenerated will live in a new manner.
• I believe that once a person is truly born again into the family of God, there will be evidence of that new nature. While no works can be done before salvation, all saved individuals will work, and will have a new desire to follow the teachings of the Bible.
• I believe there have been and to this day are many people professing, and even supposing themselves to be saved who have never truly known God, are in an unregenerate state, and unless they become born again, will face an eternity in torment. I believe that those professing Christians who do not remain faithful to God, do not seek to serve in His church, and who are not chastened by Him have never been truly saved, and are spiritual bastards rather than children of God.
• I believe that the Bible, while not meant to be a science textbook, is completely accurate and literal in all scientific claims it makes. I believe in a literal six day creation, as described in the book of Genesis. I believe that the earth is less than 10,000 years old. I believe that God created man in His image from the dust of the ground, and that he did not evolve from any other creature. I believe in a literal earth-wide flood, and that the only human survivors were those on the ark with Noah.
• I believe that the two ordinances of the local church are baptism and the Lord's supper. Neither of them is necessary for salvation, and only meaningful to those who are already believers. They are symbolic, showing forth works that have been past.