The Bible

The Bible is God’s revelation to mankind. As God’s Word, it is totally true and trustworthy. It is the supreme standard over all our beliefs and practices.

God

There is one eternal and true God who is creator and ruler of the universe. God reveals himself to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with distinct personal attributes, but one being. God the Father rules with perfect knowledge of all things past, present, and future according to his gracious plans.  

Jesus

Jesus is the eternal Son of God, fully God and fully man. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He lived a life without sin and gave his life as a complete payment for our sins. He was buried and on the third day he rose again. He ascended to heaven and will return to judge the living and the dead.

Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is fully God. He convicts of sin and enables understanding of truth. He gives spiritual gifts to equip all believers to serve the church. All Christians receive the Holy Spirit at the time of salvation and do not need any particular gift as evidence of genuine belief.

Humanity

All people are the special creation of God, made in his image. Therefore, every person is worthy of respect and Christian love. Through choice, mankind sinned against God and brought sin into the world. For this reason, we are all separated from God and need his forgiveness.  

Salvation

Salvation is offered freely to all who accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. The Holy Spirit brings conviction of sin, to which the sinner responds in repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. All true believers are forever secure in their salvation. They are called to grow in their faith and use their time and resources to advance the good news about Jesus.

Church

Every true church of Jesus is an independent, local congregation made of baptized believers. They are associated by covenant in faith and fellowship of the gospel and seek to bring the gospel to the ends of the earth. The Bible also describes the church as all of those worldwide who have placed their faith in Jesus.

Baptism & the Lord’s Supper

Baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit under the authority of a true church. It is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer’s joining with Jesus in his death, burial, and resurrection to new life and is a requirement for church membership. The Lord’s Supper is a symbolic act of obedience that memorializes the death of Jesus.

Family

God created us male and female, of equal worth before God, each with distinct roles. God established the lifelong covenant of marriage between one man and one woman as the only appropriate context for a sexual relationship. Children, from conception, are a blessing from God to be raised to know and follow him.    

Last Things

At God’s appointed time Jesus will return personally and visibly to the earth. The dead will be raised and Jesus will judge all people in righteousness.

Florida Gardens Baptist Church also holds to the Baptist Faith and Message 2000: The Baptist Faith and Message (sbc.net)