Christian Beliefs Preached and Practiced among the people of First Baptist Church, Muleshoe

About Scripture and the Bible
Romans 7:7
The Bible is the infallible human record of divine truth, revealed through the Spirit and interpreted through the words of its authors.

About God
Deuteronomy 6:4
There is one true God, the Holy One of Israel, existing eternally in three persons: Father, Son and Spirit. Each aspect of God exercises sovereignty above creation as well as an intimate connection with it.

Father
The Father is the God of Abraham and of Jacob, who led His people out of Egypt. He is the creator and sustainer, sovereign and omniscient, immanent and transcendent.
Son

Philippians 2:5-11
Jesus Christ is God, Son of God, and the living Word. Born to a virgin, Jesus exists mysteriously as one person with two natures: divine and human. Jesus is the head of the church and all peoples who have been joined to him through faith.

Spirit
John 14:26
The Spirit—fully God and the third person of the Trinity—works within the individual to reveal, inspire, and illuminate the truths of the Gospel. It is through the Holy Spirit that lives are transformed and gifts are given.

About Creation
Romans 1:20
God is the creator and sustainer of all creation. Out of love God created humanity, man and woman, equally in God’s image; and God created the heavens and the earth for the use of humanity. It is the role of humanity to care for all of God’s creation, including both one another and the earth.

About Humanity
Romans 7:15, 18-19
Humanity, which is essentially good and made in the image of God, has been so corrupted by the fall that sin has become inevitable. Due to the fall, sin has become a spiritual disease—a second nature, but not a first.

About Salvation

1 Corinthians 15:20-22
Because of God’s sincere love for the entire world, He sent His only son to die that we may live. Through the sacrifice of Christ on the cross, He bore the punishment that humanity had earned. The Son willfully paid the penalty which was not His own, justifying the world, and making salvation possible through faith. His death was on the behalf of all humanity (2 Cor. 5:15), that we may live for and with Him. Our role in salvation requires faith: that we both believe the gospel, and learn to live it; the two are not mutually exclusive (1 Kings 8:61).

Our Beliefs as Baptists:

Priesthood of the Believer - At the very center of Baptist belief is the notion that each individual Christian is a priest in the eyes of God. At the resurrection of Jesus, the great veil in the temple was torn (Matthew 27:51), indicating that Jesus, the High Priest, now mediates between God and mankind, and it is no longer necessary for certain men or women to bridge the gap between God and humans. Every believer can go directly to God in prayer, confession, and praise.

Soul Competency - Each Christian is competent before God and is capable of making decisions in matters of faith.

Lordship of Christ - The Church is not governed by any human, but by Christ alone.

Autonomy (or Independence) of the Local Church - Each Baptist church governs itself and its members. The church can choose to participate with associations, conventions, synods etc. on a voluntary basis, but is under no obligation to adhere to their policies or opinions.

Separation of Church and State - Baptists believe that governments are ordained by God to provide law and order. In response, Christians are to honor and pray for government officials, pay taxes, obey the statutes of the land, and vote according to their values. However, the Church is to rely on the power of God and the movement of the Holy Spirit rather than political coercion to carry out its mission.

Authority of Scripture - The Word of God is the primary authority in matters of faith and practice; standing above tradition, reason and experience.