Statement of Faith

Reformation Bible Church of Fresno holds to the

1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith.

Statement of Faith

1. We believe in the one true and living God, in three Persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, who is invisible, personal, omnipresent, eternal, dependent on none, unchanging, truthful, trustworthy, almighty, sovereign, omniscient, righteous, holy, good, loving, merciful, long-suffering and gracious. 
1 Cor. 8:4,6; Deut. 6:4; Jer. 10:10; Isa. 48:12; Exod. 3:14; John 4:24; 1 Tim. 1:17; Deut. 4:15–16; Mal. 3:6; 1 Kings 8:27; Jer. 23:23; Ps. 90:2; Gen. 17:1; Isa. 6:3; Ps. 115:3; Isa. 46:10; Prov. 16:4; Rom. 11:36; Exod. 34:6–7; Heb. 11:6; Neh. 9:32–33; Ps. 5:5–6; Exod. 34:7; Nahum 1:2–3; 1 John 5:7; Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14; Exod. 3:14; John 14:11; I Cor. 8:6; John 1:14,18; John 15:26; Gal. 4:6

2. We believe that Almighty God has revealed all that is necessary to life and salvation in the sixty six books of Holy Scripture which are the Word of God. All Scripture was given by inspiration of God, is infallible and inerrant, and is the final arbiter in all disputes. Its authority is derived from its Author and not from the opinions of men. 
2 Tim. 3:15-17; Heb. 4:12; 2 Pet. 1:19-21; Rom 15:4; John 17:17; Matt. 4:4; Ps. 119:160; Isaiah 40:8; Matt. 24:35; Luke 24:44

3. We believe that God made our first father Adam perfect, holy and upright. He was appointed representative and head of the human race thereby exposing all his offspring to the effects of his obedience or disobedience to God’s commands. 
Gen 1:31, 3:12,13; Rom. 5:12-21

4. We believe that Adam fell from his original righteousness into sin and brought upon himself and all his offspring physical and spiritual death, condemnation and sinnership. 
Gen. 3:6, 17-19; Rom. 5:12, 19; 1 Cor. 15:21-22; James 1:15, Ps. 51:15; Isaiah 59:2; Eph. 2:1-3; Rom. 7:9-11; Job 15:14; John 3:6

5. We believe it is utterly beyond the power of spiritually dead and fallen man to love God, to keep His laws, to effectually understand the Gospel, to genuinely repent of sin, or produce saving faith in Christ. 
Eph. 2:1-3; 1 Cor. 2:14; Rom. 8:7, Eph. 4:18; Rom. 3:10-18, 23

6. We believe that God, before the foundation of the world, for His own glory did elect an innumerable host of men and women to eternal life as an act of free and sovereign grace. This election was in no way dependent upon His foresight of human faith, decision, works or merit. 
Eph. 1:4-5; 2 Tim. 1:9; Rom. 8:28-30; Matt. 25:34; Rev. 13:8; John 15:16; Tit. 1:1-2; Rom. 9:23-24, 2 Thess. 2:13

7. We believe that God sent His Son into the world, conceived of the virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit, unchangeably sinless, both God and man, born under the Law, to live a perfect life of righteousness, on behalf of all who will believe in His name. 
Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:18-25; Gal. 4:4; Luke 1:34-35; John 3:16; 1 John 4:9-10; Rom. 8:32; John 3:15; John 11:25-26; 1 John 3:5; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Pet. 2:22; Heb. 4:15

8. We believe that God’s Son died at Calvary to effect propitiation, reconciliation, redemption, and atonement for His chosen people. God bore testimony to His acceptance of His Son’s work by raising Him from the dead. 
Rom. 5:8; 1 Pet. 2:24-25; Gal. 2:20; 1 Cor. 1:18-22; Col. 2:14; John 19:30; 1 John 2:2; Gal. 3:13; Mark 10:45; Rom. 10:9; 1 Pet. 1:3; 1 Thes. 4:14; 1 Cor. 15

9. We believe that God’s Son ascended to the right hand of His Father and is enthroned in glory, where He intercedes on behalf of His people and rules over all things for their sake. 
Acts 2:33, 5:31; Mark 16:19; 1 Pet. 3:22; Eph. 1:20-23; Rom. 8:27, 34; Heb. 7:25; Col. 2:10; Phil. 2:9-11

