The UGCC Statement of Faith
Introduction:
Being in the historical line of the Christian Church, we highly value the Apostles’ Creed, the
Nicene Creed, the Athanasian Creed, the Chalcedonian Definition, the Westminster Confession
of Faith, the Three Forms of the Dutch Reformed Church, and other faithful and reformed creeds
and confessions. We wholeheartedly agree with the historic articles of the Christian faith
expressed in the five solas of the reformation – the Scriptures alone are our final standard, by
grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, and to the glory of God alone. This church thus
belongs to the strain of reformed churches historically identified as Particular or Strict Baptists,
today being commonly known as Reformed Baptists. Being a church plant of Trinity Baptist
Church, Donholm (8th September 2024), we acknowledge the independence of local churches
from any ulterior influence, including governments, persons, movements, and other local
churches. Consequently, this church shall align with the doctrines of Scripture as set forth in the
Second London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689 (hereafter, 1689 LBCF) and adopt this as
our confession of faith. Though the 1689 LBCF is not infallible, we believe it to be a faithful
summary of what is contained in the Scriptures and of our faith. We, therefore, insist particularly
on the following points:
- The Bible – the Word of God
We believe in the inerrancy and infallibility of the Holy Scriptures as they were originally
written; their plenary and verbal inspiration by God; their authority and entire sufficiency, for
they not only contain the word of God, but they themselves are the word of God (contra
Barthianism); the New Testament being reliable or trustworthy in the witness it bears to the
character of the Old Testament and its authors; and the necessity of the instruction of the Holy
Spirit, in the Church, to understand the whole i.e., both the Old and New Testament Scriptures,
according to the truth. The Holy Scriptures are our unique and final rule of faith and conduct.
They comprise sixty-six (66) books of the Old and New Testaments. Since they were received by
the Church, no further revelation has been given, for the instruments of Divine revelation, that is,
apostles and prophets, as well as the peculiar gifts that give them their genuineness, have long
ago disappeared or ceased. The canon is thus complete. - The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit – One God
We believe in one God, the Creator, Sustainer, Ruler or Governor, and Final Judge of all things,
including time, space and matter. He is owed by all love, reverence, and obedience. We also
believe the Trinitarian nature of this God as revealed in the Scriptures. The Scriptures clearly and
expressly teach that God is one, that is, undivided in nature, being or essence. They also teach
that this one God has chosen to reveal Himself in three Persons – the Father being God neither
begotten nor made; the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son being God, begotten but not made; the Holy
Spirit being God neither begotten nor made but proceeding; all three Persons being equal in
power and glory, receiving one honour, one Almighty God – sovereign in His eternal decrees of
creation and providence, and of redemption and judgement. - Jesus Christ – Truly God and Truly Man
We believe in the Divine essence, eternal and absolute, of the Lord Jesus Christ; His unique
conception by the Holy Spirit; His corporeal birth of the virgin Mary; His entire or true humanity
yet without sin; the authority of His teaching and the infallibility of all His statements; His life of
voluntary humiliation as Man of Sorrows, which led to His atoning and substitutionary death, by
which He poured out His precious blood as a sacrifice for sin, thus redeeming all those that were
given Him by His Father before the creation of the world; His corporeal or bodily resurrection on
the third day; His corporeal ascension to heaven as the only and eternal Mediator between God
and man; His continual intercession for His people as High Priest sitting at the right hand of the
Father, and His singular and personal return in power and glory to render judgment and usher in
the new heavens and new earth. - The Holy Spirit – Author and Source of Life
We believe in the personality and Deity of the Holy Spirit who inspired holy men to write the
Scriptures. It is by His action alone that the soul comes to regeneration leading to the graces of
repentance and saving faith; it is by Him that the saints are sanctified by means of the truth; it is
by Him that we understand the meaning of the Scriptures and are taught by God. We believe that
His action is indispensable in the exercise of peculiar ministries as well as in the service and the
daily life of every believer through the gifts He distributes as He pleases. - The Creation – Good and Stable
We believe that God created all things by His sole word, Genesis 1 and 2 being historical and not
mythical. Thus, God’s creation was good and firm, man being created in original righteousness
and innocence. Satan and his angels are also God’s creatures and are in no way His equals.
