Statement of Faith

MPBC Statement of Faith

I. Of the Scriptures
The Holy Bible (comprising the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments) was written by men guided by the Spirit of God, and is a perfect treasure of heavenly instruction and the declared Will of God. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error in its original autographs, for its substance. It reveals the principles by which God will judge us. Therefore, it is, and shall remain to the end of the world, the true centre of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions should be judged.

II. Of the True God
There is one, and only one, living and true God, the Almighty, Maker and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. He is inexpressibly glorious in holiness, worthy of all possible honour, confidence, and love. He is revealed as three distinct persons: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, who are co-equal in every divine perfection, and execute distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption.

III. Of the Fall of Man
Man was created in the image of God. He originally lived in a state of sinless holiness, under the law of his Maker, but by voluntary transgression fell from that holy and happy state. Thus, all mankind died spiritually and sinned in Adam and are now sinners by choice. Having incurred the wrath of God, he has alienated himself from Him and incurred a depraved nature utterly void of that holiness required by the law of God. This depraved nature has rendered man completely incapable of doing any act pleasing to God, having his will enslaved to sin wholly given to the gratification of the world, of Satan, and of their own sinful passions, therefore under just condemnation to eternal ruin, without defense or excuse.

IV. Of the Lord Jesus Christ
The Lord Jesus Christ is the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all creation; He is God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one essence with the Father, by whom all things were made. For us and our salvation, he came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man. As a perfect man, he lived a sinless life in complete obedience to the Law. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died a substitutionary death, and buried. On the third day, he rose from the dead. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

V. Of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the Lord and Giver of life, who proceeds from both the Father and the Son, is worshipped and glorified together with them, and has spoken by and through the prophets. He convicts sinners of sin, righteousness and judgment, irresistibly calls, regenerates, sanctifies, illuminates, and comforts those who believe in Christ.

VI. Of Satan
Satan exists as an angel who rebelled against God and became an evil personality, the originator of sin, and the arch-enemy of God and man, who will be finally defeated by Christ when he comes again to judge the world.

VII. Of the Way of Salvation
The salvation of sinners is wholly of grace, through the Mediatorial Offices of the Son of God, who, by the appointment of the Father, freely took upon him our nature, yet without sin; honoured the divine law by his personal obedience, and made atonement for the sins of the elect by his death; being risen from the dead, he is now enthroned in heaven; and uniting in his wonderful person the tenderest sympathies with divine perfections, he is every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate, and an all sufficient Saviour.

VIII. Of Justification
The great Gospel blessing in Christ is bestowed upon those who believe in Him, in Justification. This consists in the pardon of sin, declaring the sinner as righteous and in the promise of eternal life. This perfect righteousness is bestowed not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done, but freely imputed to sinners, solely through His own redemption and righteousness, that it brings us into a state of most blessed peace and favour with God, and secures every other blessing needful for time and eternity.

IX. Of the Freeness of Salvation
The offer of salvation in Christ is made free and open to all by the Gospel. It is the immediate duty of all to accept them by a cordial, penitent, and obedient faith. Nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner on earth except his own inherent depravity and voluntary refusal to submit to Christ, which refusal will subject him to an aggravated condemnation.

X. Of Grace in Regeneration
To be saved, we must be regenerated, or born again. Regeneration consists in the granting by God of a holy disposition to the mind. It is effected in a manner above our comprehension or calculation, by the power of the Holy Spirit (without whom man is totally incapable of any saving action), in connection with divine truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the Gospel. Its proper evidence is found in the fruit of the Spirit which we bring forth to the glory of God.

XI. Of Repentance and Faith
Repentance and Faith are sacred duties, and also inseparable graces, wrought in our souls by the Spirit, whereby being deeply convinced of our guilt, danger, and helplessness, and of the way of salvation by Christ, we turn to God with unfeigned contrition, confession, and supplication for mercy; at the same time heartily receiving Jesus as our Prophet, Priest and King, and relying on him alone as the only and all sufficient Saviour.
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XII. Of God’s Purpose of Grace
Salvation is strictly monergistic, and is solely by the sovereign, unconditional electing grace of God. Election is the gracious purpose of God, according to which he graciously regenerates, sanctifies, and saves sinners. It comprehends the vicarious, expiatory and propitiatory death of Christ, which, at the appointment of the Father, he voluntarily suffered particularly for the elect alone. This is perfectly consistent with the free agency of man, it comprehends all the means in connection with the end; that it is a most glorious display of God’s sovereign goodness, being infinitely free, wise, holy and unchangeable. It utterly excludes boasting, and promotes humility, love, prayer, praise, trust in God, and active imitation of his free mercy. It encourages the use of means in the highest degree. It is ascertained by its effects in all who truly believe the gospel. It is the foundation of Christian assurance. To ascertain it with regard to ourselves demands and deserves our utmost diligence.

