What We Believe

Our Core Beliefs

We confess and align ourselves with the 1689 Baptist Confession of faith and the 5 Solas of the Reformation.

We derive our statement of faith at Redeemer Borger from the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith.  For a comprehensive statement please email us at info@redeemerborger.org and we will gladly supply you with the resource “The 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith (in modern English)” from Founders Ministries (founders.org).

The 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith is a time-tested confession of faith that helps us guard from false teaching and helps us to know and love God and His word.  Because we confess this as true, it does not align us with any denomination.  We cling solely to the Word of God and use documents such as the 1689 as “guard rails” for what we believe at Redeemer.

“This little volume is not issued as an authoritative rule, or code of faith, whereby you are to be fettered, but as an assistance to you in controversy, a confirmation of faith, and a means of edification in righteousness...Cleave fast to the Word of God which is here mapped out for you.” - CH Spurgeon 

The Triune God - Statement I

God is of one essence and expresses himself in three distinct persons; God the Father, God the Son, God the Spirit, yet one God.  We do not worship three different gods, yet each distinct person is of the very same essence and is God.  In the economy of God, each distinct person serves in a different role in the God-head.  The Father sends, the Son accomplishes and the Spirit applies (in the life of the believer).  The Father is not derived from anyone, neither begotten nor proceeding.  The Son is eternally begotten of the Father.  The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son.  We believe that the Triune God is the very foundation of all that we believe and life begins in Him.  For more on “God and the Holy Trinity” see the 1689 2:1-2:3.

God’s Holy Word/The Holy Bible- Statement II

The specific revelation God gives us to know, love and enjoy Him is what we call the Holy Bible.  The Bible is a collection of 66 books split into two sections known as the Old and New testaments authored by men but inspired by God Himself.  The Holy Scriptures are the only sufficient, certain, and infallible standard of all saving knowledge, faith, and obedience.  We are not awaiting another revelation of God for His word is sufficient for life and godliness.  We hold to what the reformers called “Sola Scriptura” or “by scripture alone”.  The Word of God establishes truth, not the other way around.  For more on “God’s Holy word/Revelation of Himself” see the 1689 1:1-1:10.

Creation/Man - Statement III

We believe that the triune God created, not out of loneliness or some desire to have human interaction but, out of the overflow of love for himself and for said creation to bring Him glory.  Creation is the general revelation of God the creator, author of all good things.  He created all things both visible and invisible in a six day period and all of it was very good.  On the sixth day, God created man in His own image to be His representative on earth.  Man is the crowning jewel of God’s creation as He is made in God’s own image.  For more on “Creation/Man” see the 1689 4:1-4:3.

Sin - Statement IV

God created all things very good including humanity.  He gave man the commandment to not eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.  Man disobeyed without any outside compulsion and deliberately transgressed the law of their creation and the command given by eating the forbidden fruit. Man rebelled against God by believing the serpent’s lie and in that moment all of creation fell into chaos and death; sickness and sin entered God’s perfect world.  Sin infects every part of creation including humanity due to the federal headship of Adam and Eve.  By God’s appointment, Adam and Eve were the root and the representatives of the whole human race and their corrupt nature was passed on.  Sin is any failure to conform to the moral law of God in act, attitude or nature.  For more on “Sin” see the 1689 6:1-6:5.

Christ the Mediator- Statement V

The second person of the God-head, Jesus, the Son of God also referred to as “Jesus Christ”, came in the flesh to the world, conceived in the womb of Mary by the Holy Spirit. God was pleased, in His eternal purpose, to choose and ordain the Lord Jesus, His only begotten Son, according to the covenant made between them in eternity past, to be the mediator between God and humanity. God chose Him to be prophet, priest and king, and to be judge of the world. From all eternity, God gave to the Son a people to be His offspring. In time these people would be redeemed, called, justified, sanctified and glorified by Him. For more on “Christ the Mediator” see the 1689 8:1-8:10.

