A. SCRIPTURES

Statement on the King James Version

Recognizing that different convictions exist among us regarding Bible texts and versions, we believe we should balance soul liberty with Christian charity in these matters, and therefore, agree not to magnify these differences at our meetings in order to remain united as a fellowship. We believe we should leave such discussion and decision to the privacy of individual conscience and the sovereign determination of each local church. Though some of us may use certain versions in the study, we prefer the King James Version in our conference preaching. We trust our speakers will honor this preference. As our Baptist forefathers, we continue to believe that the King James Version is the Word of God in English.

Statement on Inspiration and Inerrancy

We believe in the plenary, verbal, inspiration by God of the entire Bible as originally written. We believe in the authority and sufficiency of the Holy Bible, consisting of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments (Genesis through Revelation). We believe the Holy Bible is a completed revelation, and that its divine inspiration has never been, nor will it ever be, duplicated. We believe, therefore, in the Bible’s infallibility and unlimited inerrancy in all areas, including creation, science, geography, chronology, history, and in all other matters of which it speaks. The books known as the Apocrypha, however, are not the inspired Word of God in any sense whatever. As the Bible uses it, the term “inspiration” (or quality of being God-breathed) refers to the original writings, not to the writers; the writers are spoken of as being “holy men of God” who were “moved” (or “carried” or “borne” along) by the Holy Spirit in such a definite way that their writings were supernaturally, plenarily, and verbally inspired, free from any error, infallible, and inerrant, as no other writings have ever been or ever will be. We believe the Bible to be the true center of Christian unity and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions shall be tried.

Statement on Bible Preservation

We believe God has promised in both the Old and New Testament to preserve His Words as given to us in the original Hebrew/Aramaic and Greek texts. By His providential care, we believe God has kept His Word pure down through the ages as He promised, and we reaffirm our belief in what our Baptist forefathers wrote in their London Baptist Confession of 1677 and 1689. It states in part: The Old Testament in Hebrew, (which was the native language of the people of God of old), and the New Testament Greek (which at the time of the writing of it was generally known to the nations) being immediately inspired by God, and by His singular care and providence kept pure in all ages, are therefore authentic. Recognizing that different convictions exist among us regarding the method and product of Bible preservation, we all believe that God has indeed kept His promise and h preserved His Word in the original language texts. We believe we should balance soul liberty with Christian charity as to the method and product of Bible preservation, and therefore, agree to respect different views. We believe we should leave such discussion and decision to the privacy of individual conscience and the sovereign determination of each local church. (Psalm 12:6-7, 78:1-8, 119:89, 111, 152, 160; Ecclesiastes 3:14; Isaiah 8:20, 30:8, 40:6-8; Matthew 4:4, 5:17-18, 24:35, 28:20; John 10:35, 17:17; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Colossians 1:17; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 1 Peter 1:23-25; 2 Peter 1:19-21; 2 John 1:2; Revelation 20: 12)