What We Believe

This is what Victory Baptist Church holds and preaches. Every article rests on the scriptures cited with it. The Bible, not this page, is our authority.

The Word of God

The Holy Scriptures

We believe the Holy Bible was given by the inspiration of God, and that every word of it was God-breathed and without error (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21). We believe that God, having given His word, has kept His promise to preserve it pure to every generation, so that it has never been lost and does not wait to be recovered by scholarship (Psalm 12:6-7; Matthew 24:35; 1 Peter 1:23-25). We believe that this preserved word is given to the English-speaking people in the Authorized (King James) Version. We believe that the Authorized Version is itself without error, that it is the word of God in our hands, and that it stands in no need of correction from any other text, version, or tongue. The scriptures are our sole and final authority in all matters of faith and practice (Isaiah 8:20; Psalm 119:89, 105, 160; John 17:17).

Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth

We believe the Bible is to be taught and understood in a dispensational manner, and that we are responsible to study and to rightly divide the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15; 1 Corinthians 2:13). We believe the distinctions to be kept are the ones God draws in His own book: between prophecy, which He spake by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began, and the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began and was not made known unto the sons of men until He revealed it to His holy apostles and prophets (Acts 3:21; Romans 16:25; Ephesians 3:5, 9); between the law and the grace of God (Romans 6:14; John 1:17); and between the gospel of the kingdom preached to Israel and the gospel of the grace of God committed to Paul and preached now (Acts 20:24; Galatians 1:11-12). We believe that Israel is the covenant nation, that God hath not cast away His people, and that the gifts and calling of God are without repentance (Romans 11:1-2, 28-29). We believe that the Body of Christ is the present joint-body of believing Jew and Gentile, made fellowheirs and of the same body and partakers of His promise by the gospel (Ephesians 3:6), and that it is distinct from Israel in its origin, its calling, and its hope. We therefore reject every form of Replacement Theology. The church has not inherited the covenants God made with Israel, and Israel’s future belongs to Israel.

God

One God

We believe in one true and living God, eternally existing in three Persons: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one (1 John 5:7; Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19; John 10:30; 2 Corinthians 13:14).

The Creator

We believe that God created the heaven and the earth and all that is in them, and that He made all things for His own pleasure and glory (Genesis 1:1, 31; Exodus 20:11; Nehemiah 9:6; Colossians 1:16-17; Hebrews 11:3; Revelation 4:11).

Jesus Christ

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is the eternal God, known from everlasting as the Word, who was made flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:1-14; Micah 5:2; Isaiah 9:6). He was conceived of the Holy Ghost and born of a virgin (Matthew 1:18-23; Luke 1:34-35), lived a sinless life (Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 2:22; 2 Corinthians 5:21), was crucified for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day according to the scriptures (Matthew 27:26-50; Mark 16:6; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4), and ascended to the right hand of the Father (Acts 1:9-11; Hebrews 1:3). We believe that He will come again: first to call up His Church, the dead and living in Christ, to be with Him before the tribulation (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18; 1 Corinthians 15:51-52); and at the close of the tribulation to return in power and establish His kingdom upon the earth, where He shall reign a thousand years (Zechariah 14:4-9; Revelation 19:11-16; 20:4-6). We believe that Christ is the Head of the Church, which is His body, and that all things in this assembly, both spiritual and temporal, are to be ordered by His word (Ephesians 1:22-23; Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 5:23-24).

Man and Salvation

Man

We believe that God created man in His own image and likeness, but that man, by voluntary disobedience, fell from his first estate (Genesis 1:26-27; Genesis 2:16-17; Genesis 3:1-7). Since the fall, all men are born with a sinful nature and are sinners by nature, by choice, and by practice, falling short of the glory of God and standing under His just condemnation, without excuse (Romans 3:10-12, 23; Romans 5:12; Psalm 51:5; Ephesians 2:1-3; Romans 1:20).

The Devil

We believe in the personality of Satan, that he is not merely an influence but a real and living being; that he is the god of this world and the prince of the power of the air, the adversary who goes about seeking whom he may devour; and that his everlasting doom in the lake of fire is sure (John 8:44; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 2:2; 1 Peter 5:8; Revelation 20:10).

Salvation

We believe that salvation is the free gift of God, offered to all men by His grace and received through faith in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ, altogether apart from works or human merit (Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5; Romans 4:5). We believe that whosoever will may come (Revelation 22:17; John 3:16; Romans 10:13), and that a man is saved when he repents toward God and trusts the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for our sins, was buried, and rose again (Acts 20:21; Luke 13:3; Romans 10:9-10; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4). In that moment he is born again, made a new creature, and sealed with the Holy Spirit (John 3:3-7; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 1:13-14). We believe that the one who is truly saved is eternally secure, kept by the power of God, and shall never perish (John 10:27-29; Romans 8:38-39; 1 Peter 1:3-5; Philippians 1:6).

