Ripley Primitive Baptist Church
Ripley Primitive Baptist Church

Articles of Faith

Adopted July 1979
  1. We believe in one true and living God and a trinity of persons in the Godhead: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Deut. 4:39; John 1:1–14; John 10:30; John 14:26; John 16:13–16; Phil. 2:6; 1 John 5:7)
  2. We believe that the Old and New Testaments are the inspired revelation of God and the only rule of faith and practice. (2 Tim. 3:16,17; 2 Peter 1:19,21)
  3. We believe in a Covenant of Redemption ordered in all things and sure existing between God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. (2 Sam. 23:1–5; Ps. 89:27–37; Isa. 59:20,21; Heb. 13:20; Rev. 5:9)
  4. We believe in the fall of man, the communication of Adam’s corrupt nature to his posterity, and their inability to recover themselves from the fallen state they are in by sin and wicked works, by their own free will and ability. (Gen. 2:7; Gen. 3:5–24; Ps. 51:5; Ps. 58:3; Rom. 3:10–23; Rom. 5:12)
  5. We believe that God chose or elected a people in Christ before the foundation of the world and predestinated them to be conformed to the image of His Son, who, in the fullness of time came into the world and made atonement for all the sins of His people. (Matt. 1:21; John 6:39; John 15:16; Eph. 1:4–11; 2 Thess. 2:13; 1 Pet. 1:1–2)
  6. We believe that all chosen in Christ shall hear the voice of the Son of God and that all thus born again are justified by the imputed righteousness of Christ and received by faith. (John 6:63; John 10:26–28; Eph. 2:1–10; 2 Tim. 1:9; Rom. 5:1, 11; 1 Pet. 1:23)
  7. We believe that all thus called and justified shall experience the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit in their lives , and shall persevere in Christ so that none shall finally fall away and be lost. (John 10:28,29; Rom. 8:31–39; Phil. 2:13; Phil. 1:6; Jude 1)
  8. We believe in the doctrine of the resurrection both of the just and unjust, and that the joys of the righteous will be eternal and the punishment of the wicked everlasting. (Matt. 25:32–46; John 5:28,29; 1 Cor. 15:12–58; 2 Thess. 1:7–10; Rev. 20:12–15)
  9. We believe that the church of Christ is a local body of baptized believers who have covenanted together to serve God and should therefore keep especially separate and distinct from and independent of the world and its institutions, and that it is the only ecclesiastical authority taught in the Word of God. (Matt. 16:18,19; Matt. 18:15–17; Acts 2:37–47; 2 Cor. 6:14–18; Eph. 2:19–22; Eph. 5:24–27)
  10. We believe that Jesus Christ is the Great Head of the church and her only law giver; that government is with the church itself and is the privilege of each member; that the discipline cannot be extended beyond her own spiritual jurisdiction and is intended for the reclamation or expulsion of those members who may be disorderly either in principle or practice, and that it must be faithfully kept up for God’s glory and peace and unity of the church until his second coming. (Matt. 18:15–20; 1 Cor. 5:9–13; Eph. 1:20–23; Col. 1:18; Rev. 2:1–3)
  11. We believe that baptism and the Lord’s Supper are ordinances of the Lord and are to be administered by the authority of the church until His second coming. (Matt. 26:26; Mark 1:9–11; Mark 14:22–24; Acts 2:38)
  12. We believe that the church is to preach the gospel to every creature, and should only baptize those who profess to believe in Christ and who in the judgment of the church are born again; that none but baptized and orderly church members have the right to commune at the Lord’s table. (Matt. 28:19,20; Acts 2:41,42; 1 Cor. 1:23,24)