This is the Statement of Faith from Harvest Baptist Church.

Document Purpose: To provide who we are as a church, and what we generally believe as a Church.

Summary of Beliefs

The Holy Scriptures

• We believe that the Bible is the inerrant, inspired Word of God and that it is our absolute authority in all matters of faith and Christian living.

The Trinity of the God-Head

• We believe in the holy trinity, that there is only one God revealed in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit.

• We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven & earth.

• We believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God who is both true God and true man. Born of a virgin and proved his Deity in His all-sufficient sacrifice for sin by His death on the cross, His bodily resurrection, His ascension into heaven and His coming again in glory.

• We believe in the Holy Spirit who is One with the Father and the Son in the Godhead. We believe that He indwells every Christian believer at the moment of salvation and is the source of our spiritual life, obedience to God and Christ-like behavior.

The Creation and Fall of Man

• We believe that all living beings were created by God as described in the book of Genesis.

• We believe that man was created in the image of God.

• We believe that man voluntarily sinned and thereby incurred not only physical death, but also spiritual death which is separation from God.

The Salvation of Man

• We believe that through sin man is under God's judgment and is unable to save himself. We believe that a sinner is put right with God through faith in Christ alone, shown by repentance from sin and commitment to Jesus Christ as Lord.

• We believe that God has given man a free will to choose or reject the sacrifice for our sins of His Son Jesus Christ. We also believe that God is omniscient, knowing before our birth whether we will accept His Son Jesus Christ. And while it is God’s will that all men are to be saved, that man, through his choice to either accept Jesus Christ or reject Him, will determine his eternity.

• We believe in eternally secure salvation by grace through faith in the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Our Lord's Second Advent

• We believe in the second coming of Christ: that His coming in the air to rapture His Church, which is our blessed Hope, is always imminent.

The Everlasting State of the Saved and the Lost

• We believe in a literal Heaven and a literal Hell.

The Devil or Satan

• We believe that Satan is a personal being and author of all evil.

Ordinances

• We believe, in baptism by immersion, and in the observance of the Lord’s Supper by all obedient believers.

The Church

• We believe in the autonomy of the local church.

• We believe that Christ is the Supreme Head of His Body, the Church, in which every believer is equipped by God for a specific function.

• We believe that the Church is called to glorify God in worship, to preach the gospel throughout the world and to build itself up in love.

• We further believe that personal spiritual growth comes only through faithful church attendance along with daily, disciplined Bible study, prayer, and witnessing.

Separation

• We believe we are to exemplify our walk with God through our daily actions.

• We believe that homosexuality is a choice and a sin.As such, homosexuals are to be loved as all other sinners.

• We believe people living in continual sin cannot be in a position of leadership.

• We believe in the sanctity of life, both of the unborn and the born.We believe life begins at conception.

• We believe that all people on the earth are descended from Adam and people of all ethnic backgrounds are equal in God’s sight.As such, people of all ethnic backgrounds are welcome at Harvest Baptist Church.

• We believe that consumption of alcohol as a beverage can lead our brethren into a state of continual sin and therefore, as a witness to Christ, we abstain.

• We believe that gambling can lead our brethren into a state of continual sin, and therefore, as a witness to Christ, we cannot condone gambling, including lotteries.

• We believe drug abuse is harmful to our body, which is God's temple. Therefore, we condemn the abusive use of drugs.

• In believing our body to be God's temple, we also condemn pornography and other sexual immorality.

• We believe our speech and appearance should reflect our relationship with Christ.

• We believe we are accountable to each other, and those who are in continual sin should be encouraged to repent and turn away from their sin.

Marriage and Divorce

• We believe that marriage is between one man and one woman as ordained by God.

• We believe that it is God's will that man should not divorce, but because of mans weakness, has provided a means of divorce under very specific conditions.

• We believe that with the exception of very specific conditions, a divorced man is prevented from serving as an ordained man.

Civil Government

• We believe that civil government is of divine appointment and should be honored and obeyed, except in matters opposed to the will of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Holy Scriptures

We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are inspired of God and written by men (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:21; 1 Sam. 23:2; Acts 1:16; 3:21; John 10:35; Luke 16:29-31; Psa. 119:11; Rom. 3:1-2).They are the final authority in faith and life. The Scriptures have been recorded and preserved by the Holy Spirit (II Timothy 3:16;II Peter 1:21;Psalm 12:6-7). The supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions should be subjected (1 John 4:1; Isa. 8:20; 1 Thess. 5:21; 2 Cor. 8:5; Acts 17:11; 1 John 4:6; Jude 3:5; Eph. 6:17; Psa. 119:59-60; Phil. 1:9-11).

