Landrum Independent Baptist Church

A Church Where Old-Time Worship Is Not A Thing of The Past.

What We Believe And Why


We Believe the King James Bible to be the final Authority of life and Rule!

"The King James Holy Bible itself is the sole and final source of all that we believe. We do believe, however, that the following Statement of Faith accurately represents the teaching of the Bible and, therefore, is binding upon all members."

(A) The Holy Scriptures
We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the verbally and plenary inspired Word of God. The Scriptures are inerrant, infallible, and God-breathed, (not simply God breathed in but God breathed through), the scriptures were breathed in the minds and hearts of those God used to pen them and breathed through them to the writ on page while HE alone controlled their very movements and accuracy. Therefore, the scriptures are the final authority for faith and life. The sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments are the complete and divine revelation of God to man. The KJV Bible does not contain the Word of God; it IS The Word of God. The Scriptures shall be interpreted according to their normal grammatical-historical meaning. Many scriptures have literal and applicable lessons and these principles of interpretations shall be followed without adding to or taking away from the context of the passage. We also believe in the PRESERVATION of the scriptures. That is, the same Holy God which inspired The Precious Book was and is today maintaining the purity of the scriptures within the pages of "The Holy Bible" -- Authorized King James Bible. There is no other version accepted by the church nor are there other versions to be used in teaching, preaching etc. The Authorized King James Bible shall be the official and only Bible used by the Church (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21).
(B) Dispensationalism
We believe that the Scriptures interpreted in their natural, literal sense reveal divinely determined dispensations or rules of life which define man´s responsibilities in successive ages. These dispensations are not ways of salvation, but rather are divinely ordered stewardships by which God directs man according to His purpose. Three of these dispensations --the age of law, the age of the Church, (current) and the age of the kingdom -- are the subjects of detailed revelation in Scripture (Genesis 1:28; 1 Corinthians 9:17; 2 Corinthians 3:9-18; Galatians 3:13-25; Ephesians 1:10, 3:2-10; Colossians 1:24-25, 27; Revelation 20:2-6).
(C) The Godhead
We believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfections (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14; John 14:10, 26).
(D) The Person and Work of Christ
(1) We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men (Isaiah 7:14, 9:6; Luke 1:35; John 1:1-2, 14; 2 Corinthians 5:19-21; Galatians 4:4-5; Philippians 2:5-8).
(2) We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice; and that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead (Acts 2:18-36; Romans 3:24-25; 1 Peter 2:24; Ephesians 1:7; 1 Peter 1:3-5). THUS HE DIED FOR ALL TO BE SAVED BUT ROSE FROM THE GRAVE ON THE THIRD DAY FOR ALL WHO WOULD BELIEVE ON HIM (Romans 4:25).
(3) We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven, and is now exalted at the right hand of God, where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate (Acts 1:9-10; Hebrews 9:24, 7:25; Romans 8:34, 1 John 2:1-2).
(4) We believe that Christ while on earth was impeccable, that He lived a sinless life without any inward ability to sin (1 John 3:5), and that He vicariously became sin for us. (Hebrews 4:15)
(E) The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit
(1) We believe that the Holy Spirit is a Person who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; and that He is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ at salvation, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption (John 16:8-11; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 12:12-14; 2 Corinthians 3:6, Ephesians 1:13-14).
(2) We believe that He is the Divine Teacher who assists believers to understand and appropriate the Scriptures and that it is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be filled with the Spirit; baptism puts you in something and filling puts something in you; Now, there are times in a Christian´s life when they need to be picked up by their feet spiritually and emptied out of themselves and filled with Spirit of God, (refreshed - Titus 3) -- (Ephesians 1:17-18, 5:18; 1 John 2:20, 27, Ephesians 5:18).
(3) We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowal of spiritual gifts to every believer. God uniquely uses evangelists, pastors, and teachers to equip the believers in the assembly in order that they can do the work of the ministry (Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, 28; Ephesians 4:7-12).