Election and Predestination

We believe that Christ is God’s elect One, mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth, the chief corner stone, elect, precious (Isaiah 42:1; 1 Peter 2:6), and that believers are chosen and predestinated only as they are in Him (Ephesians 1:4-5, 11; Romans 8:29-33). We believe that to be predestinated is to have a settled end, the adoption of children and conformity to the image of His Son, appointed for those who are already in Christ (Ephesians 1:5; Romans 8:29). It is not a decree fixing beforehand which men may come to Him. We believe that God will have all men to be saved, that Christ gave Himself a ransom for all, that He is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world, and that whosoever will may come (1 Timothy 2:4-6; 1 John 2:2; Revelation 22:17). We reject the teaching that God has chosen some men to salvation and passed by the rest, and the teaching that Christ died only for a part of mankind.

The Church

The Church

We believe that salvation makes the believer a member of the body of Christ, which is the Church, the union of all born-again believers with Christ Himself as the Head (1 Corinthians 12:12-13; Ephesians 1:22-23; 5:23, 30-32). The members of this body should gather in a local assembly to worship God, to minister one to another, and to carry on the work of the gospel (Hebrews 10:25; Galatians 6:2; Acts 2:41-42). The local church is a company of baptized believers, joined in the faith and fellowship of the gospel, observing the ordinances of Christ, governed by His word, and exercising the gifts and privileges given them by Him (Acts 2:41-47; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 2 Corinthians 1:1; Philippians 1:1).

Water Baptism

We believe that water baptism is the believer’s public testimony of his salvation, by immersion, picturing the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. It follows salvation and has no part in obtaining it, nor does it make one a member of the local church or the body of Christ (Acts 8:36-39; Romans 6:3-5; 1 Corinthians 1:14-17; Matthew 28:19).

The Lord’s Supper

We believe that the Lord’s Supper was instituted by the Lord Jesus Christ, and that believers are commanded to observe it, with the bread and the cup, in remembrance of His broken body and shed blood, showing the Lord’s death till He come (Luke 22:19-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; Matthew 26:26-28).

Biblical Giving

We believe it is the privilege and responsibility of every believer to give to the furtherance of the gospel, willingly and cheerfully, as God has prospered him (1 Corinthians 16:2; 2 Corinthians 9:6-8; Philippians 4:15-19). Money given to the Church is no longer under the control of the giver; it is committed to the Lord and used at the discretion of the church leadership for the honor and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. The use of the Church’s funds will be openly disclosed to the membership at regular intervals, and upon request to any member in good standing (2 Corinthians 8:19-21; 2 Corinthians 9:12-13).

Disputes within the Church

We believe that believers should not go to law one against another before the world, but should resolve their disputes within the body of Christ; and that disputes which cannot otherwise be settled are to be handled through biblical, binding Christian arbitration (1 Corinthians 6:1-8; Matthew 18:15-17; Ephesians 4:1-3, 31-32).

Church & State

We believe that God has ordained both human government and the Church, each with its own God-given sphere, and that neither should usurp the other. The state ought not to intrude upon the work of the Church, nor the Church upon the work of the state; yet the believer is to be subject to governing authorities, and above all to obey God (Matthew 22:17-21; Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-17; Acts 5:29).

The Christian Life

The Christian Walk

We believe that the one who has trusted Christ is a new creature, and is called to walk in holiness, separated from the world unto God, that he may glorify the Lord in his life (2 Corinthians 5:17; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18; Colossians 2:6-7; 1 Peter 1:15-16; 1 John 2:15-17; Romans 12:1-2; 2 Timothy 2:19-22).

Personal Evangelism

We believe that God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance, and that He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore every believer should take up the work of proclaiming the gospel of the grace of God to the lost, in daily service to the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:9; 2 Corinthians 5:18-20; Mark 16:15; Romans 10:13-15; Acts 1:8).

Love

We believe that we are to love one another, and to love even our enemies and those who oppose us, dealing with all men graciously, humbly, gently, and patiently. God forbids the stirring up of strife, the taking of revenge, and the use of violence to settle personal wrongs. While we are to hate sin, we are to love the sinner and to pray for him (Matthew 5:43-48; Luke 6:27-36; John 13:34-35; Romans 12:9-21; 1 Corinthians 13:1-8; Ephesians 4:31-32; 1 Peter 3:8-9; 1 John 3:16-18).

Christ-Honoring Music

We believe that music is not without moral character, and that careful discernment must be given to it. We reject music bearing the marks of rock or rap, and we find that the shallowness of much contemporary Christian music fails to honor the Lord or to edify the saints. While believers will differ in taste, our standard in the Church and its activities is the singing of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, making melody in the heart unto the Lord (Ephesians 5:18-19; Colossians 3:16; Psalm 33:1-3; 1 Corinthians 14:7-9; Amos 5:23).

