5. Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is an eternal and divine person (Acts 5:3-4; Heb 9:14), sent from the Father to
convict the world of sin (John, 16:8-11), bear witness to Jesus Christ (John 15:26; 16:14-15), impart new life to
those who put their faith in Christ (Titus 3:5), and transform believers into the image of Jesus Christ through the
Word of God (2 Cor 3:18).
6. Man
We believe that God created man in His own image by a direct act on the sixth day of the creation week (Gen
1:26-31). We believe that man deliberately chose to disobey the expressed will of God and therefore fell under
God’s condemnation (Rom 5:12). The extent of man’s depravity touches every portion of his being – mind, will
and emotions (Eph 4:17-19; 1 Cor 2:14); therefore, man is completely unable to do anything to earn God’s
favor or contribute to his own salvation (Rom 3:20; 4:5-6; Titus 3:5).
7. Salvation
We believe that salvation is by God’s grace through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ alone (Rom
3:22-24; Eph 2:8-9). Salvation was purchased by the bloody sacrificial death of Christ upon the cross (Rom
3:25), is applied to individuals by the work of the Holy Spirit using the Word of God (John 16:8-11; 1 Pet 1:23)
and is received by repentance (Acts 20:21) and faith in the resurrected Son of God (Rom 10:9-10). We believe
that when a person puts trust in Christ, they do so because of the sovereign work of God to save His elect (Jn
6:44, Acts 13:48; 16:14). We believe that God makes secure and guarantees the final salvation of every true
believer (John 10:27-30; Rom 8:35-39), and that genuine believers must and will persevere in their faith until
they meet the Lord (1 Cor 15:2; Col 1:23).
8. Sanctification
We believe that the will of God for every believer is to be made holy and like Jesus Christ (1 Thes 4:3; Rom
8:29). At the moment of salvation the believer receives a holy standing before God due to the righteousness of
Christ, often referred to as positional sanctification (Heb 10:10,14). The new birth creates within every believer
a new nature which is made after the likeness of God in true holiness and righteousness (Eph 4:24). There still
remains in the believer unsubdued tendencies toward sin which are in constant conflict with the new nature (Gal
5:16-21). The biblical process of spiritual growth, often called progressive sanctification, requires removing the
sinful patterns of the unsaved condition and replacing these with patterns of godly character (Eph 4:22-24). The
Holy Spirit accomplishes these changes as the believer, by faith, yields obedience to the Word of God (Rom
6:11-13; 2 Cor 3:18) and puts to death all sinful practices (Rom 8:13; Col 3:5). The believer will ultimately be
made completely holy when he enters the presence of Jesus Christ either at death or Christ’s return (Phil 1:6;
3:21; 1 Thess 5:23; 1 John 3:2).
9. Spiritual Gifts
We believe that spiritual gifts are special abilities used for spiritual purposes (Rom 12:3-8). They are given by
the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 12:11) to every believer in the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:7; 1 Pet 4:10) according to God’s
design (1 Cor 12:18,28) and grace (Rom 12:3,6). Spiritual gifts are given by the Spirit for use within the context
of the local assembly of believers (1 Cor 12:27,28; 14:12; 1 Pet 4:10-11) and for the good of the body (1 Cor
12:7).
10. Church
We believe that the Church has both universal and local aspects. The church as the Body of Christ, of which He
is the Head (Eph 1:22-23; Col 1:18), is an organism composed of genuine believers in Jesus Christ, the total
number of Spirit baptized believers of this dispensation regardless of location or circumstance (1 Cor 12:13;
Eph 2:11-12). We believer that the local church is the visible expression of the body of Christ in a particular
time and place (Acts 13:1; Rom 16:1,5), being an organized body of immersed believers (Matt 28:19; Acts
2:41,47), sharing a common doctrinal commitment (Acts 2:42; 2 Thess 3:6; Jude 3), observing the ordinances of
baptism (Matt 28:19; Acts 2:41; 10:47-48) and the Lord’s Supper (Matt 26:26-30; 1 Cor 11:23-32), meeting at
regular and stated times (1 Cor 16:2; Heb 10:25) in order to honor God by making and maturing disciples (Matt
28:19-20) who are becoming like Jesus Christ (Col 1:28) through evangelism, edification, fellowship, and
worship (Acts 2:41-47). We believe that the New Testament establishes the offices of pastor (1 Tim 3:1-7; Eph
4:11) and deacon (Acts 6:1-6; 1 Tim 3:8-13). We believe that the local church is an autonomous body solely
responsible to preserve its internal unity (Rom 12:16; 1 Cor 1:10; Phil 4:2), maintain pure doctrine and practice
(1 Tim 3:15; Jude 3), elect its own officers, leaders, and messengers (Acts 6:1-6; 13:2; 15:3,4,22; 1 Cor 16:3-4),
settle its own internal matters (Matt 18:15-17; 1 Cor 5:4-5,12; 6:1-5), and determine the extent of its
cooperation with other churches (Acts 15:2-32; 2 Cor 8:19). We believe that the local church is God’s ordained
instrument for His work and witness in this age (1 Tim 3:15).
