First Baptist Church of Enfield stands in that mainstream of biblical doctrine which has traditionally characterized orthodox Baptists in history. With respect to the great doctrines of the Christian faith, FBCE is fundamental rather than liberal. With respect to the doctrines of salvation, we are Calvinistic rather than Arminian. Respecting the nature of the church and its ordinances, we are Baptist rather than Reformed.
FBCE stands with those who in history were called Particular Baptists in England and Regular Baptists in America. As such, this church upholds those general standards which were expressed in such documents as the London Confession, the Philadelphia Confession and the New Hampshire Confession.
THE SCRIPTURES — We believe that the Holy Bible is the Word of God. As originally written, it is plenarily and verbally inspired, the product of Spirit-controlled men and therefore completely without error. We believe that it is the only, absolute, infallible rule for all human conduct, creeds and opinions. (2 Timothy 3:16 & 17; 2 Peter 1:19-21)
THE TRUE GOD — We believe that there is one living and true God who exists eternally in three distinct persons – the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. They are one in essence and equal in every divine perfection. (Exodus 20:2 & 3; Matthew 28:9)
We believe in the deity of the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, that He exists eternally, that He was conceived in the virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit. (John 1:1 & 2; 1 John 5:20; Matthew 1:20; Luke 1:26-36)
We believe in the deity and personality of the Holy Spirit, that He is co-equal with the Father and Son, of the same essence and nature; that He convicts of sin, righteousness and judgment; bears witness to the truth, is the agent of the new birth and that He baptizes, seals, empowers, guides, teaches, sanctifies and helps the believer. (Romans 8:14-27; Ephesians 1:13 & 14; 4:30)
THE CREATION OF THE UNIVERSE — We believe that God created the heavens and the earth, including all life, each after its own kind by a direct act and not by the process of evolution. (Genesis 1 & 2; Colossians 1:16 & 17; John 1:3)
THE FALL OF MAN — We believe that man, in the person of Adam, was created in innocence but chose to sin thus plunging the whole race into condemnation and death. Because of this, all people are born in sin and thus sin willfully, bringing upon themselves the just condemnation of a Holy God. (Genesis 3; Romans 5:10-19)
SALVATION BY GRACE — We believe that because all men are totally depraved and without ability to save themselves, God, in sovereign grace and apart from any consideration of foreseen human merit, chose some before the foundation of the world to receive His grace in Christ. We believe that all those chosen by God will persevere until His return, unable to lose their salvation because they are preserved by God. (John 6:44 & 65; Acts 13:48; Romans 8:28-30; Ephesians 1:4-6)
We believe that people are saved by recognizing their sinful position before a Holy God and placing their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, thus becoming “born again.” By this new birth the one “dead in sin” receives the gift of eternal life and is made a new creation in Christ Jesus. Evidences of the new birth are repentance, saving faith, and newness of life. (John 3:3; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 1 John 5:1; John 3:6 &7; Acts 6:30-33; 2 Peter 1:4; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:1; 2 Corinthians 5:19; Colossians 2:3; John 3:8)
As we preach the Gospel and God’s elect hear it, the Holy Spirit opens their hearts so that they freely and gladly receive the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior, thus becoming children of God. We believe that God’s sovereign purpose in evangelism requires the preaching of the Gospel to the lost, inviting them to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation. We do not believe that “worldly promotional methods” and other means which do not rely upon the convicting ministry of the Holy Spirit are part of God’s evangelical purpose. (Matthew 11:28; Acts 1:8; John 16:8-11; Acts 16:31; Romans 10:13-18; 1 Corinthians 2:4-5, 8:14)
REDEMPTION FROM SIN — We believe that the only escape from the condemnation of sin is redemption through Jesus Christ, that His death on the cross fully satisfied the justice of God for the sin of man, and made full atonement for our sins; that this atonement was a voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner’s place, the Just dying for the unjust, bearing our sin in His own body on the cross. (1 Peter 1:18 & 19; Romans 3:24 & 25; John 3:16; 1 John 2:1 & 2)
THE CHURCH — We believe that the universal church is a New Testament institution, separate from the nation of Israel, established by Jesus Christ on the day of Pentecost. He is the sole Head of the church which is His body. It began with the New Testament saints and will be consummated at the coming of Christ in the Rapture. We believe that the universal church is manifest through the local church. A local church is a congregation of baptized believers, governed by His Word, meeting together in the fellowship of the Gospel, observing the ordinances of Christ, and exercising individual gifts in ministry. It officers are pastors (elders) and deacons. A local church is free from any external, religious hierarchy and is sovereign over matters of its own membership, policy, discipline and benevolence. (Matthew 16:18; Acts 2:1-13, 41-47, 15:14; Romans 16:26; 1 Corinthians 12:12-28; Ephesians 1:22 & 23, 3:21, 5:23-33; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Matthew 18:15-17; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 1 Timothy 3:1-15)
THE ORDINANCES — We believe that there are two church ordinances – Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Baptism is the immersion of a believer into water and is properly called “Believer’s Baptism”, setting forth in a beautiful and solemn way our faith in a crucified, buried and risen Savior. Baptism is a prerequisite to the privilege of church membership. The Lord’s Supper is a regular commemoration of our Lord’s death, until He comes, and of our continual fellowship with Him. Participation should be preceded by baptism and careful self-examination. (1 Corinthians 11:23-32; Romans 6:3-5)
SPIRITUAL GIFTS — We believe that the redeemed are endowed with spiritual gifts; that these gifts are given to edify the church and are to be exercised in love to that end. We believe that temporary sign gifts were manifested during the Apostolic Age such as speaking in tongues, interpretation of tongues, divine healing, etc. and were given in special dispensation to confirm both the message and the messenger. Those seeking or claiming such manifestations today are in error, dangerously placing subjective humanism and feeling above the objective authority of Scripture. (1 Corinthians 12:7, 14:22; 2 Corinthians 12:12; 1 Corinthians 13:8-12)
THE RETURN OF CHRIST — We believe in the bodily, personal, pre-millennial return of Jesus Christ. He will return in the air before the seven-year tribulation period to call away those who are His own. He will come again with His saints at the close of the tribulation to judge the living nations and to set up His kingdom on earth. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Matthew 25:31-46; Revelation 19:11-21)
We believe in the bodily resurrection of the dead. Believers who are dead in Christ will be raised in glorified bodies at His coming. Those believers who are alive will be transformed and caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air. The wicked dead will be raised at the close of the Millennial Kingdom and stand in their bodies at the Great White Throne of judgment to receive final doom. (1 Corinthians 15:35-54; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; Revelation 7:9-17, 20:11-15)
THE DEVIL (OR SATAN) — We believe in the personality of Satan, that he is the unholy god of this age, author of all powers of darkness and sin, and is destined to the judgment of an eternal justice in the lake of fire. (Matthew 4:1-3; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 20:10)