(4) We believe that the sign gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues and the gift of healing were temporary. However, we also note that God can still touch someone with a gift to preach the Gospel to a people who are not of their native tongue, through prayer and preparation. (Not an unknown tongue as some say angelic tongue -- be advised that Satan is a fallen angel -- or some other tinkering symbol mess as witches and Voo-Doo people use in their un-Godly and satanic rituals and worship). We believe that the real miracle at Pentecost was that all nations present heard the Apostles preaching, in their own language: Thus, the real miracle was in the hearing of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the subsequent furtherance of the Kingdom of Heaven. We further believe that, speaking in tongues was never a necessary sign of the baptism or filling of the Holy Spirit, rather the control of the tongue and subsequent use in spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ was and is the sign as seen in ´Acts 1:8´. Healing and other sign-gifts proved to a generation of sign seekers, (in the early days of the Church), that God approved of their work. However, we must remember Christ warned us of looking for signs and not living and walking by Faith alone. We further realize, through prayerful reading of the scriptures, that we await the deliverance of the body from all sickness and or death at the consummation of our salvation in the resurrection (Romans 8:18-25). Though God frequently chooses to answer the prayers of believers for physical healing, no one commands God to heal anyone. This prayer is to be done as a Church and in accordance with the principles and directions given with the book of James 5! (1 Corinthians 1:22, 13:8, 14:21-22; James 5:13-16). We believe we will see an increase in sensational movements seeking only to promote signs, wealth etc. (2 Timothy 3:5-9; 2 Timothy 12-14).
(F) The Total Depravity of Man
We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam´s sin the human race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God; and, that man is totally depraved, and, of himself, utterly unable to remedy his lost condition and possesses a fallen will: HOWEVER, (Praise the Lord), once convicted by the Holy Ghost, the individual then possess a choice and thus has a free will choosing to accept or reject God´s call to salvation (Genesis 1:26-27; Romans 3:22-23, 5:12, 6:23; Ephesians 2:1-3, 4:17-19; John 6:44).
(G) Salvation
We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received through repentance, (Luke 24:47), and personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins and that it is God´s will that no one should perish, but that all should come to repentance (John 1:12; Ephesians 1:7, 2:8-10; 1 Peter 1:18-19).
(H) The Eternal Security and Assurance of Believers
We believe the truth in Hebrews 5:9, "And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;"
(1) We believe that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God´s power and not their works, (good or bad) and are thus secure in Christ forever (John 6:37-40, 10:27-30; Romans 8:1, 38-39; 1 Corinthians 1:4-8; 1 Peter 1:4-5).
(2) We believe that it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God´s Word! However, the Scripture clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion to the flesh; thus, eliminating these false professing Wordlings who claim to love Christ and yet display a clear love of the world. (Romans 13:13-14; Galatians 5:13; Titus 2:11-15; and remember Matthew 6:24).
(I) The Church
(1) We believe that the local church, which is the body and the espoused bride of Christ, is solely made up of born-again persons (1 Corinthians 12:12-14; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 1:22-23, 5:25-27).
(2) We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures (Acts 14;27, 20:17, 28-32; 1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11).
(3) We believe in the autonomy of the local church free of any external authority or control (Acts 13:1-4, 15:19-31, 20:28; Romans 16:1, 4; 1 Corinthians 3:9, 16, 5:4-7, 13; 1 Peter 5:1-4).
(4) We recognize only water baptism and the Lord´s Supper as the Scriptural ordinances of obedience for the Church in this Age (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42, 18:18; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26).
(J) Separation
We believe that all the saved should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Saviour and Lord; that our conduct, dress, and speech should be of the highest standards to avoid offending others around us, and, that separation from all religious apostasy, all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices and associations is commanded of God (Romans 12:1-2, 14:13; 2 Corinthians 6:14-17; 2 Timothy 3:1-5; 1 John 2:15-17; 2 John 9-11).
(K) The Second Advent of Christ
We believe in that "Blessed Hope," the personal, imminent return of Christ Who will rapture His Church prior to the seven-year tribulation period. At the end of the Tribulation, Christ will personally and visibly return, with His saints, to establish His earthly Messianic Kingdom which was promised to the Nation of Israel (Psalm 89:3-4; Daniel 2:31-41; Zechariah 14:4-11; 1 Thessalonians 1:10, 4:13-18; Titus 2:13; Revelation 3:10; 19:11-16, 20:1-6). Thus, it is a 2 fold return. (2 Timothy 4:1)
