What we believe

The Scriptures

We believe that the Holy Bible is the inspired Word of God, the written record of a supernatural revelation of Himself to man, absolute in its authority, complete in its revelation, final in its content, the standard by which all human conduct, creed, and opinions should be tried, and is without error.

By the “Holy Bible” we mean the collection of sixty-six books, from Genesis to Revelation, which God has preserved for English-speaking people in the Authorized Version of the King James Bible; they not only contain and convey the Word of God but are the very words of God.

By “Inspiration” we mean that the books of the Bible were written by holy men of old, as they were moved by the Holy Spirit, in such a definite way that the writing were supernaturally and verbally inspired – free from error, as no other writing.

Faith and Practice:  Riverdale Baptist Church embraces the Word of God as our only authority in all matters of faith and practice – should there ever be a conflict between this constitution and the clear teachings of Scripture, the latter shall prevail.

God

We believe that the Godhead exists eternally in three persons; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and these are one God.

Jesus Christ

We believe in the true deity and humanity of Jesus Christ, His miraculous birth – conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, His sinless life, His atonement for the sins of the world by His death, His bodily resurrection, His ascension into heaven, His perpetual intercession on behalf of the saints, and His personal, bodily and visible return to the earth.

Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit is the third Member of the Godhead; that He is a divine Person equal with the Father and Son; that His ministry is to uplift and glorify Christ, to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, to regenerate, indwell, enlighten, empower, and comfort the saved; the evidence of His presence in the life of the believer being the fruit of the Spirit.

Satan

We believe that Satan is a person, a fallen angel, the perpetrator of the fall of man, and the god of this age; he is also a defeated foe and his destiny is eternal punishment.

Salvation

We believe that all men by nature and by choice are sinners and therefore are lost and depraved; that salvation is by grace, a free gift of God, and is eternally possessed by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; that the reception of salvation is characterized by a godly sorrow for sin and a transformed life.

The Church

We believe that the plan of God for this age is to evangelize the world through the establishment of New Testament local churches; that the ordinances of the local church are two:  the Lord’s Supper and baptism by immersion; that the local church is to be separate from the State as well as all ecumenical groups and unequal yokes.

The Future

We believe in the imminent return of our Lord Jesus Christ, the pre-tribulational rapture of the saints, the judgment seat of Christ, the great tribulation followed by the millennial reign of Christ, the great white throne judgment, and the creation of a new heaven and a new earth.

Eternity

We believe in the bodily resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust; the eternal conscious punishment of the lost in Hell and the eternal joy of the saved in Heaven.