The Gospel and the Extent of Its Grace- Statement VI

The gospel is the telling of the good news that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. The gospel is necessary because man sinned and rebelled against God. The Lord Jesus came in human flesh, lived perfectly in place of the elect, died an atoning substitutionary death for those who were given to Him from eternity past and rose victoriously, defeating death, hell and sin after three days. After about forty days on earth, He ascended to the right hand of God where He sits and awaits the day of His second advent where He will come and judge the living and the dead. The gospel is the only outward means of revealing Christ and saving grace, and it is abundantly sufficient for that purpose. Yet to be born again, brought to life or regenerated, those who are dead in trespasses also must have an effectual, irresistible work of the Holy Spirit in every part of their souls to produce in them a new spiritual life. Without this no other means will bring about their conversion to God. For more on “The Gospel and the Extent of Its Grace” see the 1689 20:1-20:4.

The Church and her Ordinaces - Statement VII

The Church is the community of all true believers for all time. It consists of the full number of the elect who have been, are, or will be gathered into one under Christ her head. The church is the spouse, the body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. A local church, gathered and fully organized according to the mind of Christ, consists of officers and members. The officers appointed by Christ are overseers or elders, and deacons. They are to be chosen and set apart by the church called and gathered in this way, for the distinctive purpose of administering ordinances and for carrying out any other power or duty Christ entrusts them with or calls them to. This pattern is to be continued to the end of the age.

The ordinances of the Church are as follows:

Baptism - a physical symbol of the fellowship of the believer immersed in water symbolizing being united in the death of Jesus and raised from the water being united in His resurrection. Those who personally profess repentance toward God and faith in and obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ are the only proper subjects of this ordinance.

The Lord’s Supper - a physical symbol of the breaking of bread and drinking of the cup is to be observed in His churches to the end of the age as a perpetual remembrance and display of the sacrifice of Himself in His death. The bread and the wine symbolize Christ being offered by the breaking of His body and the spilling of His blood but it is only meant to be a symbol for the church to remember the body and blood of Christ. This ordinance is reserved only to be observed by those who have professed faith in Christ. 

For more on “The Church and her Ordinances” see the 1689 26:1-26:15, 29:1-29:4, 30:1-30:8

The Second Advent of Christ and The Last Judgement - Statement VIII

Christ the King will return just as He promised in physical form to judge the living and the dead. He will gather His church both dead and alive and will glorify them with Himself. Every knee will bow and tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord on that day. God’s purpose for appointing this day is to manifest the glory of His mercy in the eternal salvation of the elect, and of His justice in the eternal damnation of the reprobate, who are wicked and disobedient. For at that time the righteous will go into everlasting life and receive fullness of joy and glory with everlasting rewards in the presence of the Lord. But the wicked, who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of Jesus Christ, will be thrown into everlasting destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power. For more on “The Second Advent of Christ and The Last Judgement” see the 1689 32:1-32:3.

The 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith or the London Confession of Faith covers the following topics:

The Holy Scriptures, God and the Holy Trinity, God’s decree, Creation, Divine Providence, The Fall of Mankind, and Sin and Its Punishment, God’s Covenant, Christ the Mediator, Free Will, Effectual Calling, Justification, Adoption, Sanctification, Saving Faith, Repentance to Life and Salvation, Good Works, Perseverance of the Saints, Assurance of Grace and Salvation, The Law of God, The Gospel and the Extent of Its Grace, Christian Liberty and Liberty of Conscience, Religious Worship and the Sabbath Day, Lawful Oaths and Vows, Civil Government, Marriage, The Church, Communion of the Saints, Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, The State of Humanity after Death and the Resurrection of the Dead, The Last Judgement.

Redeemer Borger will also be guided by the 5 Solas of the Reformation:

Sola Scriptura - “By Scripture Alone”

Sola Gratia - “By Grace Alone”

Sola Fide - “Through Faith Alone”

Solus Christus - “By Christ Alone”

Soli Deo Gloria - “For the glory of God Alone”

For more information on the 5 Solas, please email us at info@redeemerborger.org