What We Believe
We’re a group of Christians - people who believe the good news about Jesus. It’s news of forgiveness and hope all based on his death on the cross, and which is available to anyone who trusts and follows him.
We're a Christian Church
The heart of the Christian faith is that in Jesus Christ, God uniquely became a man, died on the cross for the forgiveness and salvation of all those who will believe in him, and rose from the dead, assuring them of eternal life. Although we respect people of other faiths, we believe that Christ is the only Saviour. Therefore we are not ashamed to call all people to worship only him.
We're an Evangelical Church
We are convinced that, as the word of God, the Bible is the only reliable guide to help us to understand God and his purpose for us. The church is therefore committed to learning from it and applying it to our lives. We also delight in the fact that Christ’s death was sufficient to pay for the sins of all who trust him. By faith in him we are fully forgiven, saved from the judgement we deserve and are received by God as our loving Heavenly Father.
We're a Reformed Baptist Church
We take delight what are called the Doctrines of Grace which summarise what we believe the Bible teaches about how salvation is entirely a work of God’s grace and sovereignty. And we’re a Baptist church which means that we believe the New Testament’s pattern for baptism is for believers to be baptised by immersion. But we recognise that many Bible-believing Christians hold different views on these matters, and we rejoice in fellowship with them.
We're an Independent Church
Kesgrave Baptist Church has no authoritative body beyond the local congregation. That does not mean that we are isolationist. In fact, we enjoy warm relationships with many churches that hold firmly to the central doctrines of the Christian faith, and we are affiliated to the Association of Grace Baptist Churches (East Anglia). Independence means that the church members are ultimately responsible for the whole work of the church. This is both a privilege and a responsibility.
Interested in more detail?
This is our full basis of faith, which we adhere to along with the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith.
If you would like to discuss any of these points in detail, please contact our pastor here.
There is one God, who exists eternally in three distinct but co-equal persons: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, each having the whole divine essence, yet the essence is undivided. God is unchangeable in His holiness, justice, wisdom and love. He is the almighty Creator, Saviour and Judge who sustains and governs all things according to His sovereign will for His own glory.
God in His great goodness has revealed all that is necessary to life and salvation in the Bible, which consists of the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments alone. Every word was inspired by God through human authors, so that the Bible as originally given is, in its entirety, the Word of God, without error and fully reliable in fact and doctrine. The Bible alone speaks with final authority and is always sufficient for all matters of belief and practice. The infallible rule of interpretation of the Bible is the Bible itself.
Matthew 5:18; John 10:35; Romans 15:4; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21.
All men and women, being created in God’s image, have inherent and equal dignity and worth. God created our first father Adam in a state of innocence and original righteousness. As the representative and head of the human race he exposed all his offspring to the effects of his disobedience to God’s commands. Adam sinned and brought upon himself and all his offspring death, condemnation and a sinful nature. As a result, it is utterly beyond the power of fallen mankind to have a saving knowledge of God and love God, to keep His laws, to believe the Gospel, to repent of sin or trust in Christ.
Genesis 1:26-31; 3:1-24; Psalm 51:5; John 8:34-35; Romans 3:10-20; 5:12-21; 1 Corinthians 15:21-22.
God, before the foundation of the world, and for His own glory elected to eternal life a multitude of persons which no one can count as an act of free and sovereign grace. This election was in no way dependent upon His foresight of human faith, decision, works or merit.
John 6:37-39; 17:1-3; Romans 9:11-16; Ephesians 1:4-5; 1 Peter 1:1-2; 1 Peter 2:9-10.
God sent forth His Son who is God from all eternity who became man, Jesus Christ our Lord, fully God and fully man, having two natures, yet one person. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, yet without sin, and lived a sinless life in obedience to the Father. He taught with authority and all His words are true. On the cross He died in the place of sinners, bearing God’s punishment for their sin, and redeeming them by his blood. He rose from the dead and in His resurrection body ascended into heaven where He is exalted as Lord of all. He intercedes for His people in the presence of the Father.
The Lord Jesus Christ died at Calvary to atone for sin, so that the Father’s wrath against sin was turned away onto Christ, and so that he could redeem from sin and reconcile to God all those whom God has chosen from all eternity to be saved.
Mark 10:45; John 10:11; Acts 20:28; Romans 3:21-26; 8:28-30,33; Ephesians 5:25; 1 Peter 1:18-19.
God bore testimony to His acceptance of His Son’s work by raising Him from the dead. Therefore, all who are called by grace are justified in the sight of God on account of the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ, which is received by faith alone.
Acts 13:38-39; Romans 3:24; 4:6-8, 21-25; 5:1,18; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 3:9.
The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son and is sent forth into the world to glorify Christ and to apply His work of salvation. Through His all-powerful work those dead in sin are brought into spiritual life. They hear the call of God through His Word and are given the desire and ability to repent of sin and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour and Lord. The Holy Spirit indwells all believers, brings assurance of salvation and produces increasing likeness to Christ. He builds up the church and empowers its members for worship, service and mission.
John 3:5-8; 14:26; 15:26; Acts 1:8; 2:38; Ephesians 1:13-14; Titus 3:5-7.
In obedience to God’s Word and will, and out of love for our Lord Jesus Christ a Christian is called to live a holy life. It is only such a holy life that gives evidence of true faith and regeneration. Christians begin to live a holy life only by the power of the Holy Spirit who sanctifies us.
John 14:15; Romans 6:22; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:7; Hebrews 12:14; 1 Peter 1:15-16.
The Lord Jesus Christ is the head of the local church and has appointed pastors/teachers/elders whose calling is recognised by the church membership. The task of those so appointed is to lead, teach, equip and encourage His people in love and unity to serve Him and so build up the body of Christ together. The unity of the body of Christ is expressed within and between churches by mutual love, care, encouragement and prayer. True fellowship between churches exists only where they are faithful to the Word of God.
Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are ordinances given by the Lord Jesus Christ as visible signs of the Gospel and of union with Christ and His church. In baptism by immersion, the believer declares their repentance and faith, that they have passed over from death to life. In the Lord’s Supper we declare our unity together in Christ as his church and remember his death for us.
Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:38-42; 8:12; 18:8; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26.
The responsibility and privilege of the local church is to be obedient to Christ’s commission to go into all the world and preach the gospel to all mankind, to make disciples, baptising and teaching them.
Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8; 13:1-4; Romans 1:14-16; 10:14-15; 1 Thessalonians 2:4.
Those who are regenerated, called and justified shall, by the grace and power of God, persevere in holiness and enter into the joys of heaven.
Romans 8:28-30, 38-39; Philippians 1:6; 2 Timothy 1:12; 1 Peter 1:3-5.
The Lord Jesus Christ will return personally, bodily and visibly as He promised.
Matthew 24:30; John 14:1-3; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:16.
When the Lord Jesus Christ returns in glory he will raise the dead and judge the world in righteousness. The wicked will be sent to eternal punishment and the righteous will be welcomed into a life of eternal joy, in a glorified body, in fellowship with God. God will make all things new and will be glorified forever.