What We Believe

ARTICLES OF FAITH 

LIGHTHOUSE BAPTIST CHURCH, CAMANCHE, IOWA 

 

I. Of the Scriptures 

We believe in the authority and sufficiency of the Holy Bible, consisting of the sixty-six books of 

the Old and New Testaments, as originally written; that it was verbally and plenarily  inspired 

and is the product of Spirit-controlled men, and therefor is infallible and inerrant in all matter of 

which it speaks.  We believe the Bible to be the true center of Christian unity and the supreme 

standard by which all human conduct, creed and opinions shall be tried.  2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 

Peter 1:19-21. 

 

II. The True God 

We believe these is one, and only one, living and true God, an infinite Spirit, the Maker and 

supreme Ruler of Heaven and earth; inexpressibly glorious in holiness, and worthy of all 

possible honor, confidence and love; that in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons, 

the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, equal in every divine perfection and executing distinct 

but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption;  Exodus 20:2-3; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 

Revelation 4:11. 

 

III. The Holy Spirit 

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person, equal with God the Father and God the Son 

and of the same nature; that He was active in the creation; that in His relation to the 

unbelieving world He restrains the evil one until God’s purposed is fulfilled; that He convicts of 

sin, of righteousness and of judgment; that He bears witness to the truth of the gospel in 

preaching and testimony; that He is the Agent in the new birth; that He seals, endues, guides, 

teachers, witnesses, sanctifies and helps the believer. John 14:16-17; Matthew 28:19; Hebrews 

9:14; John 14:2; Luke 1:35; Genesis 1:1-3; John 16:8-11; Acts 5:30-32; John 3:5-6; Ephesians 1:13-14; Mark 1:8; John 1:33; Acts 11:1; Luke 24:49; Romans 8:14, 16,  26, 27; 1 Corinthians 12:8-10, 28-30, 13:8-10, 14:1-40; 2 Corinthians 12:12; Hebrews 2:2-4. 

 

IV. The Devil, or Satan 

We believe in the reality and personality of Satan, the Devil; and that he was created by God as 

an angel but through pride and rebellion became the enemy of his Creator; that he became the 

unholy god of this age and the ruler of all the powers of darkness and is destined to the 

judgment of an eternal justice in the lake of fire. Matthew 4:1-1; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 

20:10. 

 

V. Creation 

We believe the Biblical account of the creation of the physical universe, angels and man; that his account is neither allegory nor myth, but a literal, historical account of the direct, immediate 

creative acts of God without any evolutionary process; that man was created by a direct work 

of God and not from previously existing forms of life; and that all men are descended from the 

historical Adam and Eve, first parents of the entire human race. Genesis 1, 2; Colossians 1:16-17; John 1:3. 

 

VI. The Fall of Man 

We believe that man was created in innocence (in the image and likeness of God) under the law 

of his Maker, but by voluntary transgression Adam fell from his sinless and happy state, and all 

men sinned in him, in consequence of  which all men are totally depraved, are partakers of 

Adam’s fallen nature, and are sinners by nature and by conduct, and therefore are under just 

condemnation without defense or excuse. Genesis 3:1-6; Romans 3:10-19, 5:12, 19; Romans 

1:18, 32. 

 

VII. The Virgin Birth 

We believe that Jesus was begotten of the Holy Spirit in a miraculous manner, born of Mary, a 

virgin, as no other man was ever born or can be born of woman, and that He is both the Son 

of God and God, the Son. Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:35; John 1:14. 

 

VIII. Salvation 

We believe that the salvation of sinners is divinely initiated and wholly of grace through Jesus 

Christ, the Son of God, our Mediator; Who, by the appointment of the Father, voluntarily took 

upon Himself our nature, yet without sin, and honored the divine law by His personal 

obedience, thus qualifying Himself to be our Savior; that by the shedding of His blood in His 

death He fully satisfied the just demands of a holy and righteous God regarding sin; that His 

sacrifice consisted not in setting us an example by His death as a martyr, but was a voluntary 

substitution of Himself in the sinner’s place, the Just dying for the unjust, Christ the Lord bearing 

our sins in His own body on the tree; that having risen from the dead He is now enthroned in 

Heaven, and uniting in His wonderful person the tenderest sympathies with divine perfection, 

He is in every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate and an all sufficient Savior. 

We believe that faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the only condition of salvation.  Repentance is a 

change of mind and purpose toward God prompted by the Holy Spirit and is an integral part of 

saving faith. Jonah 2:9; Ephesians 2:8; Acts 15:11; Romans 3:24-25; John 3:16; Matthew 18:11; 

Philippians 2:7-8; Hebrews 2:14-17; Isaiah 53:4-7; 1 John 4:10; 1 Corinthians 15:3; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:24. 

 

IX. Resurrection and Priesthood of Christ 

We believe in the bodily resurrection of Christ and in His ascension into Heaven, where He 

now sits at the right hand of the Father as our High Priest interceding for us.  Matthew 28:6-7; 

Luke 24:39; John 20:27; 1 Corinthians 15:4; Mark 16:6; Luke 24:2-6, 51; Acts 1:9-11; Revelation 

3:21; Hebrews 8:6, 12:22, 7:25; 1 Timothy 2:5; 1 John 2:1; Hebrews 2:17, 5:9-10. 

 

X. Grace and the New Birth 

We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again; that the new birth is a new 

creation in Christ Jesus; that it is instantaneous and not a process; that in the new birth the one 

dead in trespasses and in sins is made a partaker of the divine nature and receives eternal life, 

the free gift of God; that the new creation is brought about by our sovereign God in a manner 

above our comprehension, solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine 

truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the gospel; that its proper evidence appears in 

the holy fruits of repentance, faith and newness of life. John 3:3; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 1 John 5:1; 

Acts 16:20-33; 2 Peter 1:4; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:1, 5; Colossians 2:13, John 3:8. 

