Snow Lake Baptist Church strives to be faithful to the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ.  We endeavor to Love God, Love each other, and Love God’s Word, the Holy Bible.  It is the goal of our church to reach the North Western Manitoba area and beyond with the Gospel of Christ. Through personal evangelism and discipleship, we intend to show the Love of Jesus to a lost and dying world.  May we be found as a “Beacon of Hope.”

The following doctrinal statement does not exhaust the extent of our faith.  The Bible itself is the sole and final source of all that we believe.  However, we do believe that the following statement of faith accurately represents the teaching of the Bible, and therefore, is binding upon all members.

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The Scriptures

The Holy Bible is a supernatural book, that it is the very Word of God, in sixty-six books, the full, final and complete revelation of God's will to man.  We believe the author of the Bible is God the Holy Spirit and that holy men of God wrote as they were supernaturally inspired by the Holy Spirit.  We believe that those inspired words have been without error preserved to the English-speaking people in the Authorized Version (commonly called the King James 1611 Version).   The King James Version shall be the only English Bible believed, used, and upheld in our pulpit, classrooms, and ministry outreaches.  We believe that the Bible is the final authority in all matters of faith and practice.  2 Timothy 3:16-17,  Hebrews 4:12,  2 Peter 1:19-21,  

Psalms 119:89,  Isaiah 8:20

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The True God

We believe that there is one, and only one, true and living God.  He is absolute in nature, perfect in attributions, holy in character, and is revealed in the unity of three Persons (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit) commonly referred to as the Trinity. The three Persons of the Trinity exist in the same divine nature, essence and being.  They are co-existent and co-equal and each One has a distinct harmonious office in the work of Redemption.  John 10:30-33; 14:10,26,  1 Corinthians 8:6, 

2 Corinthians 13:14,  Ephesians 4:6,  1 John 5:7,  Deuteronomy 6:4,   Psalms 90:2,  Isaiah 43:10-11; 44:6; Jeremiah 10:10

 

The Lord Jesus Christ

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  in a miraculous manner and born of the virgin Mary  as no other man was born or can be born of woman.   He is both the Son of God and God the Son.  Matt.1:18-25,  Lk.1:35,  John 1:1-2,14,  Galatians 4:4-5,  Isaiah 7:14; 9:6

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We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, by the shedding of His divine blood, 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 20:28; Roman 3:24-25,  1 Corinthian 15:1-4,  Ephesians 1:7,  Hebrew 9:22,28; 12:2,  1 Peter 1:3-5; 2:24; 3:18,  1 John 1:7,  Isaiah 53:4-12

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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 fulfils the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate.  He is the Messiah for Israel, the Saviour of the world, the ONLY way any man can come to God the Father for forgiveness of sins and everlasting life.  Acts 1:9-10,  Romans 8:34,  Ephesians 1:20,  Hebrews 7:25; 9:24,  1 John 2:1-2

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The Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person equal with God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature Who was active in Creation.  He convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment and is the Divine Agent of regeneration.  At the instant of New Birth, by means of a supernatural baptism, the Holy Spirit places each Church-Age believer into the body of Christ, and forthwith indwells and seals that believer unto the day of redemption.  John 16:7-11, Romans 8:9,16,  1 Corinthians 12:13,  Ephesians 1:13-14

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We believe that the Holy Spirit enables every believer to serve the Lord by bestowing on each a spiritual gift(s), as the Spirit Himself chooses.  These gifts were never intended for the vain glory of that individual, but that each might accomplish the work of our Lord's ministry as a whole.  God uniquely uses evangelists, pastors, and teachers to equip believers in each assembly.  We believe that the sign gifts of the Holy Spirit (such as speaking in tongues and the gift of healing) served their purpose during the "apostolic age", but reject the claim made by present-day movements that these are still being done by God.  Although God still frequently chooses to answer the prayers of believers for physical healing, this in no way gives Bible endorsement to today's self-proclaimed "faith healers".  The believers' Divine Teacher that helps direct, understand, and appropriate the Scriptures is the Holy Spirit.  We are commanded to yield ourselves to Him and be filled by Him.  John 14:26; 15:26; 16:13,  Romans 8:26-27,  Ephesians 1:17-18; 5:18,  1 John 2:20,27; Romans 12:3-8,  1 Corinthians 1:22;  12:4-11,28; 13:8; 14:21-22,27-28,  

Ephesians 4:7-12,  Philippians 2:25-27

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The Devil

The Devil is an actual being and not an imaginary influence.  He once enjoyed high heavenly honours and glorious heavenly privileges; that through pride, ambition and self-will he betrayed God and as a result brought down upon his head the judgment of God.   He operates today as the god of this world and the prince of the power of the air.   He is the arch deceiver, and father of all lies.   He is the greatest enemy, the biggest tempter and the greatest opposition of the saints.   His final abode shall be the lake of fire,  which is the eternal place of punishment prepared for the Devil and his angels.  Job 1:6-12,  Isaiah 14:12-17,  