10. We believe that God the Son has poured out the Holy Spirit to work alongside the preached Word. The Spirit of God regenerates the elect sinner and draws him irresistibly to faith in Christ the Savior. 
John 14:26; 16, 15:26; 1 Cor. 2:10-13, 6:19; 1 Pet. 1:12; 1 Thes. 4:8; Rom. 10:17; 2 Thess. 2:13-14; James 1:18; John 3:8; 1:13; 3:5, 6:37; 1 Pet. 1:23; Eph. 2:8; Acts 16:14

11. We believe the elect, who are called by grace, are justified in the sight of God on account of the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ which is received by faith alone. 
2 Cor. 5:21; Rom. 8:29-30, 4:5, 1:7, 3:21-22, 10:4; Phil. 3:9; 1 Cor. 1:30; 1 Pet. 2:24

12. We believe that all who are regenerated, called, and justified shall persevere in holiness and never finally fall away. 
Phil. 1:6; John 10:27-28; 1 Pet. 1:5; 2 Tim. 1:12; Romans 11:29; Jude 1:24; Rom. 8:30

13. We believe that the moral law of God is summarized in the Ten Commandments and that all the Ten Commandments continue today to be the standard of righteousness which every child of God ought to love and obey. 
Ex. 20:1-17; Romans 13:8–10; James 2:8, 10–12; James 2:10, 11; Matthew 5:17–19; Romans 3:31

14. We believe God has particularly appointed one day in seven for a Sabbath to be kept holy unto Him, which from the beginning of the world to the Resurrection of Christ, was the last day of the week; and from the resurrection of Christ, was changed into the first day of the week which is called the Lord’s Day; and is to be continued to the end of the world as the Christian Sabbath; the observation of the last day of the week being abolished. 
Ex. 20:8; 1 Cor. 16:1, 2; Acts 20:7; Rev. 1:10, Col. 2:16, Heb. 4:9-11

15. We believe that baptism by immersion and the Lord’s Supper are gospel ordinances belonging only to regenerated believers. 
Romans 6:3–5; Col. 2:12; Galatians 3:27; Mark 1:4; Acts 22:16; Romans 6:4, Mark 16:16; Acts 8:36, 37; Acts 2:41; Acts 8:12; Acts 18:8; Matthew 28:19, 20; Acts 8:38; Matthew 3:16; John 3:23; 1 Corinthians 11:23–26; 1 Corinthians 10:16, 17, 2; 2 Corinthians 6:14, 15; 1 Corinthians 11:26, 29; Matthew 7:6

16. We believe marriage is to only to be between one man and one woman and that marriage was ordained by God and, therefore, cannot be redefined by man. 
Gen. 2:24; Mal. 2:15; Matt. 19:5-6; Gen 2:18; 1 Cor. 7:2, 9; Eph. 5:22-33; Mark 10:6-9; Heb. 13:4

17. We believe that our corporate worship must be regulated by the Scriptures alone and that we are not free to impose extra-biblical elements into our worship before God. 
John 4:21-24; Col. 2:23; 1 Cor. 14:26-40; 1 Tim. 4:13; 2 Tim 2:4; Eph. 5:19

18. We believe that the Scriptures teach that only men—biblically qualified men—are to hold the only two offices Christ has given to the Church, that being elder and deacon. 
1 Tim. 3:1-13, 5:17; Acts 14:23, 20:17, 28; Titus 1:5-7; Phil. 1:1; 1 Pet. 5:1-2; Heb. 13:17

19. We believe that the local church is under the authority of Christ alone and not the civil government. Nevertheless, civil authorities are established by God and Christians should submit in the Lord to them to the extent that their submission does not cause them to disobey God. 
Eph. 1:22, 5:23; Col. 1:18; Rom. 13:1-7; 1 Pet. 2:17; 1 Tim 2:1-2; Acts 5:29

20. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ shall come again to raise the dead, both righteous and unrighteous, and that the righteous shall enjoy everlasting life and the wicked endure everlasting punishment. 
Heb. 9:28; 1 Thess. 4:16-17; 2 Peter 3:10; Acts 17:31; John 5:22, 27; 1 Corinthians 6:3; Jude 6; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Ecclesiastes 12:14; Matthew 12:36; Romans 14:10, 12; Matthew 25:32–46