11. Satan
We believe in the personality of Satan (1 Chron 21:1; Job 1:6-12; 2:1-7; Matt 4:11), that he is the unholy god of
this age (John 12:31; 2 Cor 4:3-4), the prince of all the powers of darkness (Matt 12:24; Eph 2:2; 6:12). He is
the leader of a countless army of spirits (evil angels) who rebelled against the will of God (Rev 9:11; 12:3-4,7).
These spirit beings, called demons, now seek to hinder the work of God (Gen 3:4-5; Matt 4:1-11; 2 Cor
11:13-15), but will face ultimate defeat and condemnation with Satan in the lake of fire (Rev 20:10).
12. The Second Coming
We believe in the literal return of Jesus Chris that will take place in two stages. The first stage is the Rapture, or
His personal (1 Thess 4:16; I John 3:2), imminent (Rom 13:12; 1 Cor 1:7; 1 Thess 5:6), and pretribulational (1
Thess 1:10; 5:9; Rev 3:10) coming for all saints of the church age (John 14:1-3; I Thess 4:16-17). The second
stage is the Revelation, or the Second Coming in Glory, which is His personal and public coming at the close of
the Tribulation to establish the messianic, Millennial Kingdom on earth (Dan 7:9-14; Zech 14:1-4) when Israel
will be restored to covenant favor with God (Jer 30:31-34; 31:28; Rom 11:25-27) and to her land in faith (Gen
13:14-17; 15:18; Deut 30:1-11; Zech 10:9-10) and the Church will reign with Christ for a thousand years (2 Tim 2:12; Rev 3:21; 20:1-6). After the Millennium there will be a new heaven and a new earth wherein God will dwell eternally with His people (2 Pet 3:13; Rev 21:1-3).
13. The Resurrection
We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just and unjust, though occurring at separate times (Dan 12:2; John
5:28-29; 1 Cor 15:21-24). The souls of those who trust in Christ go immediately into His presence at death
(Acts 7:59-60; 2 Cor 5:8) where they remain in conscious enjoyment of heaven until the resurrection of the just,
at which time they will receive their glorified bodies (Rom 8:11,23; 1 Cor 15:22-24, 35-38; Phil 3:20-21) and
will spend eternity in the presence of God worshipping and serving Him with joy that knows no sorrow (1 Cor
13:13; Rev 21:1-7; Ps 16:11). The souls of unbelievers go immediately at death to a place of conscious
punishment and separation from God (Deut 32:22; Luke 16:23-25), where they will remain until the
resurrection of the unjust, when they will be cast into the lake of fire as the eternal retribution for their sin (Matt
8:12; 18:8; Mark 9:43-48; Rev 20:14-15; 21:8). The resurrection of the just begins at the Rapture of the Church
and is completed at the conclusion of the Tribulation (Dan 12:2; 1 Cor 15:23; 1 Thess 4:16; Rev 20:4-5). The
resurrection of the unjust is after the Millennium (Rev 20:5,11-15).
14. Separation
We believe in both personal and ecclesiastical separation, both of which are grounded in the character of God.
