OUR DOCTRINAL STATEMENT

INTRODUCTION

We recognize that any doctrinal statement is but a human attempt to state in summary the riches of an infallible divine revelation. But this in no way undermines the importance of such a biblically founded declaration.

The affirmations which follow carefully specify our teaching position with regard to the major biblical doctrines, and thus provide a framework for instruction and the manifestation of our faith as a church. They also provide an anchor to protect our church members against false teaching.

For this reason, members of Mount Zion Baptist Church, Leaders, and Ministry Heads are required to read through this document with care and in a spirit of humility.

DOCTRINES

Scripture

We believe all of Scripture (i.e., both the Old and New Testament) is inspired by God and infallible. All of Scripture is our final authority in all matters of faith and practice and is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16, 17).

We believe that the Scriptures do not simply contain the Word of God but are the Word of God that inherently possess His life and authority and bring faith, revelation, and healing to those who choose to receive (Matthew 4:4; Matthew 22:31; Romans 1:17; Romans 15:4; 2 Corinthians 4:13; Hebrews 10:7; Proverbs 4:20-22).

God

We believe in only one true and eternal God; One in essence, nature, and attributes, but eternally existing in three distinct persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (1 John 5:7).

Jesus Christ

We believe in the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life on earth, in His shed blood and death on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins, in His bodily resurrection on the third day and ascension to the Father’s right hand.

We believe He has accomplished all that is necessary for man’s salvation. We do not accept the doctrine that He is merely “a” way to the Father, but rather we believe He is the only way through which we can receive righteousness, regeneration, sanctification, and glorification. He is, in fact, our salvation (1 Corinthians 1:30-31).

Man

We teach that man was directly and immediately created by God in His image and likeness. Man is NOT a spirit, but is a divine complex of Spirit, Soul, and Body (1 Thessalonians 5:23). Man was created free of sin with a rational nature, intelligence, volition, self-determination, and moral responsibility to God (Genesis 2:7, 15-25; James 3:9).

We teach that God’s intention in the creation of man was that man should glorify God, enjoy God’s fellowship, live his life in the will of God, and by this accomplish God’s purpose for man in the world (Isaiah 43:7; Colossians 1:16; Revelation 4:11).

We teach that in Adam’s sin of disobedience to the revealed will and Word of God, man lost his innocence; incurred the penalty of spiritual and physical death; became subject to the wrath of God; and became inherently corrupt and utterly incapable of choosing or doing that which is acceptable to God apart from divine grace. With no recuperative powers to enable him to recover himself, man is hopelessly lost. Man’s salvation is thereby wholly of God’s grace through the redemptive work of our Lord Jesus Christ (Genesis 2:16-17; 3:1-19; John 3:36; Romans 3:23; 6:23; 1 Corinthians 2:14; Ephesians 2:1-3; 1 Timothy 2:13-14; 1 John 1:8).

We teach that because all men were in Adam, a nature corrupted by Adam’s sin has been transmitted to all men of all ages, Jesus Christ being the only exception. All men are thus sinners by nature, by choice, and by divine declaration (Psalm 14:1-3; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:9-18, 23; 5:10-12).

Salvation

We believe it is essential for man to repent of sin and by faith receive the finished work of Christ and regeneration by the Holy Spirit, by confessing Jesus as Lord with their mouth and believing in one’s heart that God raised him from the dead. (Acts 20:20-21; Romans 10:9-13; John 3:5-6).

We believe that salvation is offered to all men by God’s grace but is only effectual for those who believe (Ephesians 1:13). 

Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God and is God. The Holy Spirit is a divine Person possessing all the attributes of personality and deity.  The Holy Spirit is coequal with the Father and the Son (Matthew 28:19; Acts 5:3-4; 28:25-26; 1 Corinthians 12:4-6; 2 Corinthians 13:14).

We believe the Holy Spirit is continuing the work He started at Pentecost, empowering believers to live godly and to continue in all the works of Jesus.  We believe in the baptism with the Holy Spirit as an act of God initiating people into oneness with Christ and His church at conversion. This is a reality that happens with or without speaking in tongues.

We believe that spiritual gifts and manifestations of the Holy Spirit are for the common good and building up of others today (1 Corinthians 12:7). We do not accept the doctrine that the gifts of the Holy Spirit ceased, but we believe they are all still available and active today to be used in accordance with the leadership of the Holy Spirit and so done orderly.

The Church

We believe that the universal church is comprised of all true believers who have received salvation through Christ, regardless of denominational affiliation (Ephesians 1:22-23).