Ezekiel 28:11-17,  Matthew 25:41,  Ephesians 2:2,  1 Peter 5:8,  Jude 6, Revelation 19:20; 20:10
 

Creation

The Genesis record of creation is literal, and not allegorical or figurative; that God personally created the heaven and the earth in a direct act, that He brought forth all original matter out of nothing; henceforth, God's established Law says that all species shall bring forth "after their kind".   We believe man was created directly in God's own image and not by the hypothesis of any kind of evolution, and that all men are descended from the historical Adam and Eve, first parents of the entire human race.  

Genesis 1 - 2,   Exodus 20:11,  Matthew 19:4,  John 1:1-3,   Acts 17:23-26,   Romans 1:20,  Colossians 1:16-17,  Hebrews 11:3

 

The Fall of Man

Man was created in innocence, holiness, in the image and likeness of God.  By voluntary transgression of the Lord's command, man fell from the state in which he was created.  As a result of Adam's sin, all men are totally depraved (excluding the will), are alienated from God, and are sinners by nature and by conduct.  Man is now, by virtue of his fallen nature, void of holiness, positively inclined to evil, and under just and eternal condemnation without defense or excuse.  Genesis 1:26-27; 3:6-24, Ezra 1:4; 3:5; 7:13,  Psalms 51:5; 119:108,  Romans 1:18,28; 3:10-23; 5:12,19; 6:23,  Ephesians 2:1-3; 4:17-19

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Salvation

Salvation is a free gift of God offered to sinful man.  It is the privilege and duty of every sinner to repent and receive as personal Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ, Whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins.  All who voluntarily reject salvation will face eternal separation from God in a literal place of punishment called Hell.  John 1:12; 3:15-18,36, 

Roman 5:8; 6:23; 10:1-13,  2 Peter 3:9,  Revelation 20:15; 21:8

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Repentance and faith are solemn and required prerequisites for salvation.  They are wrought in the heart by the Holy Spirit acting upon the light of truth in the heart, and as the sinner is deeply convicted of his guiltiness and helplessness he turns in repentance to the Lord Jesus Christ.  Humbling and surrendering himself wholly and receiving Him as personal Saviour, he is immediately born again.  We believe that faith comes by hearing the Word of God, and that man is drawn to God by the love of God toward Him as exhibited through the cross.  Luke 18:3,5,  John 6:44,  Acts 3:19, 20:21,  Romans 10:17,  2 Corinthians 7:9-10, 

1 John 3:16,  Hosea 11:4

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God's eternal purpose in salvation is to reconcile us to Himself, to preserve the believer forever in Christ, and to conform us to the image of His Son.  We believe that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God's power and are thus secure in Christ forever.  We believe that it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation by the testimony of God's Word.  This, however, clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion to the flesh.  John 5:24; 6:37-40; 10:27-30,  Romans 8:1,38-39; 13:13-14,  Galatians 5:13,  2 Timothy 1:12,  1 Peter 1:5

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The Local Church

We believe the Scriptures teach that a local church is a congregation of immersed believers, associated by a covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His Laws; and exercising the gifts, rights and privileges invested in them by His Word; that its only scriptural officers are bishops or pastors and deacons, whose qualifications, claims and duties are clearly defined in the Epistles of Timothy and Titus.  We believe the true mission of the church is the faithful witnessing of Christ to all men as we have the opportunity, and the building up and edifying of the saints. We hold that the local church has the absolute right of self-government (It is not governed or controlled by any outside ecclesiastical hierarchy) free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations and that the one and only Head is Christ through the Holy Spirit.

The New Testament commands a local assembling of such called-out believers into a public, visible, and organized place of worship and service.  The Scriptures not only command the Christian to attend faithfully and regularly, but also expects him to be added to its membership, and to become actively involved therein.  Salvation and baptism by immersion are the prerequisites for church membership.  The locally-assembled church is an independent congregation observing the ordinances of Christ, governed by His laws in accordance with Pauline revelation, under the overseeing leadership of its own pastor, and responsible to carry out the Great Commission.   Acts 2:41, 42; 8:1; I Corinthians 4:17; Acts 2:47; I Corinthians 11:2; Matthew 28:20; John 14:15; 15:10; Acts 13:1; II Thessalonians 3:7; Romans 16:1-2, 17–20; I Corinthians 11:23; 16:19; I Timothy 31-6, 15; Titus 1; Hebrews 10:24-25

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Baptism and the Lord's Supper

Water Baptism and the Lord's Supper are the only two Scriptural ordinances of obedience for the church in this age.  There is no saving power or grace in either baptism or the Lord's Supper.

