STATEMENT OF BELIEF

Lifepointe Baptist Church, who is a part of the Queensland Baptists, recognise that every local church has liberty to interpret and administer the laws of Christ. The following Statement of Belief is an outline of what, according to general agreement, Queensland Baptists believe.

1. About God

God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. He is absolutely holy, infinitely good and great, all-powerful, all present, all knowing, God is eternal. He reveals Himself in three persons: The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and are one God. God created the heavens, the earth and all that exists in them including people. He continues to care for and govern His creation, working out His sovereign purposes for all that He has made.

2. About Jesus Christ

The eternal Son, co-equal with the Father and the Holy Spirit, came to earth and took on humanity and became Jesus Christ, still fully God and now forever also fully man. This incarnation was achieved through the virgin birth. Jesus lived a sinless human life in perfect obedience to the Father in a role of humility taken on with His incarnation. He offered Himself as a perfect sacrifice for sin and a substitution in our place at His death on the cross. By the Holy Spirit's power, God the Father raised Him bodily from the dead, completing the conquest of Satan, sin and death. This resurrected Jesus, the Father lifted to His right hand of power and there made Him Lord of all. Christ there intercedes on our behalf and has sent the Holy Spirit to be His representative on earth. The Gospel presents this crucified, resurrected and glorified Christ as the Saviour of the world with the news that at the climax of the ages, He will return to earth to judge the living and the dead.

3. About the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is co-equal with the Father and with the Son. He is revealed first in the Old Testament Scripture as the "Spirit of God" but with the incarnation took on a new role of being the Spirit from the Father on Jesus Christ. It was through the Holy Spirit that Jesus fulfilled His ministry. Then from the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit became "the Spirit of Jesus Christ" in the believers. The Holy Spirit is present in the world to make humankind aware of their sin and need for Jesus Christ and to bring them to salvation. The Holy Spirit is received at Christian conversion and permanently lives in these believers providing them with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right. He gives believers spiritual gifts at their conversion, to be used in service for God. Christians should seek to live daily under His control.

4. About the Bible

The Bible is the living written Word of God to humankind. The Bible is our supreme authority, surpassing that of all human reason and tradition. It was written by human authors, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Whilst Jesus Christ alone is the authority in all matters of Christian belief and living, His will in such matters is either revealed in, or is consistent with His Word.

5. About People

People are made in the image of God and are the supreme focus of His creative work. Human value is guaranteed from this divine likeness and parentage and this is true for all humanity and not just Christians. Although every human being still displays evidence of their divine creation, they also display marked fallenness from their originally created potential, due to what the Bible calls sin. Sin taints even the good that we are and that we do. Sin cuts us off eternally from God and works as a dynamic festering of evil within our relationships, our attitudes and even our physical bodies. From the moment the human race fell, every individual has been hopelessly lost and destined for an eternity in hell.

6. About salvation

Salvation, a free gift demonstrating God's love, mercy and grace, is all that the Lord Jesus Christ provides by His perfect life, His atoning death, His powerful resurrection, His glorious ascension, His ongoing Priesthood, and His certain return. Salvation is at the one time something to be possessed by finding Christian conversion at which time we are saved from the penalty of our sins. It is also something to be pursued as we seek to be saved from the power of our sin. It is finally something to be expected when we will be saved from the presence of sin. Salvation is effected by the work of the Holy Spirit in response to our faith. Salvation begins with repentance towards and belief in Christ, testimony through baptism and the receiving of the Holy Spirit. It continues in sanctification through the ongoing practice of spiritual disciplines  and culminates in the redemption of our bodies and the glorification of our entire persons. Salvation is both something that we receive and also seek to outwork    in our lives and is the beginning of an eternal life with God.

7. About Eternity

People once created live forever. After physical death they continue to exist either to be eternally punished in hell because of their sin, or eternally comforted in Heaven by the grace of Christ and through His salvation. The place of eternal separation from God is "hell". The place of eternal security with God is "heaven". To be eternally in union with Him is eternal life. Heaven and hell are real places of eternal existence. Jesus Christ will return visibly and victoriously from the presence of God the Father, to gather His people to Himself and complete His conquest over Satan, sin and evil. All people, both believers and unbelievers, will be raised bodily - a resurrection of the dead and finally judged by the Lord Jesus Christ to determine their eternal status. Following this judgment, the whole creation will be so transformed that righteousness will characterise believers and the new heavens and new earth forever.

8. About Baptism and the Lord's Supper

Baptism and the Lord's Supper are the only two ordinances which were given by Jesus Christ through Scripture to be observed by the church throughout all ages.
Baptism is the immersion of believers upon their profession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and is a declaration of the fellowship of the regenerate believer in His death, burial, and resurrection.
The Lord's Supper is a memorial of thanksgiving for the sacrifice of the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, regularly practised until He comes. It relates to pardon for sin, present sanctification and future glorification in Jesus Christ.

9. About Service and Sacrifice

The Bible teaches that Christians should surrender every aspect of their lives to be a "spiritual service" or "offered ministry" to God. In this sense, every Christian is to minister as a servant of Christ. Serving Jesus Christ in the natural sphere of every day life is as important to Him and His witness as is service undertaken with the church.

Each Christian is given one or more spiritual gifts. It is these gifts that give balance to the Body of Christ and enable Christ's work to continue.

The empowerment for true service comes from intimacy with Jesus Christ through prayer, obedience to His Word, dependence on the power of the Holy Spirit within and appropriate placement in ministry. There are some Christians who are called by God to be His servants in full time pastoral and leadership roles. Those who are called to this service have a challenge or burden placed upon their lives by the Holy Spirit which is confirmed by the church.

It is the responsibility of every Christian to share the Good News concerning Jesus Christ and His reconciling work on the cross and its implications with those God leads across their path, by both life and word.

10. About the Church

The universal Church consists of all persons, in heaven now or still on earth, who confess Christ as their Lord and Saviour. The local Church is a smaller community of believers who meet regularly for worship, fellowship, teaching of the Scriptures and seeking to save the lost. Christ alone is the head of His church, both universal and local - the Church is known as the Body of Christ. No other person, group, or religious organisation can profess to be the head of His Church.