Statement of Faith

We, a company of sinners saved by grace, baptised in the Triune Name, and united in Church fellowship to proclaim the riches of God's sovereign grace and mercy to the lost and perishing, and by sympathy and counsel to help one another in the heavenly way, and by the aid of the Holy Spirit, to seek to bear one another's burdens; to be tenderhearted and forgiving - avoiding all harsh criticism, recognising in each other a member of the mystical body of which our Lord is the risen head - seek to maintain simplicity and purity of worship, regarding it as an essential feature of all the teaching of our Lord that redeemed souls should walk in newness of life and separation from the world.

We invite to the Lord's table only those who know and love our Lord Jesus Christ, who are sound in Faith and clean in morals.

We expect all Church Members to adhere whole heartedly to, and accept without reservation, the following Doctrines - being those of the Baptist Union of Ireland - as understood in a simple, straightforward Evangelical sense, viz.,-

The Scriptures

The verbal inspiration and total inerrancy of the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as originally given by God; their sole-sufficiency and final authority in all matters of faith and practice.

God

One God in three persons, the Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, co-equal, co-eternal, sovereign and active in creation, providence and redemption.

The Lord Jesus Christ

The essential deity and perfect humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ, the only mediator between God and men;
His burial, bodily resurrection and ascension to heaven;
His high priestly ministry and personal return.

The Holy Spirit

The work of the Holy Spirit in regenerating the sinner and indwelling, sanctifying and empowering the believer.

The Devil

The personality of the devil; his evil activity and final doom.

Man

The creation of man in the image of God;
the entrance of sin through Adam's disobedience;
the fallen and totally depraved state of all men;
their subjection to God's wrath and condemnation;
their responsibility to repent and believe the Gospel.

Justification

The justification of the sinner by God's grace alone, through faith alone in the Lord Jesus Christ alone, the eternal security of the believer.

The Church

The Church, the body of Christ, made up of those drawn from every tribe, language, people and nation throughout history who are added to it by the work of the Holy Spirit and the exercise of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The scriptural expression of the Church in the world as the local company of baptised believers gathered under the headship of Christ for worship, fellowship, instruction and evangelism, in separation from all systems of belief that do not adhere to the scriptures and are unfaithful to the gospel of salvation by grace alone; the ordinances of baptism and the Lord's supper:
baptism being the immersion of believers on profession of their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and a symbol of their identification with Him in His death, burial and resurrection;the Lord's supper being the remembrance of Christ until He comes and a renewal of commitment to Him;
the offices of elder and deacon;
the gifts of evangelist and pastor - teacher;
the priesthood of all believers and their unity in the Body of Christ;
the separation of church and state.

The Future State

The unconditional immortality of the soul;
the resurrection of the body;
the eternal joy in heaven for the believer;
the conscious eternal punishment in hell of those who die impenitent.

Christian Behaviour

The responsibility of all believers to obey and serve the Lord and to live self - controlled, upright and godly lives;
the duty of each church to exercise godly disipline in a loving and caring fashion.

Repudiating in the strongest possible way any conception of clericalism or lordship over God's heritage, we assert our conviction that there is a continuance of Order and Office in the Church of Christ according to Eph. 4 v 10 - 13; 1 Tim. 3; Titus 1 v 1 - 11; 1 Peter 5 v 1 - 4 etc. We also recognise most fully that God alone can raise up, qualify and ordain for the Ministry. We hold there should be a recognition both of a brother's gifts and his suitability for such office by at least two - thirds majority of Church Members present and voting at a Special Church Meeting called for that purpose, before he is called to occupy this position.

We also assert in the strongest possible manner and declare that we, as a Church, will not knowingly be in fellowship with any who question, in any way, either the absolute infallibility of the Holy Scriptures as above defined, or the infallibility of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We put it on record that the building in which we meet and worship, known as Monkstown Baptist Church must never be used for any other purpose other than the maintaining and spreading of the above named principles and doctrines.