 

XI. Justification 

We believe that justification is that judicial act of God whereby He declares the believer 

righteous upon the basis of the imputed righteousness of Christ; that it is bestowed, not in 

consideration of any work of righteousness which we have done, but solely through faith in the 

Redeemer’s shed blood. Romans 3:24, 4:5, 5:1, 9; Galatians 2:16; Philippians 3:9. 

 

XII. Sanctification 

We believe that sanctification is the divine setting apart of the believer unto God accomplished 

in a threefold manner; first, an eternal act of God, based upon redemption in Christ, 

establishing the believer in a position of holiness at the moment he trusts the Savior; second, a 

continuing process in the saint as the Holy Spirit applies the Word of God to the life; third, the 

final accomplishment of this process at the Lord’s return. Hebrews 10:10-14, 3:1; John 17:17; 2 

Corinthians 3:18; 1 Corinthians 1:30; Ephesians 5:25-27; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4, 5:23-24; 1John 

3:2; Jude 24, 25; Revelation 22:11 

 

XIII. The Security of the Saints 

We believe that all who are truly born again are kept by God the Father for Jesus Christ. 

Philippians 1:6; John 10:28-29; Romans 8:35-39; Jude 1.

 

XIV. The Church 

We believe that a local church is an organized congregation of immersed believers, associated 

by covenant of faith and fellowship of the gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed 

by His laws; and exercising the gifts, rights and privileges invested in them by His Word; that its 

officers are pastors and deacons, whose qualifications, claims and duties are clearly defined in 

the Scriptures.  We believe the true mission of the church is the faithful witnessing of Christ to all 

men as we have opportunity.  We hold that the local church has the absolute right of self

government free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; and the 

one and only Superintendent is Christ through the Holy Spirit; that it is Scriptural for true 

churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the 

gospel; that each local church is the sole judge of the measure and method of its cooperation; 

that on all matters of membership, of polity, of government, of discipline, of benevolence, the 

will of the local church is final. 1Corinthians 11:2; Acts 20:17-28; 1 Timothy 3:1-13; Acts 2:41-42. 

We believe in the unity of all New Testament believers in the Church which is the body of 

Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:12-13; Ephesians 1:22-23, 3:1-6, 4:11, 5:23; Colossians 1:18; Acts 15:13-18. 

 

XV. Baptism and the Lord’s Supper 

We believe that Christian baptism is the single immersion of a believer in water to show forth in 

a solemn and beautiful emblem our identification with the crucified, buried and risen Savior, 

through Whom we died to sin and rose to a new life; that baptism is to be performed under the 

authority of the local church; and that it is prerequisite to the privileges of church membership.  

We believe that the Lords Supper is the commemoration of His death until He comes, and 

should be preceded always by solemn self-examination. We believe that the Biblical order of the 

Ordinances are baptism first and then the Lord’s Supper, and that participants in the Lord’s Supper should be immersed believers. Acts 8:36, 38, 39; John 3:23; Romans 6:3-5; Matthew 3:16; Colossians 2:12; 1 Corinthians 11:23-28; Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 2:41-42. 

 

XVI. Separation 

We believe in obedience to the Biblical commands to separate ourselves unto God from 

worldliness and ecclesiastical apostasy. 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1; 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10; 1 Timothy 

6:3-5; Romans 16:17; John 9-11. 

 

XVII. Civil Government 

We believe that civil government is of divine appointment for the interests and good order of 

human society; that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed; 

except in those things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ Who is the only Lord of the 

conscience, and the coming King of kings. Romans 13:1-7; 2 Samuel 23:3; Exodus 18:21-22; Acts 23:5; Matthew 22:21; Acts 5:29, 4:19-20; Daniel 3:17-18. 

 

XVIII. Israel 

We believe in the sovereign selection of Israel as Gods eternal covenant people, that she is now 

dispersed because of her disobedience and rejections of Christ, and that she will be regathered 

in the Holy Land and, after the completion of the Church, will be saved as a nation at the 

second advent of Christ. Genesis 13:14-17; Romans 11:1-32; Ezekiel 37. 

 

XIX. Rapture and Subsequent Events. 

We believe in the return of Christ, an event which can occur at any moment, and that at that 

moment the dead in Christ shall be raised in glorified bodies, and the living in Christ shall be 

given glorified bodies without tasting death, and all shall be caught up to meet the Lord in the 

air. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthians 15:42-44, 51-52; Philippians 3:20-21; Revelation 3:10. We believe that the Tribulation will be culminated by the revelation of Christ in power and 

great glory to sit upon the throne of David and to establish the millennial kingdom. Daniel 

9:25-27; Matthew 24:29-31; Luke 1:30-33; Isaiah 9:6-7, 11:109; Acts 2:29-30; Revelation 20:1

4, 6. 

 

XX. The Righteous and the Wicked 

We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked; that only those who are justified by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and sanctified by the Spirit of our God are truly righteous in His esteem; while all such as continue in impenitence and 

unbelief are in His sight wicked and under the curse; and this distinction hold among men both 

in and after death, in the everlasting joy of the saved and the everlasting conscious suffering of 

the lost in the lake of fire. Malachi 3:18; Genesis 18:23; Romans 6:17-18; 1 John 5:19; Romans 

7:6, 6:23, Proverbs 14:32; Luke 16:25; Matthew 25:34-41; John 8:21; Revelation 20:14-15.