Scriptural Believer's Baptism must be:
                    a.  The Proper Candidate: one who has already been genuinely born again;
                    b.  The Proper Mode or method: immersion (buried under water and then raised back up);
                    c.  The Proper Design or motive: to show forth the Gospel and indicates obedience by publicly identifying one's self 

                         with Christ in His  death, burial and resurrection.

Baptism extends no further than simply an outward picture of what Jesus Christ has already done inside the heart of the believer. Matthew 28:19-20,  Acts 8:36-39; 10:47-48; 16:33,  1 Peter 3:21

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The Lord's Supper is a memorial supper; a commemoration.  It is administered by the authority of the local church, symbolizing the broken body and the shed blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Believers who have submitted themselves to scriptural baptism and whose spiritual lives are in a right relationship are qualified participants in the Lord's Supper service.  Matt.26:17-30; 28:19-20,  Mark 14:22-26,  1Cor.11:23-34

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The Resurrection and Return of Christ

The bodily, personal, premillennial return of Jesus Christ is to catch away His church, to judge the living nations, and to set up His Kingdom on earth.  Our Lord Jesus Christ will return to this earth in two stages. The first stage, called the "blessed hope" or "Rapture", is when He descends in the clouds to "catch away" all genuine believers before the seven year Tribulation on this earth.  We, expecting this event to happen at any moment, are praying, "Even so, come, Lord Jesus".   The second stage, called the "Second Advent", occurs seven years later, at the close of the Great Tribulation Period.   Many of His saints will return with the Lord at this second advent to help establish His earthly Messianic Kingdom which was promised to the nation of Israel.   

I Thessalonians 3:13; 4:13–18; Matthew 25:31–46; Revelation 19:11–21; Acts 1:6-7,  1 Corinthians 15:3-4,42-58,  Titus 2:13,  Revelation 20:1-4

 

The resurrection of the bodies of the dead:  believers who sleep in Jesus will be raised at the pretribulational coming of Christ for His church and caught up with transformed living saints to meet the Lord in the air.  The resurrection of the bodies of the dead:  the wicked dead will be raised at the close of the Millennial Kingdom and stand in their bodies at the Great White Throne Judgment to receive their final doom.  John 5:21–30; I Thessalonians 4:16; Revelation 7:9–17; 20:11–15

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The Grace of Giving

Every Christian, as a steward of that portion of God's wealth entrusted to him, is obligated willfully to give back a portion to the Lord.  As every believer has an obligation to support his local church financially, the Scriptural method of financing God's work of spreading the Gospel is by the tithes and offerings of His people.  The place to tithe is the local church, and the time to tithe is upon the first day of the week.  Everyone is accountable to the Lord for one tenth of his income.  Any additional amounts (above the tithe) given to the church, or towards other Christian works, and where those finances are directed is left as an individual matter between every believer and God. This divine method of "proportional giving" (tithing) was practiced before the law, dictated during the law, and continued by Christ in the New Testament.  Genesis 14:20; 28:22,   Leviticus 27:30-32,  Deuteronomy 12:5-6,11-14,  Proverbs 3:9-10,  Malachi 3:8-11,  Matthew 23:23,  Luke 6:38,  1 Corinthians.16:1-2,  

2 Corinthians 9:6-13,  Galatians 6:6,  1 Timothy 5:17-18

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Abortion

Human life begins at conception and the unborn child is a living human being.  Abortion constitutes the unjustified, unexcused taking of unborn human life.  Abortion is murder.  We reject any teaching that abortion of pregnancies is acceptable.
Luke 1:44,  Job 3:16,  Psalms 51:5; 139:14-16,   Isaiah 44:24;  49:1,5, Jeremiah 1:5; 20:15-18

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Civil Government

God has ordained and created all authority consisting of three basic institutions:  1)  the home;  2)  the church;  and 3)  the government.  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 government are equal and sovereign in their respective Biblically assigned spheres of responsibility under God.  Civil officers should be prayed for and conscientiously honoured and obeyed, except in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ Who is the only Lord of the conscience and the coming King of Kings.  Proverbs 8:15,  Acts 5:29; 4:19-20,  Romans 13:1-7,  Ephesians 5:22-24, 

1 Timothy 2:1,2,  Hebrews 13:17,  1 Peter 2:9-20

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The Plan of Salvation

1.  You need to be saved;
"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." (Romans.3:23)

2.  You can't save yourself;
"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us" (Titus.3:5)

3.  God has provided for your salvation;
"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."  (Hebrews 7:25)

4.  Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation;
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."  (John 14:6)

5.  God wants to save you;
"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is  longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."  (2 Peter 3:9)

6.  God can save you now;
"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."  (Romans 10:13)

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