We declare this declaration of faith to be a summary of our doctrinal beliefs and teachings.  It is our intent that all teaching within our body conform to the doctrinal positions expressed in this declaration of faith.

THE WORD OF GOD

We believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the inspired inerrant Word of God, free from error in the original writings, complete as the revelation of God’s will for the salvation of man and the supreme final authority in all matters, including teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.  We believe that God has protected the original writings from any translation error that might obscure doctrinal purity. (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Hebrews 4:12; Psalm 119:9, 105; Isaiah 55:10-11; Joshua 1:8)

THE TRINITY

We believe in one God who is the creator and sustainer of all things, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; that these are equal in every divine perfection, and that they execute distinct but harmonious offices in the work of creation, providence, and redemption. (Genesis 1:26; Deuteronomy 6:4; John 10:30; Colossians 2:9; John 14:16-17; Compare John 14:10 with John 16:13-15; Ephesians 1:13-14; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14)

GOD THE FATHER

We believe in God the Father, an infinite, personal spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power and love.  We believe he concerns himself mercifully in the affairs of men, that he hears and answers prayer, and that he saves from sin and death all who come to him through Jesus Christ. (Deuteronomy 4:35, 39; 6:4; 7:9; 10:17-18; 32:3-4, 39-40; 33:26-27; Psalm 103:6-14; John 3:16; 4:24; Romans 5:8; 8:38-39; 1 John 4:16)

JESUS CHRIST

We believe that Jesus is God’s only begotten, eternal son, and has precisely the same nature, attributes and perfections as God the Father and God the Holy Spirit.  We believe further that he is both true God, and true man, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.  We also believe in his sinless life, that he died on the cross as the only acceptable sacrifice worthy of our salvation, his bodily resurrection from the dead, his ascension into heaven, and his priestly intercession on behalf of his people. (John 3:16; Matthew 3:16-17; 17:5; John 1:1-2; Hebrews 13:8; 1:3; John 14:7-11; 10:30; Colossians 2:9; Isaiah 7:14 with Luke 1:34-35; 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 4:15; Colossians 2:13-14; 1 John 2:2; Isaiah 53:4-6; 2 Corinthians 5:21; John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Matthew 28:5-6; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; Acts 1:9-11; Hebrews 10:12; 1 John 2:1; Hebrews 9:24)

THE HOLY SPIRIT

We believe in the Holy Spirit, his personality, and his work in regeneration, sanctification, and eternal sealing of the believer.  His ministry is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ, and to implement Christ’s work of redeeming the lost and empowering the believer for godly living and service. (1 Corinthians 2:10-11; Ephesians 4:30; 1 Corinthians 12:11; John 16:8-11; 15:26; Titus 3:5 with John 3:3-8; Ephesians 1:13-14; John 14:16-17; 7:38-39; Acts 2:1-4; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Luke 24:49; Acts 1:8; Mark 13:9-11 with Acts 4:5-13; John 14:26; John 16:13; Romans 8:26-27)

MAN

We believe God created man, male and female, in his own image, free from sin.  We further believe that after the fall of Adam and Eve, man became a sinner by nature and choice and is therefore spiritually dead.  We also believe that those who repent of sin and trust Jesus Christ as their personal Savior are regenerated by the Holy Spirit. (Genesis 1:26-27; 2:15-17 with 3:6; Romans 6:23; Psalm 51:5; Romans 3:9-12, 23; Ecclesiastes 7:20; 1 Kings 8:46; Ephesians 2:1-3; 1 Corinthians 2:14; Romans 8:5-9; See G. below for salvation Scripture)

SALVATION

We believe in salvation by God’s sovereign grace through our faith in Jesus Christ.  We further believe that this salvation was purchased by Christ on the cross, and is received by man through faith, apart from any human merit, works, or ritual.  We believe that salvation results in righteous living, good works, and proper spiritual and social concern.  We believe that there is no salvation apart from our confessed acceptance of Jesus’ sacrifice. (John 3:16-21; 10:9-10, 27-30; 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 5:6-8; 6:23; 8:1-4; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 9:11-12, 24-26; 10:10-14; 1 John 2:2; John 1:12; 3:36; 5:24; 6:35-40; 11:25-26; Romans 10:9-13; Ephesians 1:13-14; 2:8-9; 1 John 5:11-13)

