Doctrinal
Statement
CONCISE DOCTRINAL STATEMENT OF THE BAPTIST MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION The
following outline is a much abbreviated and generalized version of the
BMAA Doctrinal Statement meant for quick reference and information to
those visiting our web-page. It is our hope that the content of the
original statement is accurately represented. Copies of the complete
statement are available from the Baptist Publishing House at P.O. Box 7270
in Texarkana, TX 75505.
I. God
There is one living and true God, the creator of the universe (Ex. 15:11;
Isa. 45:11). He is revealed in the unity of the Godhead as God the Father,
God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, who are equal in every divine
perfection (Ex. 15:11; Matt. 28:19; II Cor. 13:14).
A. God the Father is the supreme ruler of the universe
(Gen. 1; Ps. 19:1; Ps. 104; Heb 1:1-3)
B. God the Son is the Savior of the world.
Born of the virgin Mary (Matt. 1:18; Lk. 1:26-35). Declared His deity
among men (John 1:14, 18; Matt. 9:6), died on the cross as the only
sacrifice for sin (Phil. 2:6-11), arose bodily from the grave (Lk 24:6, 7,
24-26; I Cor. 15:3-6), ascended back to the Father (Acts 1:9-11), is at
the Father's right hand interceding for believers (Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25)
until He returns to rapture them from the world (Acts 1:11; I Thess.
4:16-18).
C. God the Holy Spirit is the manifest presence of deity. He
convicts of sin (John 16: 8-11), teaches according to the Bible (John
16:12-15), permanently indwells believers (Acts 5:32), and confers on
every believer at conversion the ability to render effective spiritual
service (I Peter 4:10,11)
II. The Scriptures
A. God's inerrant revelation, complete in the Old and New
Testaments (II Tim. 3:16; II Peter 1:21).
B. Provide the standard for the believer's faith and practice (II
Tim. 3:16-17).
III. Creation
A. The World-- God created all things for His own pleasure and
glory, as revealed in the biblical account of creation (Gen. 1; Rev. 4:11;
John 1:2,3; Col. 1:16). Creation includes holy and fallen spirit beings-
angels (Col. 1:16; Luke 20:35, 36; Matt. 22:29, 30; Jude 6)
B. Man-- God created man in His own image. As the crowning work of
creation, every person is of dignity and worth and merits the respect of
all other persons (Ps. 8; Gen 1:27; 2:7; Matt 10:28-31).
IV. Satan
Satan is a person rather than a personification of evil (John 8:44), and
he with his demons opposes all that is true and godly by blinding the
world to the gospel (II Cor. 4:3, 4), tempting saints (Eph. 6:11; I Peter
5:8), and warring against the Son of God (Gen 3:15; Rev. 20:1-10).
V. Depravity
Although man was created in the image of God, he fell through sin and
marred that image (Rom. 5:12). He lacks any power to save himself (Eph.
2:1-3; John 1:13). The sin nature is transmitted to every member of the
human race with the exception of Jesus Christ (Rom. 3:23; I Peter 2:22).
VI. Salvation
A. The Meaning of Salvation-- Salvation is the gracious work of God
whereby He delivers undeserving sinners from sin and its results (Matt.
1:21; Eph. 2:8,9).
B. The Way of Salvation-- Salvation is based wholly on the grace of
God apart from works (Titus 3:5; Eph. 2:9). Anyone who will exercise
repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ will be saved
(Acts 16:30-32; Luke 24:47; Rom. 10:17).
C. The Provision of Salvation-- Christ died for the sins of the
whole world (John 1:29; 3:16; I John 2:1, 2). Through His blood, atonement
is made without respect of persons (I Tim. 2:4-6). All sinners can be
saved by this gracious provision (Heb. 2:9; John 3:18).
VII. Divine Sovereignty and Human Freedom
God's sovereignty and man's freedom are two inseparable factors in the
salvation experience (Eph. 2:4-6). The two Bible truths are in no way
contradictory, but they are amazingly complementary in the great salvation
so freely provided.
VIII. Sanctification
All believers are set apart unto God (Heb. 10: 12-14) at the time of their
regeneration (I Cor. 6:11). They should grow in grace (II Peter 1:5-8) led
by the Holy Spirit to apply God's Word (I Peter 2:2), and be conformed to
principles of divine righteousness (Rom. 12:1, 2; I Thess. 4:3-7).
