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Evangelical Baptist Church | |
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"God is a spirit; and they who worship him must worship him in spirit and truth." John 4:24
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What we believe about the Church We believe the Church is made up of all believers on Christ since the time of His forming the first nucleus of disciples at the beginning of His earthly ministry till the Rapture. These believers, upon receiving Christ as their personal Savior are regenerated and sealed by the Holy Spirit for the Day of Redemption. That inward work of regeneration is typically and symbolically expressed, as a confession to the outside world, by Baptism. This is an act of obedience to Christ's command and done by immersion in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, according to the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19). The authorized agent to perform Baptism is the local New Testament Church. The Church as the body or the Bride of Christ is still in the process of being completed. The fact that the Rapture has not taken place yet, indicates that there are still sinners to be saved and added to the Church during this dispensation of Grace.The division of the Church into «Militant» and «Triumphant» is not based either on the letter or in the spirit of the Scriptures. Neither are the terms «Universal» and «Invisible» as applied to the Church on the whole. When the Rapture takes place and «the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord»(1 Thess. 4:16,17), then we will have the Universal but Visible Church, the whole body of Christ completely formed. Until then the Bible gives the emphasis on the local assembly as the main divine Institution on earth. The local church is made up of true believers as well as mere professors. Both are to grow together until the time of harvest, that is, the Rapture. The Athens Baptist Church is strong on its position on the local church. We believe there is nothing else, no matter how good and effective, as far as the work of God in general appears to be, that is fully approved of God. Organizations, Mission Boards and numerous other forms of ministry that are not part of a local church, may be used of God, as it is His word that He honors, and which «shall not return void». The local church is autonomous and self-governed. Is not subject to any outside hierarchy or board of directors, and accountable only to Christ, Whose Lordship is held higher than any other authority, religious, political or otherwise. While the members of the local church, as physical persons, are constantly taught and urged to be subject unto the higher powers as ordained by God according to Romans 13, and a number of other Bible references, the church, as a divine institution, owes obedience and faithful allegiance to none but Christ her head.The church's life and administration guidelines are clearly delineated in the New Testament. The members are not divided into clergy and laity, because in this dispensation of Grace all believers in Christ are: «A chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation...» (1 Pet.2:9), and kings and priests unto God and His Father...» (Rev.1: 6). Administrations, operations and gifts are divided by that one and the selfsame Spirit to every man severally as he (the Spirit) will (1 Cor.12...). The offices in the local church are two, that of Pastor (called also Bishop and Elder) and that of deacon. Usually the Pastor is one, with associates and assistants in most cases, but the deacons are invariably more than one. |
"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork." Psalms 19:1
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Evangelical Baptist Church - 42 Kapodistriou St. - Athens | |