THE CHURCH

We believe that the true church is the spiritual body of which Christ is the head and that it is composed of all persons who through saving faith in Jesus Christ have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit.  We believe that Harbor Baptist Church is a local assembly of that true church whose members have been immersed upon a credible confession of faith and have associated themselves for worship, for instruction, for evangelism, and for service.  We believe that the only ordinances of the local church are believer’s baptism by immersion and the Lord’s Supper.  We believe in the interdependence of local churches and the mutual submission of believers to each other in love.  We believe that the local church is God’s chosen vessel for accomplishing his ministry on earth.  We believe all members must be willing to follow the example of Jesus in believer’s baptism as a witness of their faith. (Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 1:22-23; 5:28-32; 1 Corinthians 12:27, 12-14; Galatians 3:26-28; Ephesians 4:4-6; Colossians 2:10-14; Ephesians 2:18; Local in responsibility – Revelation 2-3; 1 Corinthians 1:1-3; Habitation of God – Ephesians 2:19-22; Mystery Revealed – Ephesians 3:1-13; Colossians 1:24-27 with Romans 11; Offices – 1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Peter 5:1-4; 1 Timothy 3:8-13; Ordinances: Lord’s Supper – 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 with Hebrews 10:4-10; 9:11-14; Baptism – Matthew 28:19-20; Purpose – Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:6-8; 1 Peter 2:4-10)

SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE

We believe that every local church should be free to worship God according to the dictates of its conscience.  We believe that each local church should be self-governing in function, and must be free from any ecclesiastical or political authority.  We further believe that every human being is directly responsible to God in matters of faith and life. (Autonomous – Acts 4:1-22; Daniel 3; Daniel 6; yet obedient when appropriate – Acts 15:1-35; Romans 13:1-7; Matthew 22:15-22; Titus 3:1; 1 Peter 2:13-17)

CHRISTIAN CONDUCT

We believe that the supreme task of every believer is to glorify God in his life; that his conduct should be blameless before the world; that he should be a faithful steward of his possessions; and that he should seek to realize for himself the full stature of maturity in Christ.  We agree to oppose all conduct which compromises our Christian witness.  We agree to uphold the high standards of Christian morality.  We oppose abortion, pornography, and the abuse of alcohol and narcotics. (Romans 12:1-2; 6:11-13; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-7; 2 Corinthians 9:12-13; 1 Peter 2:11-12; 3:13-16; 4:12-19; 2:21-23; Colossians 3:17; 1 Corinthians 10:31; John 6:11-13; Proverbs 27:23-27; 3:9-10; 12:11; Psalm 90:12; Ephesians 3:14-19; 4:11-16; Philippians 3:7-14; Colossians 1:9-12; 1 Corinthians 5; Ephesians 5:11; 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15)

MARRIAGE

We believe that God wonderfully creates each person as male and female. These two distinct, complementary genders reflect the image and nature of God. We believe that the term ‘marriage’ has only one meaning: the uniting of one man, born a male, and one woman, born a female, in a single, exclusive union and covenant commitment for life, as delineated in Scripture. Marriage is to be an example of the relationship between Jesus Christ and His Church. The husband and wife are of equal worth before God, since both are created in God’s image. We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other. We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God and offensive to us, a people who believe in God. We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. (Genesis 1:26-27; 2:18-25; Proverbs 12:4; 18:22; Ecclesiastes 9:9; Matthew 15:18-20; 19:4-9; Acts 3:19-21; Romans 1:18-32; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, 18; 7:2-5; Ephesians 5:22-33; Colossians 3:18-19; Hebrews 13:4)

FAMILY

In God’s design for humanity, life begins at fertilization. Children are a blessing and heritage from the Lord. Parents are to demonstrate to their children God’s pattern for marriage. Parents are to teach their children biblical values and to lead them, through consistent lifestyle example and loving discipline, to make choices based on biblical truth. Children are to honor and obey their parents. (Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Joshua 24:15; Psalm 51:5; 78:1-8; 127:3-5; 139:13-16; Proverbs 1:8; 6:20-22; 13:24; 22:15; Jeremiah 1:5; Matthew 1:18; Luke 1:31, 34-36, 41, 44; Ephesians 6:1-4; Colossians 3:20-21; Titus 2:1-8)

ETERNITY

We believe in the bodily resurrection of both the believer and the non-believer.  The saved will enjoy the wonders of God’s presence, and the lost will be eternally punished in the lake of fire.  We also believe in Jesus Christ’s personal, visible return from heaven, to rule and reign during the millennial kingdom. (Revelation 20:1-6; Psalm 16:8-10; 17:15; Isaiah 26:19; Daniel 12:1-3; Titus 1:1-2; John 3:16; 6:40; 5:24; 1 John 5:11-13; Titus 3:5-7; John 3:17-18; 5:25-29; Matthew 8:10-12; 13:40-43, 49-50; 22:11-14; 24:48-51; 25:30, 45-46; Revelation 20:11-15)

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

HARBOR BAPTIST CHURCH – “A Light On The Coast”

Our purpose at Harbor Baptist Church is to bring honor and glory to God by faithfully representing Jesus Christ to the world.  We seek to do this in two ways.  First, we desire to be a fellowship of Christians who are sincere and enthusiastic in their faith.  As such, we will be a place where people at any stage of their Christian life will find fellowship and encouragement to love, grow, and serve in greater measure.  Secondly, we want to consistently be involved in telling others about Jesus Christ, so they might accept his love and know his forgiveness.