(L) The Eternal State
(1) We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment (Matthew 25:46; John 5:28-29, 11:25-26; Revelation 20:5-6, 12-13).
(2) We believe that the souls of the redeemed are, at death, absent from the body and present with the Lord, wherein conscious bliss they await the first resurrection, when spirit, soul, and body are reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord (Luke 23:43; 2 Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:23, 3:21; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Revelation 20:4-6).
(3) We believe that the souls of unbelievers remain, after death in conscious punishment and torment until the second resurrection, when with the soul and body reunited they shall appear at the Great White Throne Judgment, and shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting conscious punishment and torment (Matthew 25:41-46; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 16:19-26; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9; Jude 6-7; Revelation 20:11-15).
(M) The Personality of Satan
We believe that Satan is a real fallen angelic being who was once the anointed cherub hovering over the throne of God. He is the author of sin and the cause of the Fall of Man; that he is the open and declared enemy of God and man; and, that he shall eternally be punished in the Lake of Fire (Job 1:6-7; Isaiah 14:12-17; Matthew 4:2-11, 25:41; Revelation 20:10).
(N) Creation
We believe that God created the universe in six literal, 24-hour periods. We reject evolution, the Day-Age Theory, Gap and Theistic Evolution as unscriptural theories of origin (Genesis 1-2; Exodus 20:11).
(O) Civil Government
We believe that God has ordained and created all authority consisting of three basic institutions: 1) the home; 2) the Church; 3) the state. Every person is subject to these authorities, but all (including the authorities themselves) are answerable to God and governed by His Word. God has given each institution specific Biblical responsibilities and balanced those responsibilities with the understanding that no institution has the right to infringe upon the other. The home, the Church, and the state are sovereign in their Respective, Biblically & Divinely assigned spheres of responsibility under God. (Romans 13:1-7; Ephesians 5:22-24; Hebrews 13:17; 1 Peter 2:13-14)
(P) Human Sexuality
We believe that God has commanded that no sexual activity including verbal, visual, or physical stimulus should be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man (born and remaining male) and woman (born and remaining female). We believe that any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication, pedophilia, adultery and pornography, transvestitism, deviant gender or transgender identity, or any other deviant sexual behavior are sinful perversions of God´s gift of sex (Genesis 2:24, 19:5, 13, 26:8-9; Leviticus 18:1-30; Romans 1:26-29; 1 Corinthians 5:1, 6:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8; Hebrews 13:4).
(Q) Divorce and Remarriage
We believe that God hates divorce and intends marriage between a man biologically born and remaining a male and a woman biologically born and remaining a female to last until one of the spouses dies. Divorce and remarriage is regarded in scripture as adultery except on the grounds of fornication according to the principle outlined in Deuteronomy 22 & 24. Although previously divorced and remarried persons, or previously divorced persons, may join the Church after repenting of same and hold positions of service in the Church and be greatly used of God for Christian service, they may not be considered for the offices of pastor or deacon. The Church property shall not be used for a marriage ceremony that will constitute adultery, the Pastor, nor any minister ordained by this Church, shall not conduct a marriage ceremony that will constitute adultery, nor will the Church allow the marriage or remarriage of a member that will constitute adultery (Malachi 2:14-17; Matthew 19:3-12; Romans 7:1-3; 1 Timothy 3:2, 12; Titus 1:6). Any and all marriage ceremonies must be held to all church rules and statements of faith as these are Biblical principles seen in the Holy Word of God. All music must be Christian, (only true Christian not so-called Christian rock etc.), and all persons should be dressed at all times in a Godly manner so as to bring credit upon Christ and not shame.
(R) Abortion
We believe that human life begins at conception and that the unborn child is a living, human being. Abortion (the elective man made death, ejection or removal of the unborn child from the womb) constitutes the unjustified, unexcused taking of unborn human life. Abortion is murder by any means whether surgical, chemical, physical injury, or deliberate conduct for the purpose terminating a pregnancy. We reject any teaching that abortions of pregnancy due to rape, incest, birth defects, gender selections, birth or population control, or the mental well-being of the mother are acceptable (Exodus 21:22-25; Job 3:16; Psalms 51:5, 139:14-16; Isaiah 44:24, 49:1, 5; Jeremiah 1:5, 20:15-18; Luke 1:44).
