What We Believe

The following is excerpted from the Rock Prairie Constitution.

God

We believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfections. Exodus 20:2,3; I John 5:7; Matthew 28:19,20; II Corinthians 13:14; I Corinthians 8:6; Revelation 4:11.

God the Father

We believe in God, the Father, perfect in holiness, infinite in wisdom, measureless in power; that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men; that He hears and answers prayer; and that he saves from hell all who come to Him through Jesus Christ. Psalm 22:3; John 17:11; Psalm 147:5; I John 3:20; Matthew 19:26; John 3:16; Matthew 6:26, 28, 30; Psalm 65:2; Hebrews 11:6; Romans 5:8; I Timothy 2:5; John 14:6.

God the Son

We believe that Jesus is fully God, has existed eternally as God, and is co-equal with the Father and the Holy Spirit. He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, and atoned for the sins of mankind by his death on the cross. His bodily resurrection secured the salvation for all who would believe, and he currently sits at the right hand of God, waiting to return to earth in power and glory. I John 5:20; John 1:18; John 14:9; Hebrews 1:8; Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-35; I Peter 2:22; Romans 3:25; Hebrews 9:14; Luke 24:36-43; Acts 10:40,41; Acts 1:9; Luke 24:51; Hebrews 8:1,2; I John 2:1; Acts 1:11; I Thessalonians 4:16.

God the Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a Divine Person, equal with the Father and Son. The Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment and bears witness to the Truth. He is the agent of the new Birth, indwelling and sanctifying all believers, sealing and thus securing them to the day of redemption. The Spirit guides, teaches, and helps believers, and all believers will display the fruit of the Spirit. Matthew 28:19; II Corinthians 13:14; Acts 5:3,4; Galations 5:22,33.

Scripture

We believe the whole of Scripture, both the Old and New Testaments, and all of its parts, down to the very words of the original are fully inspiried by God; that the Bible is reliable in every matter it discusses; and that the Bible is the supreme and final authority in all matters of faith and practice. II Timothy 3:16, 17; II Peter 1:19-21

Salvation

We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, who paid the penalty of the sin of mankind by His death on the cross, His burial, and His resurrection; that all who receive Him are made new by the Holy Spirit and become children of God; that no rite, ceremony, or work can make the believer’s salvation more secure; that Christ is the only and all-sufficient Savior. Ephesians 2:8,9; Titus 3:5-7; John 5:24; John 1:12; Romans 10:9-13; Acts 16:31; Acts 4:12; II Timothy 1:12; Philipians 1:6; Hebrews 6:20; Hebrews 8:3-5; Hebrews 9:14-15; Hebrews 10:10; I Peter 1:5.

The Church

First, the universal church is composed of all true believers in Jesus Christ as Savior. Ephesians 5:25-33; Colossians 1:14-18; I Corinthians 12:12-31.

Second, the local church is an organization composed of saved, baptized believers, voluntarily united for the purpose of preaching, worship, prayer, discipleship, fellowship, missions, evangelism, service, and practicing baptism and the Lord’s Supper. The scriptural officers of the local church are elders and deacons, whose qualifications and duties are clearly defined in scripture. The mission of the church is to make Christ known from our neighbors to the nations. Acts 2:41-47; Romans 1:7; Colossians 1:2; Hebrews 10:25; Acts 20:7; Acts 11:26; Titus 1:5-8; Acts 6:1-7; Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8; Acts 11:29-30.

Baptism

We believe that scriptural baptism is the immersion of a believer in water, setting forth, in symbol, his union with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection; that every believer should be baptized because of the example and command of our Lord; and that while there is no saving power in water baptism, it is an act of obedience by those who are already saved to picture their death, burial, and resurrection to walk in newness of life with Jesus Christ, and that blessed hope of bodily resurrection. Romans 6:3-5; Matthew 3:13-17; Matthew 28:19,20; Acts 8:36-39; Ephesians 2:8,9; Titus 3:5; John 5:24.