God – We believe that God is the Creator, Sustainer, and righteous Governor of the universe. He has revealed Himself in nature and in the Holy Scriptures as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, yet as one God.
Jesus Christ – He is God’s only begotten Son, unique in His person. Scripture teaches that He is God revealed in the flesh. In His divine nature He is truly God, and in His human nature truly man. He was crucified for humanity’s sin and is now the risen and glorified Savior and Lord. He is the Mediator between God and humanity who gives us access to the Father through His intercession. No one comes to the Father except through Him.
The Holy Spirit – Scripture attributes all the qualities of God to the Holy Spirit. He convicts people of sin, righteousness, and the coming judgment. He comes to live within us at conversion, opens our understanding of Scripture, and leads us into truth.
The Bible – God used holy people to write the Scriptures. Both the Old and New Testaments contain the very words God intended us to have. They are given by God, without error, and are our only rule of faith and practice. They teach us truth, expose what is wrong, correct us, restore us to the right path, and instruct us in righteous living.
Humanity – God created humanity in a state of innocence. Tempted by Satan, humanity yielded and deliberately disobeyed God, becoming sinful and coming under God’s judgment against sin. All Adam’s descendants inherit a fallen nature and therefore possess a natural inclination toward sin. Upon reaching the age of accountability, each person becomes guilty of sin before God and needs salvation.
God’s Relationship to His Creatures and Creation – God exercises wise and benevolent providence over all beings and things. He preserves the laws of nature and performs special acts as the highest welfare of humanity and His created order require.
Salvation – A person receives forgiveness of sins by acknowledging before God that he or she is a sinner, turning from sin with godly sorrow, and trusting in Christ’s redeeming work. Receiving God’s great salvation includes believing that Christ died on the cross as our substitute and that God raised Him from the dead as foretold. Salvation is by grace alone and not by works.
Who Can Be Saved? – It is God’s will that all people be saved. Because humanity possesses the power of choice, God saves those who repent of sin and believe in Christ’s work on the cross. Those who refuse during this life to repent and believe have no later opportunity for salvation and condemn themselves to eternal punishment through unbelief.
Perseverance – We believe there are strong grounds to expect that the saved will persevere to the end because of the power of divine grace promised for their support. We believe that a saved person who has sinned or fallen away, but desires to repent, may do so and be restored to God’s favor and fellowship. Because people continue to possess free choice, however, it is possible through temptation and human weakness to fall into habitual sin, shipwreck one’s faith, and be lost forever.
Gospel Ordinances – Free Will Baptists believe the Bible teaches three ordinances for the church to practice: water baptism by immersion, the Lord’s Supper to be observed until Christ returns, and the washing of the saints’ feet, an ordinance that teaches humility.
Resurrection – Free Will Baptists believe Scripture teaches the bodily resurrection of all people, each in the proper order: those who have done good will come forth to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of condemnation.
Church Government – Free Will Baptist churches enjoy the autonomy, or self-government, of the local church. The local church is the highest authority within the denomination. Local churches voluntarily organize into district, state, and national associations to advance the cause of Christ locally, statewide, nationally, and throughout the world.
The Second Coming of Christ – The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ, who ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father, will come again to bring the gospel age to its conclusion, glorify His saints, and judge the world.
Missions – Free Will Baptists believe that Jesus commanded the church to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. For an in-depth study of Free Will Baptist beliefs and practices, request a copy of the Free Will Baptist Treatise.