The Home

Family Relationships

We believe that men and women are created equal in worth and standing before God, yet that God has appointed distinct roles for them in the home and in the Church. The husband is to lead his home, and the offices of leadership in the Church (pastor, elder, deacon) are appointed to men (Galatians 3:28; 1 Timothy 2:11-13; 1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Corinthians 11:3). We believe that God has ordained the family as the first institution of human society. The husband is to love his wife as Christ loved the Church, and the wife is to submit to her husband’s leadership as the Church submits to Christ. Children are a gift and heritage from the Lord, and parents are charged to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, by godly example, instruction, and discipline (Genesis 2:24; Ephesians 5:22-33; 6:1-4; Colossians 3:18-21; Psalm 127:3-5; Deuteronomy 6:6-9; 1 Peter 3:1-7). We believe that God entrusts children first to their parents, and that the Church and its ministries serve on behalf of the parents. The decisions of a child’s upbringing, his instruction, training, and discipline, belong to the parents, who are to raise their children according to the word of God (Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 4:9; 6:6-9; Ephesians 6:4; Proverbs 4:20-23; 19:18; 22:6).

Marriage and Sexuality

We believe that marriage has but one meaning sanctioned by God: the covenant union of one man and one woman (Genesis 2:18-24; Matthew 19:4-6; Mark 10:6-9; Ephesians 5:22-33). Any marriage ceremony held in a facility owned, leased, or used by this Church shall be only such a union of one man and one woman, their sex being determined by birth and not subject to change. Where any civil standard conflicts with this, the Church’s statement of faith and biblical position shall govern. We believe that God has reserved all intimate sexual activity for marriage as defined above, and that any sexual activity, identity, or expression outside of it, including those increasingly accepted in the culture and the courts, is contrary to God’s design and is sin (Genesis 2:24; Leviticus 18:1-30; Romans 1:24-32; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, 18-20; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8; Hebrews 13:4). We believe that God creates each person, male or female, and that these two distinct and unchangeable sexes together reflect His image; the rejection of one’s God-given sex is a rejection of the image of God in that person (Genesis 1:26-27; Genesis 5:1-2; Psalm 139:13-16; Matthew 19:4).

Divorce and Remarriage

We believe that God joined the husband and the wife as one flesh, that what God hath joined together man is not to put asunder, and that the LORD saith plainly that He hateth putting away (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:4-6; Malachi 2:14-16). We believe that fornication is the sole ground upon which a wife may be put away, and that this is the plain exception the Lord Himself named (Matthew 5:32; Matthew 19:9). We believe that the marriage bond is broken by death and by nothing else, and that death is therefore the sole ground for remarriage (Romans 7:2-3; 1 Corinthians 7:39). We believe that when an unbelieving husband or wife departs, the believer is not under bondage, and yet is not thereby loosed from the marriage tie, but is to remain unmarried or be reconciled (1 Corinthians 7:10-11, 15). While divorced or remarried persons may serve faithfully and be greatly used of God in the work of the Church, they may not hold the office of pastor, who must be the husband of one wife (1 Timothy 3:2, 12; Titus 1:6).

Sanctity of Life

We believe that human life begins at conception, and that the unborn child is a living person made in the image of God, to be valued and protected (Psalm 139:13-16; Jeremiah 1:5; Luke 1:41-44; Exodus 21:22-25; Job 31:15). To take innocent life, or by intentional act or neglect to hasten death, is to assume a decision belonging to God alone; yet the withholding of extraordinary measures disproportionate to any hope of recovery is not the taking of life (Exodus 20:13; Exodus 23:7; Deuteronomy 32:39; Acts 17:25-28).

Protection of Children

We believe that children are a heritage of the Lord, and that they must be guarded within the Church from every form of abuse. This Church holds zero tolerance toward any person, whether staff, volunteer, member, or visitor, who would abuse or molest a child, and will act to protect the little ones entrusted to it (Psalm 127:3-5; Matthew 18:6, 10; Matthew 19:14; Mark 9:42).

Things to Come

Pre-Tribulation Rapture

We believe in the blessed hope, that the Lord Jesus Christ will come for His Church before the tribulation. The dead in Christ shall rise first, and we who are alive shall be caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthians 15:50-54; Titus 2:13; John 14:1-3). This coming for His saints is distinct from His later return to the earth in power at the close of the tribulation (Revelation 19:11-16; Zechariah 14:4).

Hell

We believe that all who die rejecting the Lord Jesus Christ will be raised and judged, and shall be cast, body and soul, into the lake of fire, there to remain in conscious torment forever (Revelation 20:11-15; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 16:19-31; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9). God is no respecter of persons and will make no special provision for any man apart from Christ (Acts 10:34; John 14:6; Acts 4:12).

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