XIII. Of Sanctification
Sanctification is the process by which, according to the will of God, we are made partakers of his holiness to conform to the image of His Son. It is a progressive work, which is begun in regeneration, and is carried on in the hearts of believers unto the end by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, the Sealer and Comforter. This consists in the continual use of the appointed means—especially the Word of God, Baptism, the Lord’s Supper, self-examination, self-denial, mortifying sin, watchfulness and prayer.

XIV. Of the Perseverance of Saints
Only true believers endure unto the end. Their persevering attachment to Christ is the grand mark which distinguishes them from who merely profess Him. A special Providence watches over their welfare, and they are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.

XV. Of the Harmony of the Law and the Gospel
The Law of God is the eternal and unchangeable rule of his moral government. It is holy, just, and good. The inability which is ascribed to fallen men by the Scriptures to fulfill its precepts arises entirely from their love of sin. To deliver them from this, and to restore them through a Mediator to unfeigned obedience to and love of the holy law, is one great end of the Gospel, and of the means of grace connected with the establishment of the visible Church.

XVI. Of a Gospel Church
There is one, true, holy, universal and apostolic church composed of the whole number of God’s elect unbounded by time and space. The reality of the church of Jesus Christ is expressed in the local congregation of baptized born-again believers, associated by covenant in the 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. Its only proper officers are elders (or pastors and overseers) and deacons, whose qualifications, claims, and duties are defined in the Epistles to Timothy and Titus. Elder, overseer and pastor are interchangeable terms to refer to one and the same office, which exists in collegial parity without varying in authority, honour and accountability. Individual churches must have a plurality of elders.

XVII. Of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper
There are two ordinances for the Church to observe according to the New Testament: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Christian Baptism is the immersion of a believer in water to signify the forgiveness of sins and the raising up of the believer from spiritual death. It is done in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem, our faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Saviour, with its purifying power. It is prerequisite to the privileges of church membership, and to the Lord’s Supper, in which the members of the church, by the sacred use of bread and wine, are to commemorate together the dying love of Christ, preceded always by solemn self-examination.

XVIII. Of the Christian Sabbath
The Sabbath is a creation ordinance given to all mankind to be perpetually observed as long as creation stands. The first day of the week is the Lord’s Day, or Christian Sabbath, and is to be kept sacred to religious purposes, and to be taken as a delight in the Lord. It is to be observed by abstaining from all secular labour and recreations, by the devout observance of all means of grace, both private and public, and by preparation for the rest which remains for the people of God.

XIX. Of Civil Government
Civil government is of divine appointment, for the interests and good order of human society. Magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honoured, and obeyed, except in things opposed to the will of Christ, who is the only Lord of the conscience, and the Prince of the kings of the earth. Church and State exercise their own respective divine mandates, with the Church holding a moral and ethical calling to be the conscience of society in fulfillment of its prophetic function.

XX. Of the Righteous and the Wicked
There is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked. Only those who are justified through faith in the name of Jesus, and sanctified by the Holy Spirit, are truly righteous in his esteem, while all who continue in impenitence and unbelief are wicked in his sight, and under the curse. This distinction holds among men both in and after death.

XXI. Of the World to Come
The end of this world is approaching. At the last day, Christ will descend from heaven, and raise the dead from the grave to final retribution. A solemn separation will then take place, where the wicked will be condemned to endless punishment, and the righteous brought to endless joy. This judgement will fix forever the final state of men in heaven and hell, on principles of righteousness. Thus, we look forward to the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

This statement of faith is adapted from the Nicene Creed and the New Hampshire Confession (1833) as a summary of our beliefs and practices. For a more comprehensive statement, we would like to refer the reader to the London Confession of Faith (1689).