What We Believe

Meridian Missionary Baptist Church stands by its Landmark Baptist doctrine, practice, and
linage. Christ started His churches during His personal ministry (Matthew 16:18). As one on His
local New Testament churches we are commanded to keep all things (doctrines) Christ taught
(Matthew 28:19-20). This includes not just testifying and teaching but practicing and carrying
out His doctrines.

Doctrinal Beliefs
1. We believe that love one for another as Jesus Christ loves the believer manifests our
discipleship, proves our love for God and symbolizes our authority as a New Testament church.
Love is therefore the greatest commandment of the Lord Jesus Christ upon which all others are
dependent. (Matthew 22:35-40; John 13:34-35; John 15:12; 1 John 4:7-21; 1 John 5:1-3;
Revelation 2:4-5)

2. We believe in the infallible, verbal inspiration and preservation of the whole Bible, which is
the all-sufficient rule of faith and practice. Today it is preserved in the Authorized King James
Bible. The Bible is our sole rule of faith and practice. (Psalm 119:160; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2
Peter 1:20-21)

3. We believe in one God Who is eternally existent in three distinct persons (Trinity); the Father,
the Son and the Holy Ghost, equal in divine perfection. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19;
Romans 1:20; Genesis 1:26)

4. We believe in the Genesis account of Creation. (Genesis 1-2; Exodus 20:11)

5. We believe that Satan is a fallen angel, the archenemy of God and man, the unholy god of the
world and that his destiny is in the Lake of Fire. (Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:11-19; Matthew
25:41; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 6:10-17; Revelation 20:10)

6. We believe in the virgin birth and sinless humanity of Jesus Christ. (Matthew 1:18-25; 2
Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:22)

7. We believe in the deity of Jesus Christ. (John 10:30; John 1:1, 14; 2 Corinthians 5:19)

8. We believe the Holy Spirit is the divine administrator for Jesus Christ in His churches. (Luke
24:49; John 14:16-17, 26; John 16:13; John 20:21-23; Acts 1:4-5, 8)

9. We believe that miraculous, spiritual, manifestation gifts were used to confirm the preached
word and were done away when the Bible was completed. Only three spiritual gifts remain: faith,
hope and love. (Mark 16:19-20; 1 Corinthians 13:3-14; James 1:23-24; Ephesians 4:7-14)

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10. We believe that man was created in the image of God and lived in innocency until he fell by
voluntary transgression from his sinless state, the result being that all mankind are now sinners.
(Genesis 1:26; Genesis 3:6-24; Romans 5:12)

11. We believe that the suffering and death of Jesus Christ was substitutionary for all mankind
and is efficacious only to those who believe. We reject Calvinism and Arminianism. (Isaiah 53:6;
Hebrews 2:9; 1 Peter 3:18; 2 Peter 3:9; 1 John 2:2)

12. We believe in the bodily resurrection and ascension of Christ and the bodily resurrection of
His saints. The resurrection of the saved will be unto "life" and the unsaved will be unto
"judgment" and everlasting damnation. (Matthew 28:1-7; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Corinthians 15:42-58; 1
Thessalonians 4:13-18; John 5:28-29)

13. We believe in the premillennial, personal bodily return of Jesus Christ as the crowning event
of the Gentile age. This event will include the resurrection of the righteous and the marriage of
Christ to His glorious Bride, the faithful of His church. The Millennium will be followed by the
resurrection of the unrighteous into eternal punishment in the lake of fire, and the righteous shall
enter into the heaven age. (John 14:1-6; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 2 Thessalonians 2:8;
Revelation 19:1-21; Revelation 20:4-6, 11-15; Revelation 21:8)

14. We believe that the depraved sinner is saved wholly by grace through faith in Jesus Christ,
and that the prerequisites to regeneration are repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus
Christ. (Luke 13:3-5; John 3:16-18; Acts 20:21; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9) We further
believe the Holy Spirit convicts, guides, regenerates, seals, secures and indwells every believer.
(John 3:6; John 16:8-11; Romans 8:9-11; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Ephesians 4:30; Titus 3:5)

15. We believe all that trust Jesus Christ for salvation are eternally secure, will persevere in Him
and shall not perish. (John 3:36; John 5:24; John 10:27-30; Romans 8:35-39; Hebrews 10:39; 1
Peter 1:5)

16. We believe that God deals with believers as His children, that He chastises the disobedient,
and that He rewards the obedient. (Matthew 16:27; Matthew 25:14-23; John 1:12; Hebrews 12:5-
11; 2 John 8; Revelation 22:12)