The Trinity of the God-Head

We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit (the Trinity) (Matthew 28:19). These divine Persons are coequal, coeternal, and consubstantial; each Person is as much God as either of the other Two (I John 5:7).They are equal in every divine perfection (John 10:30; 5:17; 14:23; 17:5, 10; Acts 5:3-4; 1 Cor. 2:10-11; Phil. 2:5-6), yet each one having a distinct purpose in redemption and yet able to work in harmony (Eph. 2:18; 2 Cor. 13:14; Rev. 1:4-5).The trinity is worthy of all possible honor, confidence, and love (Mark 12:30; Rev. 4:11; Matt. 10:37; Jer. 2:12-13).

The Pre-existence, Deity and Incarnation of Jesus Christ

We believe that Jesus Christ ever existed with the Father and the Holy Spirit and that in His incarnation was begotten by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary and is true God and true man (John 1:1-9;I Timothy 3:16).

The Death, Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus Christ

We believe that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures as a substitutionary sacrifice, and that all who believe in Him are justified on the grounds of His shed blood. We believe that He literally arose from the dead on the third day in the same body in which He suffered and died. We also believe that our Lord ascended into Heaven; that He is now seated at the right hand of the Father and is our High Priest and Divine Advocate with the Father. We believe that by His finished work on the cross and His unceasing ministry of intercession in Glory, that Jesus Christ has procured for every believer eternal redemption, eternal salvation, and everlasting life (I Corinthians 15:3-4;Romans 5:9;John 3:16,20:27;Mark 16:19;Hebrews 5:9,7:25,8:1,9:12;I John 2:1).

The Personality and Ministry of the Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a Person, that He convicts the world of sin, of righteousness and judgment, that He regenerates the sinner by the Word of God, that He permanently indwells the body of each believer, that He seals, enlightens, instructs, and guides every born again person, and that He is the efficient power for godly living, Christian service, and spiritual worship. We believe that all who by faith receive the Lord Jesus Christ are born again by the Holy Spirit at that moment, and thereby become the children of God (John 3:5-17,14:16-17,26,16:7-15;I Peter 1:23;Ephesians 4:30).

The Creation and Fall of Man

We believe the Genesis account of creation; that man was divinely created by a direct act in the image of his maker, and not by or through the process of evolution from the lower species; that all animal and vegetable life was likewise directly created and placed under GOD's inviolable law that they should bring forth only after their own kind. Gen.1:1,21:24-27,2:7; Jn.1:1-; Heb.11:3; Col.1:16; Rom.1:18-20).

We believe that man was created in the image of God. We believe that man voluntarily sinned and thereby incurred not only physical death, but also spiritual death which is separation from God. We believe that all human beings are born with a sinful nature and for those who reach an age of moral responsibility, they must be born again to be accepted of God (Romans 5:12;Romans 3:10,23;John 3:5-17).

The Salvation of Man

We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace (Eph. 2:5; Matt. 18:11; 1 John 4:10; 1 Cor. 3:5-7; Acts 15:11).That through His Son, Jesus Christ, who freely took upon himself sin, yet was sinless,(Phil. 2:6-7; Heb. 2:9, 14; 2 Cor. 5:21), and in obedience to our Father, and by his death made a full atonement for our sins (Isa. 53:4-5; Matt. 20:28; Rom. 4:25; 3:21-26; 1 John 4:10; 2:2; 1 Cor. 15:1-3; Heb. 9:13-15), that having risen from the dead, provided salvation of our sins.

We believe that those who have been born again have everlasting life and shall not come into judgment for their sins, but have passed from death unto life (John 3:18,5:24). The conditions to salvation are repentance and faith.

The Eternal Purpose of Grace in Election

We believe that election is eternal, personal, and unconditional purpose of GOD, according to which He graciously regenerates, sanctifies and saves sinners. (2 Tim.1:8-9; Eph. 3:1- 14; 2 Thes. 2:13-14; 1Thes. 1:4-10; Jn. 10:11-30; Acts 14:38; Rom. 8:28-31,11:28-29; 1Cor. 4:7, 9:22; Ja. 1:17-18; 1Pet. 1:2, 2:9; 2Pet. 1:10-11; 2Tim. 2:10).

Our Lord's Second Advent

We believe in the second coming of Christ: that His coming in the air to rapture His Church, which is our blessed Hope, is always imminent; that when He has first by resurrection of the dead and translation of the living removed from the earth His waiting Church, He will then pour out the righteous judgments of God upon the unbelieving world and afterwards descend with His Church and establish His glorious and literal kingdom over all the nations for a thousand years. I Thessalonians 4:13-18; James 5:8; Hebrew 10:37; Jude 14, 15; Revelation 19:11-16; 20:4-7.

The Resurrection of the Dead

We believe in the bodily resurrection of all New Testament saints at the rapture (I Thessalonians 4:16;I Corinthians 15:51-57) and of the resurrection of the unjust at the end of time (Revelation 20:11-15;John 5:28-29). The resurrection of the New Testament saints is unto a glorious body, like unto His (Philippians 3:20-21); while the resurrection of the unsaved is unto a body fitted for the lake of fire (Revelation 20:11-15).

