What We Believe

 

The Scriptures - We believe that the Bible is the Word of God, that all Scripture was given by inspiration of God (II Tim. 3:16) and was written by men as they were moved by the Holy Spirit (II Peter 1:21).

  • The Bible, which contains the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, is, therefore, without error and is our final authority in faith and conduct.
 

Doctrine of God - We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

  • The Father - We believe in God the Father, perfect in holiness, infinite in wisdom, measureless in power. We believe that He saves from the power, penalty, and guilt of sin for all who come to Him through Jesus Christ. We rejoice that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men and that He hears and answers the prayers of His children.
  • The Son - We believe in the deity of Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son; that He was virgin born and sinless in His life. We believe that His substitutionary death, by the shedding of His blood, provides atonement for the sinner. We believe in His bodily resurrection, His ascension into heaven, and His perpetual intercession for His people.
  • The Holy Spirit - We believe in the Holy Spirit who was sent by the Father to convince the world of sin, of righteousness, and judgment. The Holy Spirit regenerates, indwells, teaches, and comforts those who receive Jesus Christ.
 

Doctrine of Man - We believe that man was created in the image of God; that he sinned and thereby incurred not only physical death, but also spiritual death, which is separation from God.   We believe that all human beings are sinners by both nature and choice.

 

Doctrine of Salvation - We believe that Jesus Christ died a sacrificial death for our sins according to the Scriptures, that salvation is a gift of God and that all who approach Jesus Christ through repentance and faith will inherit everlasting life.

  • At salvation, the recipient is regenerated by the Holy Spirit, justified, adopted into the family of God, and is eternally secure.
 

Doctrine of Church

  • The Body of Christ - We believe that the church, which is the body and bride of Christ, is a spiritual organism of which all regenerated persons are members.
  • The Local Assembly of Christ - We believe that the local church is a company of believers, baptized on a credible confession of faith, and assembled for worship, work, and fellowship.
  • Ordinances of the Church - We believe that the ordinances given to the church are two: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Baptism is by immersion of believers, thus portraying the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Lord’s Supper is the partaking of the bread and the cup by the believer as a continuing memorial of the broken body and shed blood of Christ.
  • Autonomy - Heritage Baptist Church of Prattville, Alabama, shall be and remain independent and autonomous. It shall remain free from interference by ecclesiastical or political authority.
 

Doctrine of Spiritual Beings

  • Satan - We believe in the reality and personality of Satan.He was created by God as a perfect being, but rebelled against God and became the enemy of God and man.
  • Angels/Demons - We believe that angels and demons are spirit beings. Angels were created by God as heavenly hosts, but some, through choice, are now the hosts of Satan and will share in Satan’s ultimate doom. The angels of heaven are ministering spirits who glorify and serve God and also minister to His people.
 

Doctrine of Future Events - We believe in the pre-tribulational rapture of the church as well as the premillennial return of Jesus Christ to the earth at His second coming. The rapture (I Thessalonians 4:13-18) is imminent and there are no prophecies yet unfulfilled that must precede it. This event is to be followed by a seven-year tribulation period and finally, by the second coming of Christ to the earth to establish the millennial kingdom.

 

The Christian Life - We believe that a believer is a new creation in Christ and that he/she should live a godly, consecrated life. We believe that he/she should separate himself/herself from worldly behavior and lusts (I John 2:15); that it is the responsibility of every Christian to witness by life and word to the truths of Scripture and to seek to proclaim the Gospel to all the world; that it is the responsibility of all believers to remember the work of the Lord in prayer and to support it with their means as the Lord has prospered them.

 

Missions - We believe that God’s love has been extended to sinners for their salvation and that He has commanded us, His people, to publish this good news throughout the world. Therefore, we have an obligation to give prayer and material support to the work of missions both at home and abroad as well as to commission and send our own members who are called of God to go.