Despite the corruption of the Fall, man is still made in the image of God, which makes his person
sacred and his being without end. This is the foundation for the urgency to present the gospel to
all mankind by evangelism and missions or disciple-making. - Fallen Man – A Sinner
We believe in the total and universal depravity of man, bodily and spiritually (morally), before
God as a result of the Fall. Adam and Eve, our first parents, fell by disobeying God and thus lost
their original righteousness and innocence in which they were created. By their own sin they
ushered in corruption, misery, ruin, and death. Mankind is therefore deserving of eternal
punishment, that is, hell. Through Adam as a representative head, all mankind who are his
descendants are born in the state of sin, called original sin. This means that every man is unable
to will the slightest spiritual good leading to salvation and this is the necessity, in consequence,
of the new birth. This does not deny that through God’s common grace man can do great and
virtuous deeds. However, man, no matter how great his accomplishments, in his natural state is
separated from and in enmity to God. - The Law of God – Universal Rule
We believe that the law of God, which is the reflection of God’s character, contained in the
whole Bible, is the eternal and absolute rule or standard of good and evil for every man, that is,
for the Church and for society. Therefore, all thoughts, all deeds, and all institutions of man
should be ruled by the law of God which is contained in the Word of God. However, because of
man’s sin, the law of God applied without the Mediator is unable to spiritually save any man and
can only condemn. We therefore believe that there were two main Covenants given to man to
follow God’s law. One covenant is old and obsolete and proved too difficult for man to obey. It
was provided as a teacher to progressively usher in the coming of the Messiah. This is known as
the Old Covenant or the Covenant of works, which is primarily (though not exclusively)
contained in content and form in the Old Testament Scriptures. Yet, the other that is new is made
effectual in mankind only by the death of the perfect covenant-Keeper, that is Christ, to enable
man’s heart to willingly obey and fulfill God’s commands. This is known as the New Covenant
or the Covenant of grace, which is primarily (though not exclusively) contained in content and
form in the New Testament Scriptures. Though both covenants, which ultimately teach the same
rule, find their unity and fulfilment in Christ, there is a theological priority upon the New
Covenant over the Old. - Election and Regeneration – God’s Free Choice and our Conversion
We believe that God eternally chose of His own free will some persons to eternal life – not
because He could foresee any merit or faith or good works in them, but because of His great
mercy in Jesus Christ. Those God elected He predestined to be conformed to the image of Jesus
Christ. These are called, justified, sanctified, and glorified. God calls these within the bounds of
time, by the mean of His holy word and the Holy Spirit, effectually through regeneration, into
fellowship and union with Christ and His church. As a result, God, by the free and invisible work
of the Holy Spirit, enlightens their minds and renews their wills and affections to be like those of
Christ. - Justification and Adoption – By Grace, Through Faith, Children of God
We believe in the eternal justification of the sinner; by grace alone; through faith alone; through
the sole and unaided penal, substitutionary, and propitiatory merits of our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ whose imputed righteousness is the unique foundation for the sinner’s acceptance before
God. For the sake of Christ, all who are justified are numbered with and enjoy the liberties and
privileges of the children of God, being made sharers and inheritors with Christ in sonship as
adopted sons. Therefore, there is now no condemnation to these adopted ones. - Sanctification, Good Works, and Witness – Proofs of Conversion
We believe in the sanctified life of those who profess to be Christians being the visible proof of
their conversion to God. The duty of every believer and every church of Christ is to live out and
propagate the gospel to the ends of the earth. This must be achieved by means of believers’
individual and corporate witness, using to this end all methods compatible with the Word of
God. In addition, while justification is by faith alone, this faith does not come alone. Once
justified, a believer must necessarily do good works prepared by God for him beforehand. The
believer’s obedience to the law of God through the gospel must appear in all areas of his life. - Sacraments or Ordinances – Baptism and the Lord’s Supper
We believe there are only two sacraments, that is, baptism in the name of the Trinity and the
Lord’s Supper or the Lord’s Table. A sacrament is a positive, holy ordinance or order instituted
by the Lord Jesus Christ, by which, through outward signs, Christ and the benefits of the new
covenant are represented and communicated to believers, who, at the same time in reciprocation,
commit themselves to follow the Lord. The Lord’s supper is in no way a sacrifice for sin and
