Welcome to
Open Bible Baptist Church
Ascutney, Vermont
DOCTRINE
This is only a brief doctrinal statement as found in our constitution and articles of faith, and is by no means exhaustive. If you have a specific question please send us an e-mail
The Scriptures
We believe all Scripture as originally written is inspired of God and preserved for us in our English Bible, the KJV. We accept the scriptures as final authority in all matters of doctrine and practice. II Timothy 3:16, 17; II Peter 1:21
The Godhead
We believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, co-eternal in being, co-equal in power and glory, of the same essence, and having the same attributes. Deuteronomy 6:4; John 14:26; Matthew 28:19; Romans 1:7; Hebrews 1:8; Acts 5:3,4
The Person and Work of Christ
We believe that: Jesus Christ is the Son of God, He left heaven’s glories to be born of a virgin, He lived a sinless life, He died for our sins as a substitutionary sacrifice, He rose from the dead, He ascended to the right hand of God where He makes intercession for the believers. We believe He is true God and true man. Philippians 2:5-11; Matthew 1:18-25; I Peter 2:22; I Corinthians 15:3,4; Acts 1:9-11; Hebrews 7:25; Luke 19:10; John 3:16-18
The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit
We believe the Holy Spirit is a person who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; that He regenerates sinners; that He baptizes all believers into the body of Christ, and that He seals them unto the day of redemption. We also believe He indwells, empowers, and instructs believers. John 16:7-14; I Corinthians 12:12-14; Romans 8:9; Ephesians 1:13,14
Man
We believe man was created in the image of God. Man sinned and thereby received spiritual death which is separation from God. Since Adam’s sin, man has inherited a sinful nature. He is totally depraved and utterly unable of himself to remedy his lost condition. Genesis 1:26,27; Genesis 3; Romans 5:12; Psalm 51:5; Ephesians 2:1-3, 12
Salvation
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice, that all who believe in Him are justified by faith and regenerated by the Holy Spirit becoming the children of God. We believe salvation is received by grace through faith in the shed blood of Christ and by this act we are made members of the body of Christ which is the true church.
I Corinthians 15:1-4; Ephesians 1:7; John 1:12; Ephesians 2:8,9; Romans 10:9-13
Satan
We believe that Satan is a created being whose power is second only to God. He rebelled against God, and has become the open and declared enemy of God and man. We believe that Satan is the author of sin, that he caused the fall of the human race, and that he continues to tempt and accuse the believers before God. We believe he shall be eternally punished in the lake of fire. Ezekiel 28:11-16; Genesis 3; I Peter 5:8,9; Revelation 12:10; 20:10
The Future
We believe in the personal, premillennial, and imminent return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men – the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment. I Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1:9,10; John 5:28,29
The Church
We believe that all born again believers constitute the N.T. church which is the body and espoused bride of Christ. Ephesians 1:22,23; Ephesians 5:25-27; I Corinthians 12:12-14; II Corinthians 11:2
Evangelization
We believe the primary mission of the church is to carry out the Great Commission as outlined in Matthew 28:18-20. We believe our goal should be to train spiritual reproducers who can win and train others. II Timothy 2:2
Church Ordinances
We believe the two ordinances of the church are baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
Baptism – Christ commanded His disciples to "teach (disciple) all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." Matthew 28:19. It follows that true believers should obey His commandment by becoming scripturally baptized. We believe that scriptural baptism by immersion is the outward testimony of the inward spiritual transformation in the life of one who has trusted Christ for salvation. Acts 2:38-41; Acts 8:36-38
The Lord’s Supper – which was instituted by Christ, is a commemoration of His death to be observed regularly by all believers – an occasion when we meditate upon what Christ did for us on the cross. The two emblems, the bread (unleavened bread) and the wine (unfermented grape juice) represent His body and His blood which was shed for the remission of sins. I Corinthians 11:23-30
Literature
Only literature that is true to Scripture is used in this church. Literature that uses liberal, unorthodox translations of the Bible will not be accepted. All literature shall be primarily based on the King James Version of the Bible.