ARTICLE I - NAME
The name of this New Testament local
church shall be the Henrietta Regular Baptist Church,
of Henrietta, New York.
ARTICLE II - PURPOSE The
purpose of this organization shall be the preaching
and teaching of God’s word, trusting that as
a result sinners shall be saved and believers edified;
the administration of the ordinances of the New Testament;
and the spread of the gospel at home and abroad.
ARTICLE III - STATEMENT OF FAITH
This church holds the
following statement of faith as being a summary of
Christian doctrine whose authority consists only in
its agreement with the Word of God.
1. OF THE SCRIPTURES
We believe [a] that the Holy Bible,
as originally written, was verbally and plenarily inspired
by God and [b] the product of Spirit controlled men
and [c] therefore has truth without admixture of error
for its matter. We believe [d] that it reveals the
principles by which God will judge us; and therefore
is, and shall remain to the end of the world, the true
center of Christian union, and [e] the supreme standard
by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions should
be tried.
[a] II Timothy 3:16,17; [b] II Peter 1:19-21; [c]
John 17:17; [d] John 12:47,48; [e] I John 4:1-6.
EXPLANATORY
By the Holy Bible, we mean that collection of sixty-six
(66) books from Genesis through Revelation, which,
as originally written does not only contain and convey
the Word of God, but is the very Word of God.
By inspiration, we mean that the books of the Bible
were written by holy men of old, as they were moved
by the Holy Spirit in such a definite way that their
writings were supernaturally inspired and free from
error, as no other writings have ever been.
2. OF THE TRUE GOD We believe [a] that there is one, and only one, living
and true God, an infinite, intelligent spirit; [b]
the maker and supreme ruler of heaven and earth; [c]
inexpressibly glorious in holiness; [d] and worthy
of all possible honor, confidence, and love; [e] that
in the unity of the Godhead, there are three persons
(often spoken of as the trinity) revealed to us as
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, one in substance,
equal in every divine perfection; [f] and executing
distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of
redemption.
[a] Exodus 20:2,3; John 4:24; [b] Psalm 90:2; [c]
Exodus 15:11; [d] Mark 12:30; [e] Matthew 28:19; [f]
Ephesians 1:3,13,14.
3. OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
We believe [a] in the absolute Deity of the Son, the
Lord Jesus Christ; [b] that He was divine as no other
man can be; [c] being God in every respect; [d] existing
from all eternity; [e] co-equal with the Father and
the Spirit; [f] that He never ceased to be God; [g]
that He took upon Himself man’s nature, with
all the essential properties and common infirmities
thereof, yet without sin.
[a] John 1:1,14,18; [b] Philippians 2:6-10; [c] Hebrews
1:8; [d] John 10:30; [e] II Corinthians 13:14 [f] I
John 5:20; [g] Hebrews 2:14-17.
4. OF THE VIRGIN BIRTH We believe [a] that Jesus was conceived by the Holy
Spirit in a miraculous manner, as no other man was
or ever can be conceived; [b] and that he was born
of a virgin, Mary; [c] and that He is both the Son
of God and God the Son, the God-Man.
[a] Luke 1:35; [b] Matthew 1:18-25; [c] Hebrews 1:8;
Philippians 2:5-8.
5. OF THE RESURRECTION AND PRIESTHOOD We believe [a] in the bodily resurrection of Christ
and [b] in His ascension into Heaven [c] where He now
sits at the right hand of the Father as our High Priest
and advocate.
[a] John 20:24-28; [b] Acts 1:9-11; [c] Hebrews 1:3;
2:17; I John 2:1,2.
6. OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe [a] that the Holy Spirit is a divine person;
[b] equal with God the Father and God the Son and of
the same nature; [c] that He was active in the creation;
[d] that in His relation to the unbelieving world He
restrains the evil one until God’s purpose is
fulfilled; [e] that He convicts of sin, of righteousness,
and of judgment; [f] that He bears witness to the truth
of the Gospel in preaching and testimony; [g] that
He is the agent in the new birth; [h] that He seals;
[i] endues; [j] guides; [k] teaches; [l] witnesses
to; [m] and sanctifies and helps the believer. [n]
The outward manifestation of the gifts of tongues and
healing were sign gifts until the Scriptures were completed,
and ceased at that time.
[a] Acts 5:1-3; [b] Matthew 28:19; [c] Genesis 1:1-3;
[d] II Thessalonians 2:7; [e] John 16:8-12; [f] John
15:27; [g] II Corinthians 3:6; [h] Ephesians 1:13;
[i] Luke 24:49; [j] John 16:13; [k] John 14:26; [l]
Romans 8:14,16,26,27; [m] 2 Thessalonians 2:13; [n]
I Corinthians 13:8-13; John 20:30,31; Acts 3:1-16.
