Statement of Faith
The following are the core beliefs of Mount Carmel Baptist Church based on the foundational and historical truths
taught in the bible. All of our teaching and ministry is rooted in and flows out of these biblical doctrines.
taught in the bible. All of our teaching and ministry is rooted in and flows out of these biblical doctrines.
God
We teach that there is one living and true God, perfect in all His attributes, one in essence, infinite,
almighty, eternally existing, and subsistent in three Persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—each equally
deserving the same worship and obedience. The triune God is the foundation of Christian faith and life.
almighty, eternally existing, and subsistent in three Persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—each equally
deserving the same worship and obedience. The triune God is the foundation of Christian faith and life.
God the Father
God the Father, the first person of the Trinity, is the Creator of heaven and earth. By His word and for His glory, He
freely and supernaturally created the world out of nothing. As the absolute and highest Ruler in the universe, He is
sovereign in creation, providence, and redemption. He rules over all and, together with the Son and the Spirit, is the only Sovereign God. His plans and purposes cannot be thwarted. He is faithful to every promise, works all things together for
good of those who love Him, and in His unfathomable grace gave His Son Jesus Christ for mankind's redemption.
He made all things for the praise of His glory and intends for man, in particular, to live in fellowship with Himself.
freely and supernaturally created the world out of nothing. As the absolute and highest Ruler in the universe, He is
sovereign in creation, providence, and redemption. He rules over all and, together with the Son and the Spirit, is the only Sovereign God. His plans and purposes cannot be thwarted. He is faithful to every promise, works all things together for
good of those who love Him, and in His unfathomable grace gave His Son Jesus Christ for mankind's redemption.
He made all things for the praise of His glory and intends for man, in particular, to live in fellowship with Himself.
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God and the second person of the Trinity, is the eternal Word made
flesh, supernaturally conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born of the Virgin Mary. He is coequal,
consubstantial, and coeternal with the Father and the Holy Spirit. He is perfect in nature, teaching, and obedience.
He is fully God and is fully man. He was always with God and is God. Through Him all things came into
being and were created. He was before all things and all things hold together by the word of His power. He is
the image of the invisible God, the first-born over all creation and in Him dwells the fullness of the Godhead bodily.
He is the only Savior for the sins of the world having voluntarily shed His blood and died a vicarious death on
Calvary's cross. By His death in our place, He revealed the divine love and upheld divine justice, removing our
guilt and reconciling us to God. Having redeemed us from sin, the third day He rose bodily from the grave,
victorious over death and the powers of darkness and for a period of 40 days appeared to over
500 witnesses performing many convincing proofs of His resurrection. In the resurrection of Christ
from the grave, God confirmed the deity of Christ. In addition, God accepted the atoning work
of Christ on the cross and His bodily resurrection as the guarantee of a future resurrection life for all believers.
He then ascended into heaven where, at God's right hand, He intercedes for His people and rules as Lord
over all on the throne of David, awaiting His return. He is the Head of His body, the church, and should be adored,
loved, served, and obeyed by all. Jesus has been given all authority in Heaven and on earth, and He will be the
final judge of all who fail to place their trust in Him as the Lord of Life and the only Savior.
flesh, supernaturally conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born of the Virgin Mary. He is coequal,
consubstantial, and coeternal with the Father and the Holy Spirit. He is perfect in nature, teaching, and obedience.
He is fully God and is fully man. He was always with God and is God. Through Him all things came into
being and were created. He was before all things and all things hold together by the word of His power. He is
the image of the invisible God, the first-born over all creation and in Him dwells the fullness of the Godhead bodily.
He is the only Savior for the sins of the world having voluntarily shed His blood and died a vicarious death on
Calvary's cross. By His death in our place, He revealed the divine love and upheld divine justice, removing our
guilt and reconciling us to God. Having redeemed us from sin, the third day He rose bodily from the grave,
victorious over death and the powers of darkness and for a period of 40 days appeared to over
500 witnesses performing many convincing proofs of His resurrection. In the resurrection of Christ
from the grave, God confirmed the deity of Christ. In addition, God accepted the atoning work
of Christ on the cross and His bodily resurrection as the guarantee of a future resurrection life for all believers.
He then ascended into heaven where, at God's right hand, He intercedes for His people and rules as Lord
over all on the throne of David, awaiting His return. He is the Head of His body, the church, and should be adored,
loved, served, and obeyed by all. Jesus has been given all authority in Heaven and on earth, and He will be the
final judge of all who fail to place their trust in Him as the Lord of Life and the only Savior.