involves no transformation of the substance of the bread and of the wine. The Lord’s supper is
the communion of believers, by the Spirit and by faith, in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ at
Golgotha. Additionally, baptism is to be administered after conversion and public confession of
salvation (that is, not to infants) and only by immersion (not by sprinkling nor pouring). We thus
practice regenerate church membership. Baptism water does not save any man, but rather
signifies his already saved state. - The Future – Heaven and Hell
We believe that man consists of both body and soul. To every man is appointed death, wherein
the body returns to the dust and the soul or spirit immediately appears before God. The righteous
are ushered to rest in God’s presence, whereas the wicked are reserved in torment, all awaiting
the Great/General Judgment. Jesus Christ, on the last day, shall return once/singularly, visibly,
personally, and bodily with the glory of the Father. The bodies of all human beings who died
(including at infancy) will be raised/resurrected, both the just and the unjust, and be united with
each his soul. God will then judge the world by the one Man He has appointed, even our Lord
Jesus Christ. Thus, in perfect righteous judgment, everyone shall receive their due – eternal
blessing for the redeemed and eternal punishment for the wicked. The wicked men shall be cast
into the Lake of Fire, whole, body and soul, together with Satan and his fallen angels. The
righteous exclusively and without threat of ever losing it, with glorified bodies, shall in whole
inherit and inhabit new earth (which will forever be united and unseparated from the new
heavens) with the restoration of the whole creation in Jesus Christ unto the perfect fullness of
God’s kingdom, to the glory of the Father. - The Unique Church – Called to be Pure
We believe in the community of believers, which is composed of God’s elect in every age and
every geographical location. Christians are to gather together frequently, especially on the Lord’s
Day, in local churches, are called out of the world, living in the world but not of it. The local
church must maintain the spiritual unity of all those who truly believe in the Lord Jesus Christ,
and it is their duty to further maintain in themselves and in the Church a standard of doctrine and
life consistent with the teaching of the holy word of God. To each local church, Christ has given
authority and responsibility for administering order, discipline, and worship, particularly through
the authorized officers given by Christ in His word. These aspects are regulated by the ordinary
means of grace – the apostolic teaching/preaching, prayer, the Lord’s supper (and baptism), and
fellowship. This implies formal church membership, which can be discerned from the plain
reading of God’s word. The officers of the local church are elders and deacons, with one elder
being the greater among equals. - The Lord’s Day – A Holy Day Unto the Lord
We believe that the Lord’s Day is a holy Sabbath and is given for the benefit of the local church.
This day is to be ordinarily observed on the first day of the week, that is, Sunday. God’s Word
grounds the Sabbath principle not in the Mosaic legislation but in the original creation. On this
day, we rest from our normal occupations and worldly pursuits and give ourselves wholly and
communally to the worship and service of God. However, we acknowledge that there are
legitimate reasons that may necessitate a lack of observance of the Sabbath, such as, works of
necessity, works of mercy, extreme persecution, or illness. To neglect public worship on this
day, except for legitimate reasons, or for worldly pleasure or gain is sin. We thus follow and
practice the Regulative Principle of Worship. - Independence – Unrestricted Freedom to Congregate, Worship, and Associate
We believe that the local church is free from outward manipulation or inward pressure to act in a
way contrary to its purpose, calling, or against its own local congregation. Therefore, we do not
subscribe to any denominational or episcopal system or movement where there is an outward
influence directing and ordering the affairs of the local church. Christ, by His Spirit, rules the
local church directly through the local church officers, who ought to rule with a sober mind and
faithfully guide God’s people by the truth. In addition, we are freed from the religious rules and
worship guidelines set up by secular governments, though we seek to be law-abiding citizens
insofar as we do not disobey God. This, however, does not mean that the church officers or
members cannot benefit from the wisdom of other people, particularly believers in other local
churches. We are thus free to associate with other individuals, governments, para-church
organizations, and local churches that are doctrinally and practically aligned with our mandate as
a local church, that is, primarily proclaiming and living out the biblical gospel in this present
world. Nevertheless, we are apolitical in our mission and mandate as a local church, though
members can and do freely engage politically. Finally, we do not and will not condone any
political platforming, campaigning, or propaganda in the local church, especially when we are
assembled for any of our meetings