STATEMENT OF BELIEF

Seventh Day Baptists consider liberty of thought ,under the guidance of the Holy Spirit,to be essential to Christian belief and practice.We therefore encourage the unhundered study and open discussion of Scripture, and uphold the individual's freedom of conscience in seeking to understand and obey the will of God.It is for this reason that we have no binding creed.

We hold, however , that certain beliefs and practices, having the support of Scripture, and adhered to by followers of Christ throught the centuries, are binding upon all.

With this conviction in mind, we present the following brief staement, derived from our understanding of the bible, as an expression of our common belief

2 Cor 3:17,18; 2 Tim 2:15; 3:16,17; Rom 12:2; 10:17; Eph 4:3-6,15;

WE BELIEVE

1 GOD :

We believe in God, the Supreme Being; personal, perfect, infinite, spiritual, eternal; the Creator, Sustainer and Sovereign of the universe; our Heavenly Father who manifests a holy redeeming love towards all mankind, forgiving the repentant, condemning the unrepentant; and who deires to share His love in a personal relationship with everyone.

Gen 1:1,2; Isa 25:1-9; 57:15; Ps 90:1,2; 91:2; John 4:24; 5:25; 3:16-18; 1 Tim 1:17; Deut 6:4-9; 1 Kings 8:27; 1 John1:5; Acts 17:24,25,28; 2 Peter 3:9; 1 Cor 8:6; Eph 4:6; Ezek 33:11; 2 Thess 1:6-8

2 JESUS CHRIST

We believe in Jesus Christ, God manifest in the flesh, Our Saviour, Teacher and Guide who gave himself on the Cross as a complete and final sacrifice for sin, and draws to Himself all who will come to Hom in love and trustful obedience. As our risen Lord, He is the one Mediator between us and the Father.

John 1:14-18,34; 3:16; 12:32; 14:6; Heb 1:3; Rom 1:3-5; 1 John 3:16; 2:1,2; Gal 4:4-6; 1 Pet 2:24; Heb 10:10-14; 1 Cor 15:20-23; 1 Tim 2:5; Eph 1:18-23

3 THE HOLY SPIRIT

We believe in the Holy Spirit, God dwelling within us; the Inspirer of Scripture, the comforter, active in the hearts and minds and lives of mankind; who convicts of sin, gives spiritual rebirth, instructs in righteousness, and empowers for witnessing and service

John 14:16,17,26; 16:7-14; Acts 1:8; Rom5:5; 2 Pet 1:20,21; 1 Cor 12:4-11

4 THE BIBLE

We believe that the bible is the inspired record of God's will for mankind - the Word of God, of which Jesus Christ is the supreme Interpretor, and that it is our final authority in matters of faith and practice.

2 Tim3:14-17; 2 Pet 1:20,21; 3:1,2,15,16; Heb 4:12; 1:1,2; John 20:30,31; Rom 3:2;

2 Tim 3:14-17; Matt 5:17-19; Ps 119:105

5 MANKIND

We believe that mankind was created in the image of God, and is therefore the noblest work of creation. We also believethat human beings have moral responsibility, and are created to enjoy both Divine and human fellowship as children of God.

Gen 1:26,27; Ps 8:3-8; Micah 6:8; Matt 5:44-48

6 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

We believe that the Ten Commandments are ten divine precepts - applications of the eternal and universal principle of love; established by God, and given to mankind at creation, written by His 'finger' at Mt Sinai, and magnified by Jesus Christ, and shown by Him to be the moral code for all mankind.

Gen 2:2; 4:8-13; 31:32; Ex 20:1-17; Matt 19:16-19; Deut 6:5,6; Matt 22:36-39; 5:28;

James 2:8-12

7 THE SABBATH

We believe that the Sabbath of the Bible, the seveth day of the week (Saturday), is sacred time, a gift of God, instituted at creation, affirmed in the Ten Commandments, and re-affirmed by Jesus and the apostles. We also believe that, in loving response to God's grace towards us, as revealed in Christ, the Sabbath should be faithfully observed as a day of rest and worship, and that it is a reminder of God's presence in time - His pledge of eternal rest in the paradise of God.

Gen 2:2,3; Ex 16:23-30; 20:8-11; Mark 2:27,28; Luke 4:16; John 14:15;

Acts 13:14,42-44; 16:11-13; 17:2,3; 18:4-11

Matt 5:17-19; Isa 58:13,14; Ezek 20:19,20; Heb 4:9,10

8 SIN AND SALVATION

We believe that sin is the transgression of the law of love - disobedience to God, and failure to live according to His will. All who refuse to repent of their sins and receive Christ as their Saviour will be punished at the time of the final judgement. We also believe that salvation from sin and death is the gift of God by redeeming love, accomplished by Christs death and resurrection, and is received only by repentance and faith in Him.

