What We Believe

The following are the core beliefs of COOK MEMORIAL BAPTIST CHURCH based on the foundational truths taught in the bible. All of our teaching and ministry is rooted in and flows out of these biblical doctrines.

There is but one God, the Maker, Preserver, and Ruler of all things, having in and of Himself all Perfections, and being infinite in them all; and to Him all creatures owe the highest love, reverence and obedience.

God is revealed to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence, or being.

The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were given by inspiration of God, and are the only sufficient, certain, and authoritative rule of all saving knowledge, faith, and obedience.

God from eternity decrees or permits all things that come to pass, and perpetually uphold, directs and governs all creatures and all events; yet so as not in any wise to be the author or approver of sin nor to destroy the free will and responsibility of intelligent creatures.

Elections is God’s eternal choice of some person unto everlasting life – not because of foreseen merit in the, but of His mercy in Christ – in consequence of which choice they are called, justified, and glorified.  God’s election is based upon His foreknowledge of man’s free response to His grace.

God originally created man in His own image, and free from sin; but, through the temptation of Satan, he transgressed the command of God and fell from his original holiness and righteousness, whereby his posterity inherits nature corrupt and wholly opposed to God and His law, and under condemnation, and, as soon as they are capable of moral action, become transgressors.

Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, is the divinely appointed mediator between God and man.  Having taken upon Himself human nature, yet without sin, He perfectly fulfilled the law, suffered and died upon the cross for the salvation of sinners.  He was buried and rose again the third day and ascended to His father, at whose right hand He ever liveth to make intercession for His people.  Christ is coming to earth again to claim His bride, the Church, and to execute judgment upon the earth.

Regeneration is a change of heart, wrought by the Holy Spirit, who quickeneth the dead in trespasses and sins, enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the Word of God, and renewing their whole nature, so that they love and practice holiness.  It is a work of God’s free and special grace alone.

Repentance is an evangelical grace wherein a person, being by the Holy Spirit made sensible of the  manifold of evil of his sin, humbleth himself for it, with godly sorrow, detestation of it, and self-abhorrence, with a purpose and endeavor to walk with God so as to please Him in all things.

Saving faith is the belief on God’s authority, of whatsoever is revealed in His Word concerning Christ, accepting and resting upon Him alone for justification, sanctification, and eternal life.  It is wrought in the heart by the Holy Spirit, and is accompanied by all other saving graces, and leads to a life of holiness.

Justification is God’s gracious and full acquittal of sinners who believe in Christ from all sin, through the satisfaction that Christ has made, not for anything wrought in them or done by them, but on account of the obedience and satisfaction of Christ, they receiving and resting on Him and His righteousness by faith.

Those who have been regenerated are also sanctified by God’s Work and Spirit dwelling in them.  This sanctification is progressive through the supply of divine strength, which all saints seek to obtain, pressing after a heavenly life in cordial obedience to all Christ’s commands.

Those who have been regenerated are also sanctified by God’s Work and Spirit dwelling in them.  This sanctification is progressive through the supply of divine strength, which all saints seek to obtain, pressing after a heavenly life in cordial obedience to all Christ’s commands.

The Lord Jesus is the Head of the Church, which is composed of all His true disciples, and in Him is invested supremely all power for its government.  According to His commandment, Christians are to associate themselves into particular churches; and to each of these churches He hath given needful authority for administering that order, discipline, and worship which He hath appointed.  The regular officers of a church are Pastor and Deacons.

Baptism is an ordinance of the Lord, Jesus, obligatory upon every believer, wherein he is immersed in water in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, as a sign of his fellowship with the death and resurrection of Christ, of remission of sins, and of his giving himself up to God, to live and walk in newness of life.  It is prerequisite to church membership.

The Lord’s Supper is an ordinance of Jesus Christ, to be administered with the elements of bread and wine, and to be observed by his His churches until His return.  It is in no sense a sacrifice, but is designed to commemorate His death, to confirm the faith and other graces of Christians, and to be bond, pledge, and renewal of their communion with Him and of the church fellowship.

The Lord’s Day is a Christian institution for regular observance and should be employed in exercise of worship and spiritual devotion, both public and private, resting from worldly employments and amusements, works of necessity and mercy only excepted.

God alone is Lord of the Christian conscience, and He hath left it free from the doctrines and commandments of the men which are in anything contrary to His Word or not contained in it.  Civil magistrates being ordained of God, subjection in all lawful things commanded by them ought to be yielded by us in the Lord, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.

The bodies of men after death return to dust, but their spirits go into eternity - the unsaved to hell (hades) and the saved into the presence of Christ.  The, at God’s appointed time, the bodies of the dead will be raised, the righteous unto to resurrection of life and the unrighteous unto the resurrection of damnation.

God hath appointed a day wherein He will judge the world by Jesus Christ.  Those whose names are not found in the lambs Book of Life will be consigned to everlasting punishment, and the righteous will be ever with the Lord in heaven.