The Eternal State of the Saved and the Lost

We believe in a literal heaven and a literal hell: heaven is the place of eternal conscious joy for all who receive Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, and hell is the place of eternal conscious punishment in the lake of fire for all who reject Jesus Christ and those dying in their sin (John 8:24,14:1-6;Psalm 9:17,16:11;Philippians 1:21, 23;II Thessalonians 1:7-9;Revelation 20:10-15). After the Great White Throne Judgment, all the unsaved will be turned into the Lake of Fire; the saints of all ages will enjoy the New Jerusalem and the new earth (Rev. 21-22).

The Devil or Satan

We believe that Satan is a personal being, a fallen angel, prince of demons, the god of this age, the great enticer being the prince of the power of the darkness of this world; that he is the enemy of GOD, the tempter and accuser of saints, author of all evil and false religions, and that he is destined however, to final defeat and final destruction in the lake of fire. (Isa. 14:12-27; Ez.28:1`2-19; Job 2:1-7; 1Peter 5:8, Eph.2:2, 2Cor.4:4; Matt. 35:41; 2Cor. 11:13-15; Gen.3:1-6; Rev. 12:9-10).

Ordinances

We believe that the local church has two ordinances and that these ordinances picture the saving works of Jesus Christ. These are, namely, water baptism by immersion and the Lord's Supper. While recognizing that water baptism has no saving merit, it is our conviction that after one is saved, baptism is the next step in order to portray to the world that believer's union with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection and with the Lord's local church. We also believe that upon baptism, the believer becomes a member of the local church which is His Body. We believe that Jesus Christ instituted the Lord's Supper to commemorate His death until He comes and that the elements (unleavened bread and the fruit of the vine)symbolically portray the body and blood of Christ. (Acts 2:41-47;Romans 6:4;I Corinthians 11:23-29,12:12-27).

The Church

We believe that the church is a local, visible body of believers called out from the world for the purpose of obeying the Great Commission, and that they are separated unto Christ. We believe that the supreme mission of the church in this age is to preach the Gospel to every creature and, in the context of the local church, to disciple those who believe on His name (I Corinthians 12:12-27;Mark 16:15;Matthew 28:18-20;Acts 1:8;Luke 24:47).

Separation

We believe that God commands Christians to be a separated people (II Corinthians 6:17-18and7:1). We believe Christians are to be personally separated from all worldly practices that hinder spiritual growth and stability. We believe that God's people should not love the world or the things that are in the world (I John 2:15-16). In addition, we believe that a Christian should live a holy life and maintain a testimony consistent with the New Testament. This affects such areas as dress and appearance, associations, amusements, language, and all other such areas as would be considered worldly (John 17:15-19;James 4:1-10).

We believe that gambling is against God’s desires and that Christians will want to avoid involvement. Gambling promotes the myth that there is a shortcut to financial success apart from God-honored labor (Eph. 4:28). It promotes pleasure at another's expense and emphasizes getting rather than giving (Acts 20:32-35).Christ plainly warned against the snare of covetousness and taught that life does not consist in the abundance of our possessions. We cannot serve God and money (Luke 12:15; 16:13).We believe that the Scriptures teach us to abstain from all forms of greed. "The one who profits dishonestly troubles his household, but the one who hates bribes will live." (Proverbs 15:27).

We believe that God has built his temple in our body. (1 Corinthians 3:16)If we partake in pornography, we are participating in sexually immoral activities and simultaneously condoning the actions of the people in the material.God has built in each of us a sense of modesty that was first evidenced in Adam and Eve immediately following their first sin. (Genesis 3:7-10) This confirms that we are to be modest in our dress.Therefore, we believe that pornography sexually immoral material that is condemned by God. (I Corinthians 6:9)

We also believe that illicit use of drugs abuses God’s temple. (1 Corinthians 3:16)And as the effects of the use of illicit drugs are similar to that of drunkenness, the scriptural references condemning drunkenness also apply.

Marriage and Divorce

We believe that marriage is between one man and one woman as ordained by God.
We believe that it is God's will that man should not divorce, but because of man's weakness, has provided a means of divorce under very specific conditions.

We believe that God hates divorce and intends marriage to last until one of the spouses dies. Although divorced persons may hold positions of service in the church and be greatly used of God for Christian service, they may not be considered for the offices of pastor or deacon.The two exceptions to this are people who were divorced before becoming a Christian, people who were divorced because of infidelity of the wife, and believers who non-believing wife deserted him (Mal. 2:14-17; Matt. 19:3-12; Rom. 7:1-3; 1 Tim. 3:2,12; Titus 1:6, 1 Cor 7:12-16).

Civil Government

We believe that civil government is of divine appointment and arrangement, for the best interests and good order of human society; and that leaders are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed, except in matters opposed to the will of the LORD JESUS CHRIST, who is the only LORD of men's consciences and the Prince of the kings of the earth.(Rom. 13:1-7;Deut.16:18; Jer. 30:21; Mat. 22:21, 23:10,10:28; Ps.2; 1 Pet. 2:13; Acts 5:29; Dan. 3:15-18; Rom. 14:4; Rev. 19:6).