What We Believe
The Scriptures
The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is God's revelation of Himself to man. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter.
God
There is one and only one living and true God. The eternal triune God reveals Himself to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence, or being.
God the Father
God as Father reigns with providential care over His universe, His creatures, and the flow of the stream of human history according to the purposes of His grace.
God the Son
Christ is the eternal Son of God. He made provision for the redemption of men from sin.
God the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, fully divine. He inspired men of old to write the Scriptures. Through illumination He enables men to understand truth. He enlightens and empowers the believer and the church in worship, evangelism, and service.
Man
Man is the special creation of God, made in His own image. The sacredness of human personality is evident in that God created man in His own image, and in that Christ died for man; therefore, every person of every race possess full dignity and is worthy of respect and Christian love.
Salvation
Salvation involves the redemption of the whole man, and is offered freely to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, who by His own blood obtained eternal redemption for the believer. There is no salvation apart from personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord.
God's Purpose of Grace
Election is the gracious purpose of God, according to which He regenerates, justifies, sanctifies, and glorifies sinners.
The Church
The New Testament church of the Lord Jesus Christ is an autonomous local congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel.
Baptism and the Lord's Supper
Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Lord's Supper is a symbolic act of obedience whereby members of the church, through partaking of the bread and the fruit of the vine, memorialize the death of the Redeemer and anticipate His second coming.
The above items are abbreviated descriptions of our beliefs from the Baptist Faith and Message, adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention in June, 2000. Please contact the church for any additional information on our beliefs.
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Denominational Affiliation
Richland Baptist Church is a member of the Southern Baptist Convention, which includes over 42 million members and 42,000 churches in the United States. Churches in the denomination combine their financial resources to support over 5,000 foreign missionaries, in addition to many home missionaries, hospitals, and seminaries.
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How to Become a Christian
The Bible describes the "road" to becoming a Christian. God is the source for our journey to heaven. He gives power for salvation to all who believe. We need God's power because we all have a problem with sin ("For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God" - Romans 3:23, in the Bible). Sin means missing the mark or falling short of God's perfect plan for us. None of us can reach heaven on our own because all of us are sinners.
When we work we earn money. Sin earns wages as well: the wages of death. Because God loves all sinners, He has provided another route: "The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23)
The highway to heaven is found in Romans 10:9: "If you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." To confess Jesus as Lord involves confessing your sin and your need for salvation. You must repent of your sin, turn from the sin and self, and follow, obey and serve Jesus. To believe in your heart is to place your faith in Jesus, trusting that He died on the cross to pay for your sin. (Romans 5:8)
If you would like to have salvation in Jesus Christ, pray a prayer like this one:
Dear Jesus, I believe that You died on the cross for my sins and that You arose from the grave. I now ask You to forgive me of my sins and save my soul.
If you prayed this prayer, please share it with us at Richland Baptist Church. E-mail us if you would like to talk about your decision or to ask further questions. Becoming a Christian is your first step on the lifelong road of spiritual growth and service God desires for you. God Bless!
If you would like to see more Bible verses related to becoming a Christian, click here.