(S) Missions
We believe that God has given the Church a Great Commission to proclaim the Gospel to all nations so that there might be a great multitude from every nation, every tribe, every ethnic group, and language group who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. All Christians should be laborers in the field for God. The mission field is in front of us wherever we may be. Furthermore, we must not forget the Home Mission field as we seek to win souls for the Kingdom of Heaven. As Ambassadors of Christ, we must use all available means to go to the foreign nations and not wait for them to come to us (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-48; John 20:21; Acts 1:8; 2 Corinthians 5:20). We believe the supporting of missions is to be by faith-based offerings and is to be supported by all Bible believing Christians.
(T) Lawsuits Between Believers
We believe that Christians are prohibited from bringing civil lawsuits against other Christian brothers or Sisters and or the Church to resolve personal disputes. We believe the Church possesses all the resources necessary to resolve disputes between members. We do believe, however, a Christian may seek compensation for physical injuries from another Christian´s insurance company as long as the claim is pursued without malice or slander (1 Corinthians 6:1-8; Ephesians 4:31-32).
(T) Lawsuits Between Believers
We believe that Christians are prohibited from bringing civil lawsuits against other Christian brothers or Sisters and or the Church to resolve personal disputes. We believe the Church possesses all the resources necessary to resolve disputes between members. We do believe, however, a Christian may seek compensation for physical injuries from another Christian´s insurance company as long as the claim is pursued without malice or slander (1 Corinthians 6:1-8; Ephesians 4:31-32).
(U) The Lord´s Tithe and The Christian´s Giving
We believe that every Christian, as a steward of that portion of God´s wealth entrusted to him or her, is obligated to support his local Church financially. We believe that God has established the tithe (10% of gross, [off the top-before taxes, before anything] income) as HIS and we are simply bringing His portion to His house. As for giving we are taught in the scripture that every Christian, "should" in addition to the tithe give other offerings sacrificially and cheerfully to the support of the Church, the relief of those in need, and the spread of the Gospel. We believe that a Christian relinquishes all rights to direct the use of the tithe or offering once the gift has been made - (for it is to God and for God´s Kingdom) (Genesis 14:20; Proverbs 3:9-10; Acts 4:34-37; 1 Corinthians 16:2; 2 Corinthians 9:6-7; Galatians 6:6; Ephesians 4:28; 1 Timothy 5:17-18; 1 John 3:17).
(V) Denomination
We believe that the term Baptist was a term given in the Scriptures to those who believed what we should believe today. Jesus went to John the Baptist to be baptized in Jordan and the Spirit descended in form of a dove while the Father spoke from Heaven pronouncing He was pleased with His Son (Matthew 3). Note how Christ displayed the pattern to be followed by Christians. Christ came, as the Son of God, (how we must come -- being Saved/Born again/Washed in the precious blood of Christ - Acts 8:36-37, 2:41; 2 Corinthians 6:18), to a Man of God, who would Baptize only after seeing evidence of Salvation, (not required in Jesus - of course - as He was sinless), to be baptized in the way of God, (full immersion: Matthew 3; Acts 8:38-39; etc.) for the Glory of God and to be identified by man thus fulfilling all righteousness, (this is the same reason we get baptized - to reveal unashamedly to world, ´outwardly´ what HE has done for us, ´inwardly´). Baptism is not a means of Salvation but is the simple outward expression of salvation; in that it demonstrates the spiritual baptism into the body of Christ, (1 Corinthians 12:12-13). Now, there have been many nicknames given to these Bible believers; in Antioch the followers of Christ were first called Christians in Acts 11:26, later they were known as Montanists, Paulicians, Waldenses, Ana-Baptists, etc. Nevertheless, Bible believing Baptists can trace their heritage from the Lord Jesus Christ himself to the present day. What a great responsibility we have to maintain the truth and uphold God´s Word! We understand that many denominations came out of the Catholic Church and are now referred to as Protestant denominations. However, BAPTISTS are not Protestants nor have they ever been. WE REJECT ANY TEACHING WHICH PORTRAYS BAPTISM AS A MEANS OF SALVATION. It is faith in Christ´s Atonement made possible by His shed blood on Calvary and His Bodily resurrection from the grave which obtained eternal salvation for all who will repent, believe and receive. PLUS AND MINUS NOTHING!

200 East Blue Ridge Street ยท Landrum, South Carolina 29356

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