We believe all born-again believers have been commissioned to proclaim the Gospel to all the world (Matthew 28:16-20). We also believe in and encourage fellowship with a local church (Hebrews 10:25).

Office of the Pastor

We believe that there is only one level of clergy and the other biblical office is that of the deacon. The deacon is a lay office. The duties of the deacon is to take care of temporal affairs of the church; “serving the tables.” The titles of bishop, elder, and pastor are used interchangeably for the same office and those titles designate different functions or aspects of the ministry of the pastor.

As part of the Christian denomination called Cameroon Baptist Convention, the title that we have chosen and agree to use is “Pastor.” It was the New Testament pattern for the bishops or elders to be overseers over the church to watch over the general order, maintain the purity of the church doctrine and practices, guard against abuses, admonish the believers, and guide their public deliberations.

The elders or pastors are never designated in the New Testament as priests since all believers, through the blood of Jesus, have access to God (I Tim. 3:1ff; Acts 20:17-28; Tit. 1:5-7; I Pet. 5:1-2; I Tim. 4:14; Heb. 9-10).

The Second Coming of Christ and the Resurrection

We believe in a literal, physical second return of the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 1:10; 4:16-17) and that His return did not happen in A.D. 70 but is a future, physical event. (Revelation 1:7; Matthew 24:30; Acts 1:11)

We believe His return is imminent, that upon His return, those who have believed in Him will be resurrected to a heavenly dwelling in an incorruptible body.  We also believe that those who do not believe will join Satan and his host in everlasting punishment.  (Matthew 25:46; 1 Corinthians 15). 

We believe that hell as described in both Old and New Testaments is a literal, eternal destination for all who have rejected Christ’s redemptive work and refused the gift of salvation.  (2 Pet. 2:4-9; Luke 12:5)

Marriage, Gender Identity, and Sexual Relations

We believe in marriage between one man and one woman as biologically designed at birth. God instituted marriage between male and female as the foundation of the family and the basic structure of human society (Genesis 2:24).

God has commanded that no sexual activity be committed other than in the context of marriage between a man and a woman (Genesis 19:5, 26:8-11; Leviticus 18:1-30; Romans 1:26-29; I Corinthians 5:1, 6:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8; Hebrews 13:4).

God has wonderfully and immutably created each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary genders, together, reflect the image and nature of God (Genesis 1:26-27).

Sanctity of Life

We believe a unique human life, bearing the image of God, begins at the moment of conception. God alone is the Author of life, and He alone numbers our days from the moment of conception until natural death. Accordingly, all human life is sacred from conception until natural death, and every person possesses a God-given, unalienable right to life.

Every human has inherent, equal and unalienable value, worth, and dignity because we are made in His image. The church must defend, protect and value the weak, vulnerable, infirm, elderly, handicapped, and pre-born. (Psalm 39:4; 127:3; 71:6; 139:14-16; Jer. 1:5; Luke 1:44; 1 Cor. 11:12; Job 14:5-7; Galatians 1:5).

Women in the Ministry

We believe that each local congregation should recognize and affirm spiritually qualified leadership of their local church. It is worth noting that God used both men and women in the Old and New Testaments who were fully involved in various ministries. However, in keeping with biblical witness and our historic Baptist witness, women are not to fill the role of lead pastor in a congregation.

Women participate equally with men in the priesthood of all believers. Their role is crucial, their wisdom, grace and commitment exemplary. Women are an integral part of our ministries, faculties in seminaries, mission teams, writers, women’s workers, youth leaders, Sunday school teachers and chaplaincy. We affirm and celebrate their Great Commission impact, ministry involvement and contributions.

We believe that Scripture teaches that a woman's role is not identical to that of a man in every respect, and that ordained pastoral leadership is assigned to men. It also teaches and we believe that women are equal in value to men (Judg. 4:5; Josh. 2; Acts 16:1-2; 9:36; Phil. 4:2).

Civil Government

We believe that civil government is of divine institution for the interests and good order of human society; civil governments are to be prayed for, conscientiously honoured, and obeyed as the Bible permits, except only in things opposed to the will of Christ, who is the Lord of human conscience, Lord of lords, and the King of the kings of the earth.

We believe in the separation of Church and State. The Church has a prophetic voice to the State (Rom. 13: 1-7; Matt. 22:21; Acts 5:29; Acts 4:18-20; I Tim. 2: 1-2; Titus 3:1; I Pet. 2:13-14, 17; Dan. 1:8-15).