1 John 1:3,8-10; 3:4,5; John 1:12; 3:16-18,36; 14:6; Rom3:21-25; 5:6-8,10; 6:23;

Eph 2:8,9; 2 Thess 1: 5-9; Rev 20:11-15; Isa 59:2; Heb 10:10-14;

1 Pet 1:3; Matt 25:41-46

9 ETERNAL LIFE

We believe that eternal life, being conditional, is available to us only through our Saviour Jesus Christ, and is granted on one's acceptance of salvation in Him who, having paid sin's death penalty for us, and having conquered death, will gather together, not only those who have died righteous, but also the living righteous, and will bestow upon them immortality in glorifies bodies, at His return in heavenly power and glory.

John 3:14-16; 6:40; 10:27,28; 17:1-3; 14:1-3; Rom 6:23; 5:14-17,6-11;

Luke 24:1-6; Matt 28:1-8; 24:12,13,30; 25:31-34,46; 1 John 5:11-13; Col 3:1-4;

1 Cor 15;20-22,42-44, 53, 54; 1 Thess 4:13-18; Titus 2:13

10 BAPTISM

We believe that the baptism of believers, by immersion, is a command of Christ, being a witness to, and the consummation of ones acceptance of Him as Saviour and Lord, and is a symbol of death to sin, and rebirth to a new life in Christ.

Matt 28:19,20; Rom 6:3, 4, 11; Acts 2:38-41; Col 2:12;

1 Pet 3:21; Gal 3:26,27

11 THE LORD'S SUPPER

We believe that the Lord's Supper commenorates the suffering and death of our Redeemer before He comes, and that it is a symbol of our union with Christ, and a pledge of renewed allegiance to our risen Lord.

Mark 14:22-25; 1 Cor 10:16,17; 11:23-30; Matt 26:26-29

12 THE CHURCH

We believe that the church of God is all redeemed believers gathered together by the Holy Spirit and joined into one body, of which Christ is the head. We also believe that the local church is a community of believers organized in covenant relationship for worship, fellowship and service, practising and proclaiming common convictions, while growing in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

We believe in the priesthood of all believers, and practise the autonomy of the local congregation, as we seek to work is association with others for more effective witness.

Acts 20:28; 2:42; 1 Cor 12:13, 14, 27; Col 1:18; Rom 12:4,5; 15:5-7; 1 Pet 2:4-10;

Matt 18:20; Eph 2:19-22; 4:11-16; 2 Pet 3:18; Heb10:24,25

13 EVANGELISM

We believe that the churches chief aim is as Jesus commissioned us : to proclaim the Gospel of Salvation and of the Kingdom; making disciples, baptizing and teaching them to observe all that He has commanded; witnessing to pour faith throughout the world and to every person.

Matt 28:18-20; 24:14; Acts 1:8; 2 Cor 4:1, 2, 5, 6; 5:17-20; Ps 96:2,3;

1 Pet 3:15,16; Eph 6:14-20; Mark 16:15

Are My Sins Really Forgiven?

Doubt, the great underminer of our faith. "O ye of little faith" (Matt 14:31). Yes, the words of our Master. How many times have you heard Christian people say, "I hope i will be saved" ,or "I will not know until the Judgement Day". Have you said words like that yourself? Have you doubted? How do I really know? It is indeed all up to you yourself. No-one can now save you but you yourself. It is all in your own hands, not God's, nor Christ's, but yourself. How can this be?

God has done His part.He has called you and spoken to you or you would not be reading this. And He has made a great promise to us: "I will remember them (your sins) no more". (Jer 31:34, Heb 8:12 ; 10:17). Also ,"Your sins are blotted out" (Isaiah 43:25 and 44:22, Acts 3:19). What greater promise could you have from God.

It is conditional, we do have to do something. Ask God's forgiveness and accept His promise, and your sins will be blotted out, yes, out of that book. Nothing will be able to be seen.

What about memory? He also has promised that He will remember them (our sins) no more. If God has forgotten them and they are not written down anywhere, why of course we have a clean sheet.

How else could God speak of David and say, "a man after my own heart". We know David was agreat sinner, but he knew how to ask God's forgiveness, and so God could indeed say " a man after my own heart". (Acts 13:22) So it is up to us, ourselves, whether or not we accept God's wonderful promise.

What of Christ? Yes , his part has also been completed. When He was nailed to the cross and shed His blood, and died, he did it for you and me. He died in our stead, He took our place. He did not wait until we repented. He was sacrificed and suffered while we were yet sinners (Rom 5:8). All we have to do is accept and repent, and we will at this very moment receive eternal life (Rom 5:11 and John 5:24). No doubts, no fears, we will be "caught up to meet the Lord when He comes" ( 1 Thess 4:17)

If we doubt that we will be saved, there are only a few reasons, and they are all very serious:

(1) We fail to ask God's forgiveness for our sins.

(2) We do not believe or accept God's promise "your sins are blotted out and remembered no more"

(3) We do not believe God sent His son to die and shed His blood for us on the cross. Therefore it was all done in vain and Christ died for nothing.

Yes, these things are serious. They are vital to our eternal life with Christ and God.

Believe God's promises, accept the sacrifice of your Lord on the cross, ask for forgiveness, and you will have a true peace, with no doubts or fears, a peace that passeth all understanding (Phil 4:7)

Daniel Barrar