Confession of Faith

Confession of Faith
of the Evangelical Baptist Churches in France

God

We adore God, him alone, unique in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Creator of all things, he is holy, almighty, loving and alive forever. God has revealed himself throughout history, first to the people of Israel, then once and for all through in his Son Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ foretold by the prophets. This is the revelation presented to us through the Holy Scriptures.

Deuteronomy 6:4 – Matthew 4:10 – 2 Corinthians 13:13 – John 4:24 ; 10:30 – Ephesians 4:4 to 6 – Genesis 1:1 – Exodus 6:3 Leviticus 19:2 – Jeremiah 10:10 – Psalms.24:8 – 1 John 4:8 – Daniel 6:26b. – Hebrews 1:1-2 – John 1:1 to 18 – Acts 3:18 to 24

The Holy Scriptures

The Bible is divinely inspired. The Holy Spirit sovereignly presided over the origin and formation of the writings that make it up. These Holy Scriptures alone are the written Word of God. As the document of the covenant between God and his people (Old Testament), and between God and the community of all those who accept salvation offered through Christ (New Testament), this Word reveals to us the mind of God, his will and his love for the world. It contains all we need to lead us to the one who is our salvation, Jesus Christ, and for us to place our lives at God’s service. It is the supreme reference for testing every religious belief, tradition and practice. It derives its authority from God alone to govern the life of the believer and the Church.

Exodus 24:12 – 2 Samuel 23:2 – 2 Timothy 3:16 – 2 Samuel 23:2 – 2 Peter 1:21 – Galatians 1:6 to 8 – Revelation. 22:18 – Exodus 24:7-8 – 2 Samuel 7:23 – Romans 3:2 – Jeremiah 23:3 to 6 – Galatians 3:26 to 29 Galatians 3:24 – John 5:39
John 12:47-50 – John 20:31 – 2 Kings 23:2-3 – 2 Timothy 3:16-17
Acts 17:11 – Revelation 22:18 – 2 Thessalonians 2:15

People, the fall and its consequences

Due to the act of disobedience, sin, with its consequence of death, entered the world. The sinful nature spread to all men and women. The whole of humanity, in its rupture with God, now lives under the domination of evil and incurs God’s judgement.

Genesis 1:26 to 31 – Genesis 3 – Romans 5:12 – Psalms 51:7
Psalms 53:4 – Romans 3:9, 23 – 2 Thessalonians 1:8 to 10 – Revelation 20:15

Jesus Christ

Jesus-Christ, the only Son of God through all eternity, is the only mediator between God and mankind. He came among us, dwelling as fully man and fully God, his two natures remaining distinct in their perfect union in his person. He taught us all we needed for our salvation. He showed us the holy life that God wants for us through his own life, pure from sin and filled with the power and love from the Father, what the holy life is that God wants for us. He accomplished the work of our redemption by giving his life on the cross, a living and perfect sacrifice, to wash away our sins and reconcile us to God. He is Lord, having risen and now living forever with the Father in his glory.

Mark 1:9 to 11 – John 10:30 – John 8:58 – Colossians 1:15 to 17
1 Timothy. 2:5 – Hebrews. 4:14 to 16 – John 1:1 to 18 – Hebrews 4:15
John 14:6 – John 17:8, 14, 26 – Matthew 4:1 to 11 – Hebrews 4:15 – Matthew 5:48
Isaiah 53:4-5 – Romans 3:23-25 – John 10:17-18 – Philippians 2:6 to 8
Colossians 1:19-20 – Acts 4:12
Luke 24 – Matthew 28:20 – Philippians 2:9 to 11

Salvation

Through the work of the Holy Spirit, sinners are called to repent of their sins, turn to God, accept the atoning work of Jesus-Christ by faith and be united with him in his death and resurrection. In this way, by the grace of God alone, they receive forgiveness of their sins. Justified by faith in Jesus Christ, they now live in a right relationship with God in a child/father-like relationship, that of a child before his Father. They are born into a new and eternal life and enters the kingdom of God. Faith necessarily produces works pleasing to God and a life ever more in conformity with his will.

