Baptist Articles of Faith – Of the Scriptures

Memory Verse: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” II Tim. 3:16-17

I. ORIGIN, TRUTH, REVELATION, AND PURPOSE.

A. The Holy Bible was written by men supernaturally inspired — II Tim. 3:16-17.

B. That is has truth without any admixture of error for its matter — Psalm 119:160; John 17:17; Rom. 3:4.

C. Is, and shall remain to the end of the age, the only complete and final revelation of the will of God to man — Luke 16:31; John 5:45-47.

D. The true center of Christian union and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions should be tried — II Tim. 3:16-17; John 12:48; Isa. 8:20; Eph. 6:17; Rom. 15:4.

II. MEANING OF “HOLY BIBLE”.

A. That collection of sixty-six books, from Genesis to Revelation.

B. Which as originally written does not only contain and convey the Word of God but is the very Word of God.

III. MEANING OF “INSPIRATION” — II Pet. 1:19-21.

A. Books of the Bible were written by holy men of old as they were moved by the Holy Spirit — II Tim. 3:16-17; Acts 1:16; Acts 28:25.

B. In such a definite way that there writings were supernaturally and verbally inspired and free from error, as no other writings have ever been or ever will be inspired. — Prov. 30:5, 6.

IV. PRESERVATION.

A. The original manuscripts are no longer in existence.

B. God supernaturally and providentially preserved His Word from the beginning through all of time to this very moment — Psalm 119:89; Rev. 22:19; Psalm 12:6-7; Matt. 5:18.

V. AUTHORIZED KING JAMES 1611 VERSION.

A. God’s Word is preserved for English-speaking people today in the Authorized King James Version (1611).

B. It is the God-honored text of the reformation.

C. Inspiration without preservation would be meaningless.

D. We reject all other translations and paraphrases of the Word of God — Rev. 22:18-19.

E. We subscribe to and use only the KJV (1611 or its equivalent in any language) in all of our activities.

VI. GREEK AND HEBREW.

A. The study of the individual Greek and Hebrew words in the original languages for the clarity of meaning is not precluded by this statement.

B. We accept the Textus Receptus as our Greek text.

VII. PURPOSE OF THE BIBLE — II Tim. 3:16-17; Psalm 119:105, 130; Psalm 19:7-11.

A. The Bible is the absolute and final rule of faith, doctrine and practice for the believer.

Every believer must come under its authority in order to be obedient to God — Luke 24:5-27; Luke 24:44, 45; I Pet. 1:2-3; John 5:39.