17. We believe that Jesus Christ established His church during His personal ministry on earth
and that it is always a local, visible assembly of scripturally baptized believers in covenant
relationship to carry out the Great Commission. (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8). Each church is an
independent, self-governing body, and no other ecclesiastical body may exercise authority over
one another. We believe that Jesus Christ gave the great commission to the New Testament
churches only, and that He promised perpetuity of His churches. (Matthew 4:18-22; Matthew
16:18-19; Matthew 18:15-20; Ephesians 3:21)

18. We believe that there are two pictorial ordinances in the Lord’s churches: baptism and the
Lord’s Supper. Scriptural baptism is the immersion of penitent believers in water, administered
by bishops through the authority of a New Testament church in the name of the Father, the Son
and the Holy Spirit. The purpose is a public declaration that one is saved and dedicating to serve

the Lord. The Lord’s Supper is a memorial ordinance, restricted to the members of the church
overseeing the ordinance. Its elements are: fruit juice of the vine and unleavened bread. The
Supper was given the local church to observe. It is unscriptural for a church to authorize any
group of members to observe the ordinance outside of church capacity; this includes mission
work. (Matthew 26:26-30; Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 8:12, 34-38; Romans 6:3-5; 1 Corinthians
5:6-13; 1 Corinthians 11:1-2, 20-34)

19. We believe that there remain two divinely appointed offices in a church, pastors and deacons,
to be filled only by men whose meet God’s qualifications. (1 Timothy 3:1-7; 1 Timothy 5:17-22;
Titus 1:5-9; 1 Timothy 3:8-13; Acts 6:1-7)

20. We believe the Great Commission was given to a local, visible church only, and that in
kingdom activities the church is the only unit in associational work and all cooperation bodies
(associations, committees, etc.), are under control of churches. Also each church should exercise
equal authority and should meet her responsibilities according to her several abilities. (Matthew
20:24-28; Matthew 16:18-19; Matthew 18:15-20; Matthew 28:19-20; 1 Corinthians 6:1-6)

21. We believe in freedom of worship without interference from the government by separating
the church and state. We affirm our belief in civil obedience, unless the laws and regulations of
civil government run contrary to the Holy Scriptures. (Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-15; Acts
4:18-20; Acts 5:28-29; Matthew 22:17-22)

22. We believe that marriage is given between one man and one woman. God designed marriage
to be a lifelong commitment. The Bible does not teach divorce and remarriage. Divorced
members can still serve in the church but are permanently disqualified to fulfill the God given
offices of bishop and deacon. (Genesis 2:18-25; Matthew 5:31-32; Mark 10:2-12; 1 Corinthians
7:39; 1 Timothy 3:2, 12)

Church Covenant
The church covenant is a summary of obligations, privileges, and responsibilities as members of
the body of Christ. This is a manmade document but covenants with God are throughout the
Bible and all points of the covenant can be back up with scriptures. The covenant is a voluntary
agreement by members whereby they promise to conduct their lives in such a way as to glorify
God and promote the ongoing of His church.

Having been led, as we believe, by the Spirit of God, to receive the Lord
Jesus Christ as our Savior, and on the profession of our faith, having been
baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, we do
now in the presence of God, angels, and this assembly, most solemnly and
joyfully enter into covenant with one another, as one body in Christ.
We engage, therefore, by the aid of the Holy Spirit, to walk together in
Christian love; to strive for the advancement of this prosperity and spirituality;
holiness, and comfort; to promote its prosperity and spirituality; to sustain its

worship, ordinances, discipline, and doctrines; to contribute cheerfully and
regularly to the support of the ministry, the expense of the church, the relief of
the poor, and the spread of the gospel through all nations.
We also engage to maintain family and sacred devotions; to religiously
educate our children; to seek the salvation of our kindred and acquaintances; to
walk circumspectly in the world; to be just in our dealings; faithful in our
engagements, and exemplary in our deportment; to avoid all tattling, backbiting,
and excessive anger; to abstain from the sale and use of intoxicating drinks as a
beverage; and to be zealous in our efforts to advance the kingdom of our Savior.
We further engage to watch over one another in brotherly love; to
remember each other in prayer; to aid each other in sickness and distress; to
cultivate Christian sympathy in feeling and courtesy in speech; to be slow to take
offense, but always ready for reconciliation, and mindful of the rules of our Savior
to secure it without delay.
We moreover engage that when we remove from this place we will, as soon
as possible, unite with some other church, where we can carry out the spirit of
this covenant and the principles of God’s Word.