"Our Beliefs"

1. We believe that the Bible is God’s Word. The KJV is God’s Word preserved in the English language and by virtue of its preservation it is inspired, infallible, and inerrant.

2. We believe in God. He is revealed to us in the Scriptures as the one, true, and living God existing as three distinct and co-equal persons: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

3. We believe that God created the angels. Angels are spirit beings divided into two main categories: good and bad. Lucifer and a third of the angels fell from their original state due to pride and rebellion. Satan therefore is a literal person in charge of fallen angels (demons) and is the enemy of God and His people.

4. We believe that God created man in His own image and after His own likeness. Adam and Eve were historically and literally the first people on the Earth. Mankind fell from their original state due to Adam’s disobedience which is sin. From that point on mankind needed to be saved. The penalty of sin is death, literal torment in Hell and eternal separation from God.

5. We believe that God sent His only begotten Son, The Lord Jesus Christ, into the world to save sinners. Through His atoning blood, death, burial and resurrection sinful man can repent of sin and place his trust on Christ alone for Salvation.

6. We believe that the New Testament church is a local autonomous assembly of baptized believers who gather as the Lord’s body for the purpose of glorifying God, participating in the ordinances, winning the lost, and discipling believers. The church recognizes two offices: the pastor and the deacons, and two ordinances: the Lord’s Supper and believer’s baptism by immersion.

7. We believe in the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe in the imminent pre-tribulational appearance of Christ in the clouds to rapture the church, the judgment seat of Christ, the marriage supper of The Lamb, the Revelation and Millennial reign of Christ, the Great White Throne judgment, and the eternal condemnation of Satan and unrepentant sinners into The Lake of Fire and eternity future with God for all the redeemed in Heaven.

8. We believe in ecclesiastical and personal separation. Mt. Zion Baptist Church refuses to cooperate with ecumenical organizations in order to maintain doctrinal purity and integrity. Mt. Zion teaches personal separation from worldliness in maintaining the distinction and modesty in dress and appearance, the distinction of sacred music and the Scriptural prohibition on Alcoholic beverages, drugs, pornography, smoking and chewing tobacco, gambling, and other vices that hurt the cause of Christ.

Since Mt. Zion Baptist Church is celebrating her 50th Anniversary on June 28 it was necessary to reflect on some of the core doctrines that we as a church adhere to. This small statement is taken from our church doctrinal statement and it represents the doctrines that are preached and taught at our church.

He is precious (part 3)

There are three qualities to "preciousness." They are Rarity, intrinsic value, and usefulness. Christ is all that.

He is rare. Consider what the Bible says in John 3:16a “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son…” That term only begotten is significant because it relates to the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. There is just no one like Him. He is the eternally begotten Son of God. Theologians say: God of very God, and begotten but not created. These are phrases that attempt to describe the Lord’s eternality and Sonship. The error of Arianism is the reduction of Christ into a created being. The Bible teaches us that the Son of God pre-existed in eternity past in perfect fellowship with the Father (Gen. 1:27; Isa. 48:16; John 1:1, 14; John 17:5).

The second quality is that of intrinsic value. Christ fulfills this. During the course of a discussion with unbelievers, Christ reveals His Deity in John 8:58 “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.” Immediately the Jews began to pick up stones to cast it at Him. This statement places Christ on equal terms with one of God’s sacred names: “I AM” (see Exo. 3:14). In John 5:18 it was the Beloved Apostle that commented regarding the Deity of Christ, when he said: “Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.” Indeed Christ is God, therefore He possess value in and of His own self. God is self-existing. He has no need of anyone, or anything. In fact one can easily agree with A.W. Tozer in his book “The Knowledge of the Holy” that “need” is not included in the vocabulary of God.

Last is that quality of usefulness. Christ is useful in every situation. The Bible says: “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.” (Heb. 7:25). Jesus saves. Jesus sanctifies. Whether the need is for Salvation or sanctification, Christ secures both. John 8:36 “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” True freedom is found only in Christ. A person can strive all he wants to secure a good living, and have a wonderful life, but until you are right with God through Christ that attempt is futile.

Christ is precious and we who are believers readily acknowledge this. Amen.