When Greenbelt church was constituted in 1957, it adopted a document known as “The Abstract of Principles” as the church’s statement of faith and remains so with some modifications to improve readibility and further clarify doctrinal positions. This document was originally written in 1859 to be the statement of faith for the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and remains so to this day. The writers of this document drew heavily from the Westminster Confession of Faith, written around 1649. Our statement of faith is a summary of the faith that Christians have believed throughout centuries. Our beliefs are important because it is our beliefs that define us as a church. If we were an organization that existed solely for the purpose of doing good to others, then we could all believe many different things, and it wouldn’t really matter—so long as we were doing good. But we are not. We are an organization which has Christ as our head. We exist to know Him and make Him known. Therefore, what we believe about Christ and our relationship with Him is of paramount importance for shaping how we gather together as His body.

There are many things that this statement does not talk about, such as whether or not all the spiritual gifts exist today, or the timing of Christ’s return. Are these important? Yes. However, we think that they aren’t so important as to warrant the church taking a position on this and then excluding others from membership those who would have different views on the issues. The issues laid out in this statement are what we hold to be essential to our doctrine as a church.

Statement of Faith

1. Scriptures
The scriptures of the Old and New Testament were given by inspiration of God, and are the only sufficient, certain, and authoritative rule of all saving knowledge, faith, and obedience.

2. God
There is but one God, the Maker, Preserver, and Ruler of all things, having in and of Himself all perfections, and being infinite in them all; and to Him all creatures owe the highest love, reverence, and obedience.

3. Trinity
God is revealed to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence, or being.

4. Providence
God from eternity decrees or permits all things that come to pass, and perpetually upholds, directs, and governs all creatures and events; yet so as not in anywise to be the author or approver of sin nor to destroy the free will and responsibility of intelligent creatures.

5. Election
Election is God’s eternal choice of some persons unto everlasting life—not because of foreseen merit in them, but because of His mere mercy in Christ—in consequence of which choice they are called, justified, and glorified.

6. Creation
It pleased God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, for the manifestation of the glory of His eternal power, wisdom, and goodness, in the beginning, to create, or make of nothing, the world, and all things therein whether visible or invisible, in the space of six days; and all very good.

7. Creation of Man
After God had made all other creatures, He created man, male and female, with reasonable and immortal souls, endued with knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness, after His own image; having the law of God written in their hearts, and power to fulfill it; and yet under a possibility of transgressing, being left to the liberty of their own will, which was subject unto change. Marriage is to be between one man and one woman. It is lawful for all sorts of people to marry, who are able with judgment to give their consent. Yet it is the duty of Christians to marry only in the Lord.

8. Fall of Man
God originally created man in His own image and free from sin; but, through the temptation of Satan, he transgressed the command of God, and fell from his original holiness and righteousness; whereby his posterity inherit a nature corrupt and wholly opposed to God and His law, are under condemnation, and, as soon as they are capable of moral action, become actual transgressors.

9. Mediator
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, who was conceived of the Holy Ghost, and born of the Virgin Mary, is the divinely appointed mediator between God and Man. Having taken upon Himself human nature, yet without sin, He perfectly fulfilled the law and suffered and died upon the cross for the salvation of sinners. He was buried, rose again the third day, and ascended to His Father, at whose right hand He ever lives to make intercession for His people. He will come again for His Church. He is the only Mediator; the Prophet, Priest, and King of the Church; and Sovereign of the Universe.

10. Regeneration
Regeneration is a change of heart, wrought by the Holy Spirit, who enlivens the dead in trespasses and sins, enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the Word of God, and renewing their whole nature, so that they love and practice holiness. It is a work of God’s free and special grace alone.

11. Repentance
Repentance is an evangelical grace, wherein a person being, by the Holy Spirit, made sensible of the manifold evil of his sin, humbles himself for it, with godly sorrow, detestation of it, and self-abhorrence, with a purpose and endeavor to walk before God so as to please Him in all things.

12. Faith
Saving faith is the belief, on God’s authority, of whatsoever is revealed in His Word concerning Christ, accepting and resting upon Him alone for justification, sanctification, and eternal life. It is wrought in the heart by the Holy Spirit, is accompanied by all other saving graces, and leads to a life of holiness.

13. Justification
Justification is God’s gracious and full acquittal of sinners, who believe in Christ, from all sin, through the satisfaction that Christ has made. Not for anything wrought in them or done by them, but on account of the obedience and satisfaction of Christ, they receive justification and rest on Him and His righteousness by faith.

14. Sanctification
Those who have been regenerated are also sanctified by God’s Word and Spirit dwelling in them. This sanctification is progressive through the supply of Divine strength, which all saints seek to obtain, pressing after a heavenly life in cordial obedience to all Christ’s commands.

15. Perseverance of the Saints
Those whom God has accepted in the Beloved, and sanctified by His Spirit, will never totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace, but shall certainly persevere to the end; and though they may fall, through neglect and temptation, into sin, whereby they grieve the Spirit, impair their graces and comforts, bring reproach on the Church and temporal judgments on themselves, yet they shall be renewed again unto repentance, and be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.

16. Church
The Lord Jesus is the Head of the Church, which is composed of all His true disciples, and in Him is vested supremely all power for its government. According to His commandment, Christians are to associate themselves into particular local assemblies, and to each of these churches He has given needful authority for administering that order, discipline, and worship which He has appointed. The biblical officers of a church are Elders and Deacons.

17. Baptism
Baptism is an ordinance of the Lord Jesus, obligatory upon every believer, wherein he is immersed in water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, as a sign of his fellowship with the death and resurrection of Christ, of remission of sins, and of his giving himself up to God, to live and walk in newness of life. It is prerequisite to church fellowship, and to participation in the Lord’s Supper.

18. Lord’s Supper
The Lord’s Supper is an ordinance of Jesus Christ, to be administered with the elements of bread and fruit of the vine, and to be observed by His churches till the end of the world. It is in no sense a sacrifice, but is designed to commemorate His death, to confirm the faith and other graces of Christians, and to be a bond, pledge, and renewal of their communion with Him and of their church fellowship.

19. Lord’s Day
The Lord’s Day is Sunday and is a Christian institution for regular observance, and should be employed in exercises of worship and spiritual devotion, both public and private.

20. Liberty of Conscience
God alone is Lord of the conscience; and He has left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men, which are contrary to His Word, or not contained in it. Civil magistrates being ordained of God, subjection in all lawful things commanded by them ought to be yielded by us in the Lord, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.

21. Resurrection
The bodies of men after death return to dust, but their spirits return immediately to God—the righteous to rest with Him; the wicked to be reserved under darkness to the judgment. At the last day, the bodies of all the dead, both just and unjust, will be raised.

22. Judgment
God hath appointed a day, wherein He will judge the world by Jesus Christ, when everyone shall receive according to his deeds—the wicked shall go away into everlasting punishment; the righteous into everlasting life.