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of life and the third person of the Trinity, convicts the world of sin, righteousness,
and of judgment. While the Holy Spirit has worked throughout Redemptive History, His work in this age began at
Pentecost when He came from the Father, as promised by the Son, to initiate and complete the building of the Body
of Christ, which is His Church. Through the proclamation of the gospel, He persuades men to repent of their sins
and confess Jesus as Lord. By the same Spirit a person is led to trust in divine mercy. The Holy Spirit unites believers
to Jesus Christ in faith, brings about the new birth and dwells within the regenerate. The Holy Spirit has come to
glorify the Son who in turn came to glorify the Father. He will lead the church into a right understanding and rich
application of the truth of God's Word. He is to be respected, honored, and worshipped as God.
and of judgment. While the Holy Spirit has worked throughout Redemptive History, His work in this age began at
Pentecost when He came from the Father, as promised by the Son, to initiate and complete the building of the Body
of Christ, which is His Church. Through the proclamation of the gospel, He persuades men to repent of their sins
and confess Jesus as Lord. By the same Spirit a person is led to trust in divine mercy. The Holy Spirit unites believers
to Jesus Christ in faith, brings about the new birth and dwells within the regenerate. The Holy Spirit has come to
glorify the Son who in turn came to glorify the Father. He will lead the church into a right understanding and rich
application of the truth of God's Word. He is to be respected, honored, and worshipped as God.
Mankind
Man was created in the image and likeness of God. By choice man chose to sin and disobey God and is by inherited nature,
born in sin, and sinful. Being born in sin man is alienated from a relationship with God and is under the condemnation
of God with no means of salvation within himself. Being estranged from his Maker, yet responsible to Him, he became
subject to divine wrath, inwardly depraved and apart from a special work of grace, utterly incapable of returning to God.
He is at enmity with God, hostile toward God, and hateful of God. This depravity is radical and pervasive. It extends to man’s mind, will and affections. Unregenerate man lives under the dominion of sin and Satan. Fallen, sinful people, whatever their character or attainments, are lost and without hope apart from salvation by grace through faith in Christ alone.
born in sin, and sinful. Being born in sin man is alienated from a relationship with God and is under the condemnation
of God with no means of salvation within himself. Being estranged from his Maker, yet responsible to Him, he became
subject to divine wrath, inwardly depraved and apart from a special work of grace, utterly incapable of returning to God.
He is at enmity with God, hostile toward God, and hateful of God. This depravity is radical and pervasive. It extends to man’s mind, will and affections. Unregenerate man lives under the dominion of sin and Satan. Fallen, sinful people, whatever their character or attainments, are lost and without hope apart from salvation by grace through faith in Christ alone.
Sin
Sin is any word, deed, or desire in willing opposition to the eternal law of God by man. Sin includes a failure to do what
is right, but sin also offends people; it is violence and lovelessness toward other people, and ultimately, rebellion
against a holy, righteous, and just God. Further, sin involves a condition in which the heart is corrupted and inclined
toward evil. Sin is not a mere violation of the law of our constitution, nor of the system of things, but an offense
against a personal lawgiver and moral governor who vindicates his law with penalties. All souls sin, and are therefore intrinsically vile and polluting, and they justly deserve punishment, and call down the righteous wrath of God.
is right, but sin also offends people; it is violence and lovelessness toward other people, and ultimately, rebellion
against a holy, righteous, and just God. Further, sin involves a condition in which the heart is corrupted and inclined
toward evil. Sin is not a mere violation of the law of our constitution, nor of the system of things, but an offense
against a personal lawgiver and moral governor who vindicates his law with penalties. All souls sin, and are therefore intrinsically vile and polluting, and they justly deserve punishment, and call down the righteous wrath of God.
Salvation
Salvation is totally from God, by grace, through the redemption of Jesus Christ,
the merit of His shed blood. It is not on the basis of human merit or works.
the merit of His shed blood. It is not on the basis of human merit or works.
The Church
The purpose of the Church is to glorify God by building itself up in the faith, by instruction of the Word, by fellowship,
by keeping the ordinances, and by advancing and communicating the Gospel to the entire world. Anyone who places their
faith in Jesus Christ is immediately baptized by the Holy Spirit into one united spiritual Body, the Church, of which Christ
is the Head, which is His espoused Bride. Every member of that spiritual Body, the Church, is called to the work of the
ministry. The formation of this Body began on the Day of Pentecost and will be completed at the coming of Christ for
His own. The Church is a unique spiritual organism designed by Christ, made up of all born-again believers in this present
age. The Church is distinct from Israel, a mystery not revealed until this age. The establishment and continuity of local
churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament, and the members of this one spiritual Body are directed to covenant together in local assemblies. There is one supreme authority for the Church, which is Christ, who is the Head
of the Church. The order, discipline, and worship of the Church are appointed through His sovereign headship.
by keeping the ordinances, and by advancing and communicating the Gospel to the entire world. Anyone who places their
faith in Jesus Christ is immediately baptized by the Holy Spirit into one united spiritual Body, the Church, of which Christ
is the Head, which is His espoused Bride. Every member of that spiritual Body, the Church, is called to the work of the
ministry. The formation of this Body began on the Day of Pentecost and will be completed at the coming of Christ for
His own. The Church is a unique spiritual organism designed by Christ, made up of all born-again believers in this present
age. The Church is distinct from Israel, a mystery not revealed until this age. The establishment and continuity of local
churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament, and the members of this one spiritual Body are directed to covenant together in local assemblies. There is one supreme authority for the Church, which is Christ, who is the Head
of the Church. The order, discipline, and worship of the Church are appointed through His sovereign headship.
Jesus Christ is returning one day to judge both the living and the dead and to usher in the fullness of God's kingdom on earth.