This doesn't tell you everything about what we believe but it's a good starting point for understanding Staines Baptist. We don't claim any exclusive right to the truth. If we have misunderstood what God says in his word that's because we are lazy or silly or sinful. Help us to see the truth more clearly, pray for us and talk to us.
We believe that the Bible is the inspired and infallible word of God, the supreme authority in all matters of belief and behaviour.
This is the foundation on which our other beliefs are built. How do we know what God is like, who he is and what has he done? What does he think about us and want from us? The answers to all these questions are found in the Bible where we believe that God speaks reliably, clearly and with absolute authority.
We believe that God is sovereign in creation, revelation, redemption and judgement.
God is a supreme king and nothing can challenge his desire or ability to do what he wants to do. In a word he is the LORD. All authority belongs to him and everyone is responsible to him when it comes to creating, revealing, saving us and judging the world. God is not constrained by anything except his own character. Because of who he is he will never be cruel, forgetful, uncaring, evil or weak.
We believe there is one God in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
The Bible teaches us that God is uniquely one but that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are God, three persons living in an undivided unity. Christians call this the trinity. We recognise the difficulty of explaining this truth but we are not embarrassed to admit that the God we worship and follow is somewhere beyond our understanding and we are struggling to keep up!
We believe that the whole of humankind is sinful and guilty, so that everyone is subject to God's judgement.
Sin is breaking our relationship with God. Instead of acknowledging him as our maker, ruler and father we live as though he didn't exist; we are saying that we don't want anything to do with the God of the Bible and we are breaking off our friendship. Sin means having a nature that God finds offensive. The Bible teaches that it isn't just what we do that offends God, it's what we are. Even if we did nothing either good or bad, God would find that our very nature offended him; just by being here. And because of our sinful natures we do sin, leaving God doubly offended.
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, God's incarnate son, is fully God; he was born of a virgin; his humanity is real and sinless.
Jesus is fully human, conceived miraculously but born in a normal way to a human mother. He is human in order to properly represent humans as a substitute as well as being the God who enjoys all the rights and privileges of heaven. Because he is fully God and fully man Jesus Christ is uniquely placed to represent both God and man.
We believe that redemption from the guilt, penalty and power of sin comes only through the sacrificial and substitutionary death of Jesus, the Son of God.
The only possibility of being saved is through Jesus Christ offering himself up as a sacrifice in our place. Redemption means being bought with a price. Jesus Christ releases us from the terrible consequences of sin so that we are no longer headed for condemnation. Christians call this being forgiven. Every Christian believes that Jesus Christ died in their place.
We believe that he was raised bodily from death and is now reigning over heaven and earth
Three days after being crucified he was raised to life and exalted to the throne of heaven. The implications of Jesus’ resurrection are: Jesus is vindicated; everything he said and did is true and approved by God. Secondly, Jesus is the one to whom God has entrusted judgement; it is to Jesus that we must go for forgiveness and acceptance and Jesus is here now as a present and imminent reality.
We believe that the Holy Spirit alone makes the work of Christ effective to individual sinners, enabling them to turn to God from their sin and to trust in Jesus Christ.
Being a Christian isn't a matter of tradition or family. Becoming a Christian calls for such a radical change that the Bible calls it being "born again." To be healed from the terrible effects of sin we will need a miracle that the Holy Spirit works in our lives. He brings us to life and gives us the ability to acknowledge Jesus Christ and receive his forgiveness. By his power we are "born again."
We believe that the Holy Spirit lives in all those he has regenerated. He makes them increasingly Christ-like in character and behaviour and gives them power for their witness in the world.
The Holy Spirit ensures our adoption into the family of God so that we can enjoy all the privileges and responsibilities of son-ship. He binds us into a new, family relationship. God is our father and we are his children. We are never alive apart from the ongoing work of God's Spirit.
We believe that the one holy, universal church is the Body of Christ over which he rules and to which all true believers belong and local churches are a special representation of that universal church
We are not just members of the universal church; we are members of local churches as well. Local congregations are the environment in which Christians gain the support and accountability that enables them to live Christ-like lives. We learn together, love and encourage each other. We steer and guide each other's lives and work together to show others the truth about Jesus Christ.
We believe that he Lord Jesus Christ will return in person to deliver God's judgement on those who have not repented and to receive the redeemed into eternal glory.
The moment of Jesus' return will be the end of the world. It is often referred to in the Bible as "the day of judgement" because that is when Jesus will pronounce judgement on everyone who has opposed him or refused to accept him. There will be nothing unfair or arbitrary about his judgement because he knows every fact and understands every motive perfectly. His judgement will be right.