7. OF SATAN OR THE DEVIL
We believe [a] that Satan was once Holy and enjoyed
heavenly honors; but [b] through pride and ambition
to be as the Almighty, fell; and [c] drew after him
a host of angels; [d] that he is now the malignant
prince of the power of the air, and the unholy god
of this world. [e] We hold him to be man’s great
tempter, the enemy of God and His Christ, the accuser
of the Saints; [f] the author of all false religions,
the chief power behind the present Apostasy, the lord
of the Anti-Christ, the author of all powers of darkness,
destined, however; [g] to final defeat at the hands
of God’s Son; and to the judgment of an eternal
justice in the Lake of Fire, (a place prepared for
him and his angels).
[a] Ezekiel 28:13-17; [b] Isaiah 14:12-15; [c] Revelation
12:9; [d] Ephesians 2:2; II Corinthians 4:4; [e] Matthew
4:1-11; Revelation 12:10; [f] II Corinthians 11:13-15;
[g] Revelation 20:10.
8. OF THE CREATION We believe [a] the Genesis account of creation as
being neither allegory nor myth, but a literal, historical
account of the direct, immediate creative acts of God
without any evolutionary process; [b] that man (spirit,
soul, and body) was [c] created by a direct work of
God and not from previously existing forms of life;
[d] and that all men are descended from the historical
Adam and Eve, first parents of the entire human race.
[a] Genesis 1 and 2 [b] I Thessalonians 5:23; [c]
Colossians 1:16,17; [d] Romans 5:12.
9. OF THE FALL AND DEPRAVITY OF MAN
We believe [a] that man was created in innocence under
the law of his Maker; [b] but by voluntary transgression
Adam fell from his sinless and happy state; [c] and
all men sinned in him and are totally depraved; [d]
are partakers of Adam’s fallen nature, and are
sinners by nature and by conduct; [e] and therefore
are under just condemnation without defense or excuse.
10. OF THE ATONEMENT FOR SIN
We believe [a] that the salvation of sinners is divinely
initiated and wholly of grace through [b] the mediatorial
offices of the Son of God; [c] Who, by the appointment
of the Father; [d] freely took upon Him our nature,
yet without sin; [e] honored the divine law by His
personal obedience; [f] and by His death made a full
and vicarious atonement for our sins; [g] that His
atonement consisted not in setting us an example by
His death as a martyr, but was a voluntary substitution
of Himself in the sinner’s place.
11. OF GRACE IN THE NEW CREATION We believe [a] that in order to be saved, sinners
must be born again; [b] that the new birth is a new
creation in Christ Jesus; [c] that it is instantaneous
and not a process; [d] that in the new birth the one
dead in trespasses and in sins is made a partaker of
the divine nature and receives eternal life, the free
gift of God; [e] that the new creation is brought about
by our sovereign God in a manner above our comprehension,
solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection
with divine truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience
to the Gospel; [f] that its proper evidence appears
in the holy fruits of repentance, faith, and newness
of life.
[a] John 3:3; [b] II Corinthians 5:17; [c] Ephesians
2:8,9; [d] Romans 6:23; [e] Ephesians 2:1; I Peter
1:23; [f] James 2:14-20.
12. OF JUSTIFICATION
We believe [a] that justification is the judicial
act of God whereby He declares us to be righteous through
faith in Christ Jesus; [b] that justification includes
the pardon of sin and the imputation of God’s
righteousness. [c] This righteousness is bestowed by
God on the basis of our faith in the redemptive work
of Christ, not on our works.
[a] Romans 3:23-26; [b] II Corinthians 5:18-21; [c]
Romans 5:1,9.
13. OF REPENTANCE AND FAITH
We believe [a] that repentance
is a change of mind and purpose toward God, prompted
by the Holy Spirit; [b] that it is characterized by godly
sorrow for sin; [c] and that true repentance is inseparably
related to true faith.
[a] Luke 13:1-3; 15:7; [b] II Corinthians 7:10; [c]
Hebrews 11:6.
14. OF SANCTIFICATION
We believe that sanctification is the divine setting
apart of the believer, from sin unto God, accomplished
in a threefold manner: [a] first, an eternal act of
God, based upon redemption in Christ, establishing
the believer in a position of holiness at the moment
he trusts the Saviour; [b] second, a continuing process,
as the Holy Spirit applies the Word of God to his life;
[c] third, the final accomplishment of this process
at the Lord’s return.