God’s holiness makes Him separate from all that is unlike Him (Ps 99:1-3; Isa 57:15), and His demand that we
be holy calls us to separate from anything which contradicts His holy will and character (Matt 5:48; Eph 1:4; 1
Pet 1:15-16). We believe that personal separation is a Christian’s determined effort to walk in the light as God is
in the light (Rom 13:12-14; I John 1:5-7). God’s people are not to participate in the unfruitful works of darkness
(Eph 5:7-14), nor can they allow the world to become the object of their affection (1 John 2:15-17) or the mold
for their thinking (Rom 12:1-2). The world is the transient system of evil which is in rebellion against God (Eph
2:1-3; Jas 4:4; 1 John 2:15) and is ruled by Satan (John 12:31; 2 Cor 4:4; 2 John 5:19). The world lures
believers to live according to the lusts of men rather than the will of God (Eph 4:17-19,22; 1 Pet 2:11; 4:2-4).
We believe that holiness in the ecclesiastical realm is evidenced by separation from those who deny biblical
truth (Matt 7:15; Gal 1:8-9; 1 John 4:1-6; 2 John 9-11) or walk in disobedience to it (2 Thess 3:6,14). Therefore,
we believe that Bible-believing ministries, particularly local churches, should not collaborate with a church,
ministry, or religious leader who does not hold to the fundamental doctrines of the Faith (i.e., liberalism). We
further believe that God’s Word further warns us not to associate with those who consistently fail to practice
biblical separation (i.e., new evangelicalism).
Note: Westside Baptist Church may provide further definition and detail of these positions by adopting a more
detailed Confession of Faith. Any such Confession must not conflict with these Articles, nor with Scriptural
truth. Such Confession shall stand separate of these Articles, but must not contradict the Articles, or Scriptural
truth. Its purpose will be to more fully define the Church’s stands, so as to serve as a teaching tool for our
members and their families.
Additionally, from time to time, Westside may publish Resolutions which more clearly declare the Church’s
positions on relevant issues which have affected, are affecting, or could possibly affect the Body of Christ, and
our own local church. Such Resolutions stand separate of these Articles, and any adopted Confession, but must
not contradict the Articles, any Confession, or Scriptural truth.
XI. CHURCH COVENANT
The Westside Baptist Church Membership Covenant
Having received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, by repentance and faith through the sovereign grace of God,
having been immersed upon profession of faith, in the name of the Almighty Father, His Blessed Son, and the
Comforting Spirit, we solemnly and gladly covenant with one another, the Westside Baptist Church family. In
doing so, through the empowerment and enablement of the Holy Spirit, and in our desire to proclaim Christ, to
please Him, and to bring Him glory, we now commit ourselves to God and to each other.
We will work and pray for the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. We will allow God’s Holy Spirit to work
through us: to walk together in Christian love; to exercise an affectionate care and watchfulness over one
another and faithfully admonish and entreat one another as occasion may require; to not forsake the assembly of
ourselves together, nor neglect to pray for others and ourselves. We will strive to think of each other’s needs
ahead of our own—using Christ as our example.
We will endeavor to bring up our children or those who come under our care, in the discipline and instruction of
the Lord, and by a pure example coupled with the Truth, in love, to seek the salvation of our friends and family.
We will rejoice in each other’s happiness, and endeavor with tenderness, sympathy and God’s Truth to bear
each other’s burdens. We will strive to comfort each other in sickness and distress; to cultivate Christian
sympathy in feeling and courtesy in speech; to be slow to take offense, but always ready for reconciliation, and
mindful of the rule of our Savior to secure it without delay.
We will seek by Almighty God’s strength, to live carefully in the world, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts,
and remembering that, as we have identified with Christ’s death, burial and resurrection, and so voluntarily
have been buried by baptism and raised again from the symbolic grave, so we acknowledge there is a special
obligation now to lead a new and holy life.
We also bind ourselves together to strive for the advancement of this local Church in knowledge, holiness and
spiritual comfort; to promote its prosperity and spirituality; to sustain its worship, ordinances, discipline and
doctrines; to give it a sacred preeminence over all institutions of human origin; to contribute cheerfully,
generously, sacrificially and regularly to the support of the ministry, the sustaining of the Church, the relief of
those in need, and the spread of the Good News of Jesus Christ here, and throughout the world.
We, moreover agree together that when we remove from this place, we will as soon as possible unite with some
other church where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God’s holy, beautiful,
inerrant Word.
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of the Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with
us all. Amen.