IX. Security
All believers are eternally secure in Jesus Christ (John 10:24-30; Rom.
8:35-59).
X. Church
A. The Nature of the Church-- A New Testament church is a local
congregation (Acts 16:5; I Cor. 4:17) of baptized believers in Jesus
Christ who are united by covenant in belief of what God has revealed and
in obedience to what He has commanded (Acts 2: 41, 42).
B. The Autonomy of the Church-- She acknowledges Jesus as her only
Head (Eph. 5:23) and the Holy Bible as her only rule of faith and practice
(Isa. 8:20; II Tim. 3:16, 17). Governed democratically (Acts 6:1-6; I Cor
5:1-5)
C. The Perpetuity of the Church-- Instituted by Jesus during His
personal ministry on earth (Matt. 16:18; Mark 3:13-19; John 1:35-51), true
churches have continued to the present and will continue until His return
(Matt. 16:18; 8:20).
D. The Ordinances of the Church-- Baptism by immersion in water of
a believer as a confession of his faith in Christ (Matt. 28:19; Rom. 6:4).
The Lord's Supper is a sacred sharing of the communion bread and cup by
the assembled church (Acts 20:7) as a memorial to the crucified body and
shed blood of Jesus Christ (Luke 22:19). Both must be administered by a
New Testament church (Matt. 28:18-20).
E. The Officers of the Church-- Pastors and deacons are the
permanent officers divinely ordained in a New Testament church (Phil.
1:1). Each church may select men of her choice to fill those offices under
the leading of the Holy Spirit (Acts 6:1-6; 20:17, 18) according to the
divinely given qualifications (I Tim. 3:1-13). Pastors are authorized to
oversee and teach churches under the Lordship of Jesus Christ (Acts 20:28;
Heb. 13:7). Deacons are servants of the churches and assistants to the
pastors, particularly in benevolent ministries (Acts 6:1-6).
F. The Ministry of the Church--To fulfill the Great Commission of
Christ to evangelize, baptize and instruct (Matt. 28: 19, 20).
G. The Fellowship of the Church-- She is free to associate with
true churches in furthering the faith (II Cor. 11:8; Phil 4:10, 15, 16)
but is responsible to keep herself from those who hold doctrines or
practices contrary to Holy Scripture (Gal. 1:8, 9; I John 2:19). In
associational matters, each church is equal (Matt. 20:25-28).
XI. Civil Authority
Human government was instituted by God to protect the innocent and punish
the guilty. It is separate from the church, though both exercise
complementary ministries for the benefit of society (Matt. 22:21).
Christians should submit to government authority and obey all laws which
do not contradict the laws of God. They should pray for and respect
officers of government (Rom 13:1-7; I Peter 2:13, 17; I Tim. 2:1, 2).
Civil authority should preserve for every citizen the free exercise of his
religious convictions.
XII. Last Things
A. Return-- Our risen Lord will return personally in bodily form to
receive His redeemed unto himself. His return is imminent (I Thess.
4:13-17; Rev. 22:20).
B. Resurrections-- After Jesus returns, all of the dead will be
raised bodily, each in his own order: the righteous dead in "the
resurrection of life" and the wicked dead in "the resurrection
of damnation" (John 5:24-29; I Cor. 15:20-28).
C. Judgments-- Prior to the eternal state, God will judge everyone
to confer rewards or to consign to punishment (Matt. 25:31-46; II Cor.
5:10; Rev. 20:11-15).
D. Eternal States--
Heaven is the eternal home of the redeemed (John 14:1-3). Hell is the
place of eternal punishment and suffering for the devil, his angels, and
the unredeemed (Luke 16: 19-31; Matt. 25:41; Rev. 20:10-15).
ADDENDUM
The following expresses the preponderance of opinion among BMAA churches
but is not mandatory for affiliation or as a test of fellowship.
1. Belief in the premillennial return of Christ to earth, after
which He shall reign in peace upon the earth for a thousand years (Rev.
20:4-6).
2. Belief in two resurrections: the first of the righteous at
Christ's coming; the second of the wicked at the close of the
thousand-year reign (I Thess. 4:13-17; Rev. 20:6, 12- 15).
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