What We Believe
Our Statement of Faith
Bethel is an Independent Baptist Church located in Philadelphia with a heart to reach our city and the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The Bible - We believe that the Bible is the inerrant, inspired Word of God and that it is our final authority in all matters of faith and practice. It has been preserved for us today in our language in the King James Translation. II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:20-21
God - We believe that God is a Person, eternally existing, as a Trinity in unity - God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit - three Persons, yet one God. Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 26:19; I Corinthians 8:6; I John 5:7
Jesus Christ - We believe that Jesus Christ, eternally existing, is the only begotten Son of God, who became a sinless man in order to redeem us. He was born of a virgin, and is true God and true man. Luke 1:30-35; John 1:1-15; Philippians 2:5-8; Colossians 1:15
The Holy Spirit - We believe that the Holy Spirit is God, the third person of the Trinity. He is equal in essence to both God the Father and God the Son. The Holy Spirit is a person, He has intellect, emotion, and will. John 16:13, Acts 2:4, 5:9, 8:29
Sin - We believe that man was created in the image of God, but fell through sin, bringing not only physical death, but also spiritual death or eternal separation from God. Now all of mankind exists as a fallen race, with an inherited sinful nature. Genesis 1:26-27; 2:16, 3:16-19; Romans 3:10-23; 6:23
Sacrifice of Christ - We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ suffered and died as a substitutionary payment for the sins of the whole world. He physically arose from the dead and then ascended into Heaven. Simple faith in this substitution is the only way of salvation for mankind. Luke 24; Acts 1:9-11; Romans 5:8-9; I Peter 3:18
Salvation - We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe the Bible format of repentance toward God (turning away from all other means of salvation and toward Christ and His blood atonement) and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. John 6:37-40; Romans 8:1; I Corinthians 1:4-8; Romans 5:17-19
Eternal Security and Assurance of Believers - We believe, based on the Bible, that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God's power and are thus secure in Christ forever. John 6:37-40; Romans 8:1, 38-39; I Corinthians 1:4-5; I Peter 1:4-5
Local Church - The local church is a group of believers baptized by immersion, banded together for edification, exhortation, and evangelism as commanded by Christ in the Great Commission; preaching the gospel to every creature. Mark 16:15; I Corinthians 12:12; 15:58; Ephesians 1:22-23
Bethel is an Independent Baptist Church located in Philadelphia with a heart to reach our city and the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The Bible - We believe that the Bible is the inerrant, inspired Word of God and that it is our final authority in all matters of faith and practice. It has been preserved for us today in our language in the King James Translation. II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:20-21
God - We believe that God is a Person, eternally existing, as a Trinity in unity - God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit - three Persons, yet one God. Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 26:19; I Corinthians 8:6; I John 5:7
Jesus Christ - We believe that Jesus Christ, eternally existing, is the only begotten Son of God, who became a sinless man in order to redeem us. He was born of a virgin, and is true God and true man. Luke 1:30-35; John 1:1-15; Philippians 2:5-8; Colossians 1:15
The Holy Spirit - We believe that the Holy Spirit is God, the third person of the Trinity. He is equal in essence to both God the Father and God the Son. The Holy Spirit is a person, He has intellect, emotion, and will. John 16:13, Acts 2:4, 5:9, 8:29
Sin - We believe that man was created in the image of God, but fell through sin, bringing not only physical death, but also spiritual death or eternal separation from God. Now all of mankind exists as a fallen race, with an inherited sinful nature. Genesis 1:26-27; 2:16, 3:16-19; Romans 3:10-23; 6:23
Sacrifice of Christ - We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ suffered and died as a substitutionary payment for the sins of the whole world. He physically arose from the dead and then ascended into Heaven. Simple faith in this substitution is the only way of salvation for mankind. Luke 24; Acts 1:9-11; Romans 5:8-9; I Peter 3:18
Salvation - We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe the Bible format of repentance toward God (turning away from all other means of salvation and toward Christ and His blood atonement) and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. John 6:37-40; Romans 8:1; I Corinthians 1:4-8; Romans 5:17-19
Eternal Security and Assurance of Believers - We believe, based on the Bible, that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God's power and are thus secure in Christ forever. John 6:37-40; Romans 8:1, 38-39; I Corinthians 1:4-5; I Peter 1:4-5
Local Church - The local church is a group of believers baptized by immersion, banded together for edification, exhortation, and evangelism as commanded by Christ in the Great Commission; preaching the gospel to every creature. Mark 16:15; I Corinthians 12:12; 15:58; Ephesians 1:22-23