John 1:12-13 – John 3:16 – Luke 13:1 to 5 – James 4:7 to 10 – Acts 20:21 – Romans 5:1 to 11 Ephesians 2:8 – John 3:3, 5, 21 – Romans 3:24 ; 4:24-25 – James 2:14 to 26 – 1 Peter 2:11 to 17 – Matthew 7:17 to 21

The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, brings the reality of salvation alive, beneficial and effective in our human hearts. The Holy Spirit lives within believers and leads us to glorify God through a life of prayer and striving to live by biblical truths. The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the eternal inheritance he promised.   The Holy Spirit enables believers to bear fruit, discern God’s will and gives them gifts necessary for edification, service to the church and witness in the world.

Ezekiel 37:14 – Zacharias 4:6 – Jean 3:5-6 – Romains 5:5 ; 8:9, 14, 16 – 1 Corinthians 3:16 Romains 8:26-27 – 1 Corinthians 2:12-13 – 1 Jean 2:27 – Ephesians 1:13-14
1 Corinthians 12 – Romains 12:6-8 – Galatians 5:22 – 1 Pierre 4:10

The church

God gave his son Jesus Christ for his people, the church, to celebrate his abundant grace, proclaim the good news of salvation and be his faithful witness to others through the justice, mercy and reconciliation he offers. God gives gifts and ministries, as mentioned in the bible, to believers in order to help others understand and get to know God, call sinners to believe in Jesus Christ, follow him and grow in their Christian life as disciples.

Isaiah 62:4-5 – Ephesians 1:6, 12, 14 – Titus 2:14 – Matthew 5:13-16 – 1 Peter 2:9-10 – Matthew 28:18 to 20

Local churches

A local church, established according to the Word of God, is a community of believers baptised on their own profession of faith. An established church is a concrete and visible representation of the universal Church, the body of Christ. The local church is independent of any authority other than that of Jesus Christ. However, it cannot stand alone : fellowship brings congregations together. All members of a local church are led by the Holy Spirit to gladly serve others through the gifts they have received, for the sake of the common good. In the same way, churches recognise the service that God entrusts certain members to carry out particular ministries, as taught in the New Testament.

1 Corinthians 12:27 – Acts 2:38-41 – Ephesians 1:22 – 1 Corinthians 12:7 to 11
Ephesians. 4:11 to 16 – Hebrews 10:24-25 – Acts 6:2 to 5 ; 13:1
1 Corinthians 12:28 to 30

Baptism

As Scripture teaches, believers are called to publicly confess their faith through baptism by full immersion. Baptism visibly manifests the reality of God’s work of salvation and the believer’s union with Jesus Christ in his death and resurrection.

Matthew 28:19 – Acts 2:38 – Acts 8:36 to 39 – Acts 16:31 to 33
Romans 6:3 to 5 – Galatians 3:26-27 – Acts 8:38-39 – Colossians 2:12 – 1 Peter 3:21 Matthew 28:19 – Acts 2:41

The Lord's Supper

The Lord calls his disciples to break bread and drink the fruit of the vine as part of the Lord’s Supper in memory of him, thus proclaiming his death until his return. In so doing, they profess that, through their communion with the living Christ, they form a single body and are united to one another in the same spirit.

Luke 22:14 to 20 – 1 Corinthians 11:23 to 29 – 1 Corinthians 10:16-17

Our hope

The Lord Jesus Christ will return from heaven as he ascended, for the renewal of all things and the full manifestation of the work of salvation. All the dead will be raised and every man and woman will have to give account of their life to God. Those who are found righteous in Jesus Christ will go to eternal life and the others to eternal punishment. God has promised a new heaven and a new earth. He himself will dwell with his people: that is what we are waiting for.

Daniel. 7:13-14 – Acts 1:11 – Matthew 24:30-31 – Revelation 1:7-8
Acts 24:15 – Matthew 25:31-46 – Romans 2:5 ; 14:12 – 2 Corinthians 5:10 – Matthew 13:47 to 50 – John 3:36 – 2 Peter 3:13 – Revelation 1:7-8