Mt. Airy Baptist Church

Our Beliefs & FAQS

What We Believe

The Scriptures

The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is the record of God's revelation of Himself to man. It has God for its author; salvation for its end; and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter.

God
There is one and only one living and true God.  God reveals Himself to us as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, each with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence or being.

Man
Man was created by God, in His own image, and is the crowning work of His creation.  By his free choice man sinned against God and brought sin into the human race.

Salvation
Salvation is offered freely to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, who by His own blood obtained eternal redemption for the believer.

The Church
A New Testament Church of the Lord Jesus Christ is a local body of baptized believers.  Its scriptural officers are pastors and deacons.

(More in-depth information on the above is available in The Baptist Faith and Message, dated June 14, 2000.)

FAQ's

What is salvation and how do I get it?

It’s having an intimate, personal, ongoing relationship with the living God himself…that comes through believing with all one’s heart that Jesus Christ was God’s Son, that He died on the cross for our sins, that he rose victorious from the grave, and then ascended to the Father in Heaven – just like the Bible says.  As a result of who Jesus is and what He did, a person then invites Jesus to become the Lord (boss) of his/her life.  “For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life”. (John 3:16) This is something God definitely wants you to have!

Is there really a hell, and is it an actual physical place?

The Bible says yes.  But God doesn’t want any person to go there.  In fact, God loves you so much that he sent His son to die on the cross in your behalf so Heaven could be your eternal home instead.   Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection made it possible for every person to go to Heaven when he or she dies.  “He (God) is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance”. (2 Peter 3:9b)  But Jesus’ death on the cross doesn’t automatically “save” anyone.  Every person has a decision to make:  a step of faith to take. (Matthew 10:32-33)

If the Bible was written by man, why should I believe it?

The Bible is like no other book.  It is totally authoritative and trustworthy.  The Bible speaks of itself as having God himself for its author.   We are told in 2 Timothy 3:16, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God. (the word for inspiration literally means ”God-breathed”)   God spoke to men’s hearts and told them what to write.  As someone once said, “The Bible has many stenographers, but only one author.”  Jesus said in John 5:39, “Search the Scriptures…they are they which testify of me.”  God will speak to your heart as you read the Bible.

Do I have to attend church to go to heaven?

Not as a means of getting to Heaven.  Man’s works, even going to church, cannot get him or her into Heaven.  In speaking to the church at Ephesus in Ephesians chapter 2, verse 8 the Apostle Paul says “For by grace you have been saved through faith.” Sadly, there will be regular church-goers who miss Heaven.  (Matthew 7:21-23)  But for the believer, worshipping and fellowshipping with other believers are important parts of the Christian life.  So much so that the Apostle Paul said “we are not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together” in Hebrews 10:25.   Attending church is a wonderful time of getting our spiritual batteries recharged, of being encouraged by other believers, and learning more about God’s plan for our lives through the study of Scripture.

I am a good person with good morals.  Isn't that enough?

To whom are you comparing yourself?  If you mean to say you are as good as any other man or woman then the answer would be no.  Romans 3:23 says,  “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God”.  And “the soul that sinneth, it shall die.” (Ezekiel 18:4)  In order to be good enough to get to Heaven, you would have to be as good as God.  And none of us are without sin. (Romans 3:10)  So the answer is Jesus and what he did when he did on the Cross.  Romans 5:8 says “God demonstrated his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.”  We can’t do it on our own.  We need Jesus.

NOTE:  All Bible translations are from the New King James version.

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