[a] Hebrews 10:10-14; [b] I Thessalonians 4:3,4; [c]
Jude 24,25.
15. OF ADOPTION We believe [a] that adoption is the gracious act whereby
the Father, for the sake of Christ, places new believers
into the honored position of mature sons, in contrast
with regeneration whereby the believer receives the
nature of God and becomes a child of God. [b] The full
benefits of the position accorded by adoption as the
sons of God await the glorification of the believer
at the coming of the Lord.
[a] Galatians 4:1-7; [b] I John 3:1,2; Ephesians 1:5,13,14;
Romans 8:23.
16. OF THE SECURITY OF THE SAINTS
We believe [a] that Eternal Security is the believer’s
inheritance [b] through salvation in which he is and
shall be eternally kept. [c] This inheritance rests
on the Scripture alone, God’s promise to him
who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour.
[a] John 5:24; [b] John 10:27-29; Romans 6:23; [c]
I John 5:11-13.
17. OF SEPARATION
We believe [a] that all the saved should live in such
a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Saviour
and Lord; that separation is two-fold: [b] first, separation
from all religious apostasy, modernism, and any individual
or group that threatens or interferes with the church’s
ministry to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ; [c] second,
separation from all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices,
and associations, as taught in the Word of God.
[a] I Thessalonians 5:22; [b] II Corinthians 6:14-17;
I Timothy 4:1-3; 6:3-6; II John 9-11; [c] Romans 12:1,2;
14:13-15; Galatians 5:19-26.
18. OF THE CHURCH
We believe [a] that the Body of Christ is a New Testament
institution, unknown to the Old Testament prophets;
[b] established by Jesus Christ, who is its sole Head;
revealed through the Apostles; [c] empowered and perpetuated
by the Holy Spirit; [d] His “body” for
service and [e] His “bride” for glory.
[f] It began with the New Testament saints at Pentecost
and [g] will be consummated with the coming of Christ
at the Rapture.
We believe [h] that the Body of Christ is manifested
through local churches [i] which are congregations
of immersed believers associated by covenant of faith
and fellowship of the gospel; observing the ordinances
of Christ; governed by His laws; exercising the gifts,
rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word;
[j] and that their officers are pastors and deacons,
whose qualifications, claims, and duties are clearly
defined in the Scripture.
We believe [k] the true mission of the churches is
the faithful witnessing of Christ to all men. We hold
[l] that each local church has the absolute right of
self-government, free from the interference of any
hierarchy of individuals or organizations; [m] that
the one and only Superintendent is Christ, through
the Holy Spirit; [n] that it is scriptural for true
churches to cooperate with each other in contending
for the faith and for the furtherance of the gospel;
[o] that each local church is the sole judge of the
measure and method of its cooperation; and that on
all matters of membership, polity, government, discipline,
and benevolence, the will of the local church is final.
19. OF BAPTISM AND THE LORD’S
SUPPER We believe [a] that Christian baptism is the immersion
of a believer in water, under the authority of the
local church, to show forth in a solemn and beautiful
emblem our faith in the crucified, buried, and risen
Saviour, through whom we died to sin and rose to a
new life; that baptism is a prerequisite to the privileges
of church membership.
We believe [b] that the Lord’s Supper is the
commemoration of His death, by “born-again” Christians,
until He comes, and should be preceded always by solemn
self-examination.
[a] Acts 2:41,42; Romans 6:3,4; [b] I Corinthians
11:23-28.
20. OF CIVIL GOVERNMENT AND THE CHURCH We believe [a] that the church and civil government
are separate entities established by God, neither to
be subservient to the other. [b] We are to support
both under the guidance of the precepts of God. [c]
The officers of both are to be prayed for and conscientiously
honored and obeyed, [d] except in things opposed to
the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the only
Lord of the conscience and the coming King of kings.
[a] Matthew 22:21; [b] Roman 13:1-7; Acts 23:5; [c]
Hebrews 13:7,17; I Timothy 2:1-6; [d] Acts 4:19,20;
5:29.
21. OF THE RAPTURE AND SUBSEQUENT EVENTS We believe [a] in the imminent, premillennial return
of Christ for His Church, and at that moment the dead
in Christ shall be raised in glorified bodies. The
living in Christ shall be given glorified bodies without
tasting death, and all shall be caught up to meet the
Lord in the air.
We believe [b] that the Great Tribulation, [c] the
seventieth week of Daniel, which immediately follows
the rapture of the Church, [d] will be culminated by
the revelation of Christ in power and great glory to
sit upon [e] the throne of David and establish the
Millennial reign.
