About Us / Our Beliefs

Beliefs

Some of our Basic Beliefs:

The following is a brief discussion of what we believe as the body of Christians called First Baptist Mauldin.

 

The Lordship of Jesus Christ:

We believe Jesus Christ is the son of God. He is fully God and fully human.  The only way to attain salvation and eternal life is through faith in Him.  We believe each individual must repent of his or her sin and trust Christ as Lord and Savior, thus establishing an eternal relationship with God.

 

We do not believe salvation is inherited nor gained by association with any group.  Salvation is an individual's decision to receive God's grace through faith.  At FBCM, Jesus Christ is the focus of everything we do and believe.  He is Lord of every aspect of the life of every believer.

 

     ♦ We believe Jesus Christ was born miraculously of a virgin.

     ♦ He lived a perfect, sinless life - pointing others to the fullness of God's plan.

     ♦ He died a sacrificial, substitutionary death - for our atonement.

     ♦ He was resurrected from the dead.

     ♦ He is alive for eternity and presently sits at the right hand of God, the Father.

     ♦ He will one day return to claim the church and rule as Lord throughout eternity.

 

The Authority of Scripture for Faith and Practice:

We believe the Bible is the divinely inspired Word of God, giving instruction and insight for the way we practice our faith in moral responsibility, treasure our theological beliefs, and nurture relationships with God and with each other - therefore, it should be read by everyone.

 

The Bible is perfect truth from cover to cover, and all Scripture in the Old Testament through the New Testament points to Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, the Ultimate Word of God.

 

The Priesthood of All Believers:

We believe every Christian has direct access to God through Jesus Christ - access to God is not restricted by considerations of person or position.  Therefore, each person is free to interpret the Scriptures for themself.

 

All Christians are ministers.  Though individual members serve different roles of leadership in the church (such as pastor, deacon, teacher, etc.), every Christian is called to minister according to his or her gifts.  This means we presently have several hundred ministers at FBCM.  Therefore, we have a place for you to join us in serving the Lord.

 

 

The Authority of the Local Church:

We believe each congregation is free to determine its own doctrine and government according to the leading of the Holy Spirit and in a way consistent with Scripture.  Most Southern Baptist churches are congregational in government.

 

This aspect of being a Baptist can be confusing to people who are accustomed to an ecclesiastical structure which is in authority over the local church.

 

Southern Baptist churches are drawn together primarily through their cooperative effort in giving to world missions and evangelism.

 

Church Ordinances:

FBCM observes two congregational ordinances: Baptism and the Lord's Supper.  We view these ordinances as significant, though symbolic, events.

 

We believe baptism by immersion is a symbolic re-enactment of salvation.  Having "died" to sin, one is buried under the water and then raised out of the watr and into a new way of life, as a follower of the Resurrected Lord Jesus.  Baptism by immersion dramatizes the new life of the Gospel; however, we do not believe that baptism is required for salvation.

 

We believe observing the Lord's Supper is a symbolic re-enactment of God's provision through His Son, Jesus Christ.  The Lord's Supper - also known as Communion - is a time when believers carefully examine their lives, confess their sins, and reflect on the sacrifice of Jesus' life for our salvation.

 

 

Emphasis on Missions and Evangelism:

At FBCM, we are a mission-minded people.  We believe it is our responsibility to fulfill Jesus' Great Commission to go out into society and tell people about the good news of Jesus Christ.  For those who receive the good news, we welcome them into the fellowship of our church and offer teaching and discipleship opportunities concerning God and His Word.

 

FBCM members voluntarily give to the "Cooperative Program" (the joint fund that provides support for all Southern Baptist missionaries and seminaries around the world), the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, and various other mission projects locally, nationally, and globally.

 

We believe we can support more missions and reach more people through cooperative partnering efforts with other churches and para-church organizations.

 

Unity:

Southern Baptists are a diverse and growing people; therefore, FBCM allows for the freedom to disagree on issues and still co-exist.  Faithful and honest Christians can draw different conclusions on some of the "gray areas" of life; however, "unity at any price" is not our goal.  The members of FBCM seek the guidance of God's Spirit in all life matters.

 

Questions:

If you have further questions about our beliefs, please contact us at 864/288-7835.