OUR BELIEFS

Proverbs 4:2 For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law

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The New Testament Church
Vero Beach Baptist Church is an unaffiliated Baptist church. As such, we believe the local church began by Jesus, and is comprised of saved and Scripturally baptized members. Biblical church offices are pastor and deacon, and the two church ordinances are baptism and the Lord’s table.

The Bible
The infallible and inerrant Scriptures were given by God’s inspiration through the Holy Spirit to holy men. It is the sole authority for faith and practice of our church.

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The Trinity
God is perfect, infinite, immutable and eternal in His Being, holiness, love, wisdom, and power. He is self-existent and self-revealing in three Persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, each of whom is to be honored and worshiped equally as true God.

Jesus
Jesus is the only begotten Son, born of a virgin. He was tempted as we are, yet without sin. He gave himself in death upon the cross bearing the sin of the world, arose again from the dead and was glorified in the same body. He is our Creator, Savior, Advocate, High Priest, and Intercessor.

The Holy Spirit
God’s Spirit is the divine Agent in nature, revelation, and redemption. He convicts the world of sin and regenerates those who believe. He indwells, baptizes, seals, empowers, guides, teaches, and sanctifies all who become children of God through Christ.

The Creation And Fall Of Man
Man is the direct creation of God, spirit and soul and body. By personal, man became a sinful creature and the progenitor of a fallen race. Under the righteous judgment and wrath of God, men have within themselves no means of salvation.

Salvation By Grace Through Faith
Salvation is the free gift of God, not earned by any work of man, but received only by personal faith in the Lord Jesus. Believers receive the gift of eternal life, a perfect righteousness, deliverance from all condemnation, every spiritual resource needed for godliness, and the divine guarantee that they shall never perish.

The Last Days
Eschatology is clearly understood by literal interpretation. We believe in the literal, bodily return of Christ to the earth to receive His church and to establish His millennial kingdom. Following these are the Great White Throne judgment and finally the new Heaven and earth.

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Separation

All the saved should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Saviour and Lord. God commands His people to separate from all religious apostasy, all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices, and associations; and to live in modesty and moderation. 

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Creation

God created the universe in six literal, 24-hour periods. We reject evolution, the gap theory, the day-age theory, theistic evolution, and intelligent design not attributed to God as unscriptural theories of origin. 

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Civil Government

God has ordained and created all authority consisting of three basic institutions: 1) the home, 2) the church, and 3) the state. Every person is subject to these authorities, but all (including the authorities themselves) are answerable to God and governed by His Word. God has given each institution specific Biblical responsibilities and balanced these responsibilities with the understanding that no institution has the right to infringe upon the other. The home, the church, and the state are equal and sovereign in their respective Biblically-assigned spheres of responsibility under God. 

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Human Sexuality

God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman. We believe that any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery, and pornography are sinful perversions of God’s gift of sex. We believe that God disapproves of and forbids any attempt to alter one’s gender by surgery or appearance.

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Marriage

We believe that the only legitimate marriage is the joining of one man and one woman. In keeping with our beliefs regarding human sexuality as expressed in this statement of faith, we have the following practical policies:

1. All people are welcome to attend our regular worship services.

2. Those who attend may not display behavior that is indicative of these sinful behaviors during any church gatherings.

3. Church representatives are not to display overt disrespect for those who are involved in sinful behaviors.

4. The pastors of the church will preach consistently against all forms of sinful behavior as it follows God's commands in Scripture and His expectation of holiness in each individual.

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Family Relationships​

God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. The husband is to love his wife as Christ loves the church. The wife is to submit herself to the Scriptural leadership of her husband as the church submits to the headship of Christ. Children are an heritage from the Lord. Parents are responsible for teaching their children spiritual and moral values and leading them, through consistent lifestyle example and appropriate discipline, including Scriptural corporal correction. 

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Divorce and Remarriage

God disapproves of and forbids divorce and intends marriage to last until one of the spouses dies. Although divorced and remarried persons or 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 or those administrative positions within the church that would consist of pastoral duties. 

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Abortion

Human life begins at conception and that the unborn child is a living human being. Abortion constitutes the unjustified, unexcused taking of unborn human life. Abortion is murder. We reject any teaching that abortions of pregnancies due to rape, incest, birth defects, gender selection, birth or population control are acceptable. 

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Love

We should demonstrate love for others, not only toward fellow believers, but also toward both those who are not believers and those who oppose us. We are to deal with those who oppose us graciously, gently, patiently, and humbly. God forbids the stirring up of strife, the taking of revenge, or the threat or the use of violence as a means of resolving personal conflict or obtaining personal justice. Although God commands us to abhor sinful actions, we are to love and pray for any person who engages in such sinful actions.

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Lawsuits between Believers

Scripture teaches that Christians are prohibited from bringing civil lawsuits against other Christians or the church to resolve personal disputes. We believe the church possesses all the resources necessary to resolve personal disputes between members. 

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Missions

The church has a great commission to proclaim the Gospel to all nations so that there might be a great multitude from every nation, tribe, ethnic group, and language group who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. As ambassadors of Christ we must use all available means to go to the foreign nations and not wait for them to come to us.

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Giving

Every Christian, as a steward of that portion of God’s wealth entrusted to him, is obligated to support his local church financially. Every Christian should give offerings sacrificially and cheerfully, and by faith to the support of the church, the relief of those in need, and the Gospel ministry. 

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Euthanasia

The direct taking of an innocent human life is a moral evil, regardless of the intention. Life is a gift of God and must be respected from conception until natural death. Thus we believe that an act or omission which, of itself or by intention, causes death in order to eliminate suffering constitutes a murder contrary to the will of God. 

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