Tioga Independent Baptist Church

What we believe :
What We Believe

The Trinity
We believe that there is one God in three persons: God The Father, Jesus The Son, and The Holy Spirit. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit and was miraculously born of a virgin, Mary. We believe that Jesus is fully and truly God, and fully and truly man. Jesus is the only mediator between God and man, and only Jesus saves from sin.
The Bible
We believe that the Bible is God’s Word. God inspired the Bible, and it is without error. The Bible shows us God’s truth, and tells us about Jesus. We believe that the canon of scripture is finished, and so we reject any ideas of advanced revelation. We believe that the King James Bible (KJV 1611) is the best translation of God’s Holy Word available today, having been translated from the original languages into English.
Satan
We believe that Satan, the Devil, was created by God as an angel and was given an important position in Heaven, but then he fell from that position through the sin of pride. Satan was able to persuade one-third of the angels to follow him in his rebellion. These fallen angels became the demons. Satan and his demons work to persuade people to commit sin and, in particular, to reject the authority of Jesus and the Bible. Satan and the demons will be judged one day in Hell, which was prepared for the Devil and his angels.
Creation
We believe in the Genesis account of Creation.
Sin
We believe that sin is the breaking of God’s law. In the Garden of Eden, Eve listened to the Devil and sinned first, and then convinced her husband Adam to sin. All sin must be judged. God will judge those who commit sin at His Great White Throne Judgment. Those men and women whose sins are not covered by the blood of Jesus will join Satan and his Demons in Eternal punishment in the flames of Hell.
The Virgin Birth
We believe the virgin birth of Christ as recorded in Luke 2.
Salvation
We believe that salvation is entirely by grace through faith, apart from of man’s works. Salvation comes about when a sinner turns from sin and trusts Jesus Himself to save him or her from sin. Jesus does all of the saving, and the sinner does none of it. When the sinner trusts Jesus, he or she becomes born again, a new creature, eternally secure in Christ.
The Gospel
We believe that the Gospel is the “Good News” of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus from the dead. The Gospel’s foundation surrounds the finished work of Jesus on the Cross. It has nothing at all to do with man’s works. Therefore, The Gospel does not consist of raising your hand or coming forward. It is not praying a prayer. It is not having a mental belief. Raising your hand and praying a prayer did not die for you on the cross. Neither did having a mental belief. Good works do not save. Bible doctrines do not save. Only Jesus saves. We therefore believe in telling people to turn from their sins and trust Jesus, who is up in Heaven, so that Jesus can save them from their sins. That is the Good News!
The Church
We believe the Church is a congregation of saved baptized believers associated together to carry out the Great Commission. Attendance and membership in a local New Testament church is God’s plan for the believer, and is not to be forsaken. The church is to be led by a pastor who is to shepherd the people as God’s appointed leader; yet without committing the sin of lording it over the flock.
Baptism
We believe that Jesus gave Christians two ordinances: The Lord’s Supper and Baptism. Baptism means that a believer is bodily immersed in water followed by being raised up out of the water again. Baptism therefore represents the Gospel, which consists of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. Jesus gave us the command to preach the Gospel and also to baptize those who have believed on Jesus. It is the duty of all true believers to follow Jesus and the Bible and therefore to be baptized. Baptism, however, is strictly for those who are already saved. Baptism has no part in true conversion, and represents the belief that the one being baptized has already been saved. We therefore believe in and practice the baptism of believers as well as membership in the local New Testament church.
Evangelism
We believe that God commands the church and individual Christians to tell people the Good News of Jesus. This is an impetus for world missions as well. This we seek to do through evangelism, missions, preaching, the Internet, and other methods. We understand that most people reject the witness of Jesus. Others within the church reject evangelism or missions, or unbiblically redefine evangelism as inviting people to a party without actually telling them about Jesus. We reject such obvious rebellion against the clear command of Jesus to go out into all the world and preach the gospel.
We believe there is a hell to shun and a Heaven to gain. Both are real.
We believe Jesus is coming again to take His church Home.