[a] I Thessalonians 4:13-18; I Corinthians 15:42-44,
51-54; [b] Revelation 3:10; [c] Daniel 9:24-27; [d]
Revelation 19:11-16, 20:1-4,6; [e] Luke 1:30-33.
22. OF THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED We believe [a] there is a radical and essential difference
between the righteous and the wicked; [b] only those
who are justified by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ
and sanctified by the Spirit of our God are truly righteous
in His esteem; [c] while all such as continue in impenitence
and unbelief are in His sight wicked and under the
curse; [d] and this distinction holds among men both
in and after death, in the everlasting felicity of
the saved and the everlasting conscious suffering of
the lost in the lake of fire.
ARTICLE IV - COVENANT
As a bond of unity among us, this church accepts for
its members the following covenant:
Having been led by the Holy Spirit to receive the
Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour, and on the profession
of our faith in Him, having been baptized by immersion
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Spirit, we do now most solemnly and joyfully enter
into covenant with one another, as one body in Christ.
We promise that we will watch over and counsel one
another in the spirit of brotherly love; that we will
remember one another in our prayers and that we will
aid each other in sickness and distress.
We further agree, by the aid of the Holy Spirit, to
walk together in Christian love, to strive for the
advancement of this church in knowledge, holiness,
and comfort; to promote its prosperity and spirituality;
to sustain its worship, ordinances, discipline, and
doctrines; to give it sacred preeminence over all institutions
of human origin, to contribute cheerfully and regularly
to the support of the ministry, the expenses of the
church, the relief of the brethren in need, and the
spread of the gospel through all nations.
We further covenant to maintain family and private
devotions; to train our children according to the Word
of God; to seek the salvation of our kindred and acquaintances;
to live carefully in this present world; to be just
in our dealings, faithful in our engagements, and exemplary
in our deportment; to avoid all tattling, backbiting,
and unrighteous anger; to abstain from everything that
will cause our brother to stumble or that will bring
reproach upon the cause of Christ; and that we will
strive to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord
and Saviour; that amidst evil and good report we will
humbly and earnestly seek to live to the honor and
glory of Him who loved us and gave Himself for us.
We moreover purpose that when we remove from this
place we will as soon as possible unite with some other
church of like faith and order where we can carry out
the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God’s
Word. In the event there is no such church, we shall
seek, with the Lord’s help, to establish one.
ARTICLE V - FORM OF GOVERNMENT
This Church is an independent
fundamental Baptist Church and as such is autonomous
with regard to all decisions and relationships. The
government of this Church is vested in the body of
regenerate, immersed believers who compose its membership.
The church shall exercise the right to rule in all
church matters, in accordance with the New Testament,
and is amendable by no outside control or influence.
ARTICLE VI - ASSOCIATIONS A
New Testament church cannot “join” anything
outside itself, but only affiliate therewith on the
grounds of fellowship. This Church shall not affiliate
with any group or church in the National Council of
Churches, the World Council of Churches, the National
Association of Evangelicals, or the American Baptist
Convention, or any other group that is apostate or
interferes with the sovereignty of this local Church.
This Church shall, however, seek fellowship with other
churches, holding the same convictions and beliefs
as set forth in our Statement of Faith.
ARTICLE VII - DISSOLUTION In the event of the dissolution of this Church (or
corporation), all its debts shall be fully satisfied.
None of its assets or holdings shall be divided among
the members or other individuals, but shall be irrevocably
designated by corporate vote, prior to dissolution,
to such other non-profit religious corporations as
are in agreement with the letter and spirit of the
Statement of Faith adopted by this Church.
ARTICLE VIII - AMENDMENTS This
Constitution may be amended by three quarters (¾ )
vote of the qualified members present at any annual
corporate business meeting, provided that notice of
proposed amendment shall have been printed in the Church
bulletin and attention has been called thereto from
the pulpit, for the two Sundays prior to the meeting
at which action is desired. All amendments must be
submitted to the Pastor or Chairman of the Deacons
no later than four (4) weeks before the annual meeting.
Article II - Purpose; Article III - Statement of Faith;
Article IV - Covenant; Article VI - Associations (except
to add names to the list or change names when such
organizations change their names or cease to exist);
and Article VIII - Amendments, shall not be amended.
Downloadable Formats Our Constitution is available for download in
several different formats for use offline on home computers
and other devices. These downloadable formats may not
be altered in any way, shape, or form and may not be
reverse engineered in any fashion.
