CPBC STATEMENT OF FAITH

(Adopted and Expanded Exposition of the Apostles Creed)

In a day to day life of the church, the statement of faith is important. In is the canon and
profiling force the leads the ministry. It will help the basic belief system of the church. It is not a
replacement but a simple summary of scriptural truth that we are called to adhere to if we are
called to be a part of a local assembly. Though as a Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches
we are a church separated by our local places, language and region it is our basis to unite, not
just a community of faith but a church, a family.

We believe in God, the Father Almighty, the Creator of the heavens and the earth and all
creatures visible and invisible.1

An avowal and affirmation of God’s rule, authority, being maker and sovereignty over all
creation as He (God) being a creator2 and not a creation, the alpha and omega3. God is
eternal4, infinite5, and sovereign6. God is omniscient7, omnipresent8, omnipotent9, and
unchanging10. God is holy11, just12, and righteous13. God is love14, gracious15, merciful16, and
good17. The entire beauty of the earth only speaks of Gods splendour that our human mind
could not fathom. That God is our Father, we know from Jesus who affectionately referred to
his Abba18 (the Hebrew word of Father). Though we could not contain God in our human
understanding but He still want to have a relationship with us.

1
Genesis 1, Isaiah 40:28, Colossians 1:16-17
2
Deuteronomy 6:4; Colossians 1:16
3
Revelation 1:8; 22:13
4
Psalm 90:2
5
1 Timothy 1:17
6
Psalm 93:1
7
Psalm 139:1-6
8
Psalm 139:7-13
9
Revelation 19:6
10
Malachi 3:6
11
Isaiah 6:3
12
Deuteronomy 32:4
13
Exodus 9:27
14
1 John 4:8
15
Ephesians 2:8
16
1 Peter 1:3
17
Romans 8:28
18
"Jesus’ favorite way of expressing his faith was by calling God “Abba”, a term of endearment that expresses a child’s trust in a
father’s love…Calling God the Father implies that we can experience the Ulimate Source of all as personally and caringly related
to us”. Steindl-Rast, Brother David. Deeper Than Words: Living the Apostles Creed. New York: Image Books, 2010. p.31-32.
 We believe in Jesus Christ, His one and only Son, our Lord and Savior;19
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit20,
born of Mary,21
lived and preached the Kingdom of God22,
crucified, died and buried,23
and on the third day was raised from the dead;24
he ascended into heaven25
and sits on the right hand of the Father Almighty.26

Jesus Christ is the expression of God’s to His people. Christ is the eternal Son of God. Jesus
perfectly revealed and did the will of God, taking upon Himself human nature with its demands
and necessities and identifying Himself completely with mankind yet without sin. His ministry is
to be imitated by us Christians in fulfilment of the great commission. He was raised from the
dead with a glorified body and appeared to His disciples as the person who was with them
before His crucifixion. He ascended into heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God
where He is the One Mediator, fully God, fully man, in whose Person is effected the
reconciliation between God and man. He will return in power and glory to judge the world and
to consummate His redemptive mission. Jesus came to make relationship and to be with the
creation, left all His glory and came to earth in a form of a lowly servant (Philippians 2), born of
a carpenter and a virgin. He lived in a way He disciple and way need to imitate. His suffering is
not just only a historical fact that proves our faith but also an act of radical love towards us.
That he is victorious even death and in Him our glorious hope for our Almighty Father.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, our Comforter and Counselor who convicts man of sin. 27
19
Isaiah 9:6; John 3:16; Mathew 1:23
20
Luke 1:35
21
Luke 1:30-38
22
Luke 4:43; Mark 1:14-15; Matthew 13:1-52
23
Luke 23:33-34; Luke 19:41-42
24
Mark 16:6-14
25
Acts 1:6-10
26
Mark 16:19
Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God alive within the world. The Holy Spirit is the life-breath energy
within us that- if contacted and surrendered to- lets us commune with Thy Will. As Karl Barth
writes, “God’s mercies dwell first in God, and not in our hearts. But they change place: they
pass from God into us. Here is the new creature; here is the revelation of man” 28. The Hebrew
word of RUACH and Greek word PNEUMA means spirit or breath or to breathe. The Holy Spirit
is our companion at all times (omnipresent God) provide us breath and life, therefore we must
live upon His conviction, seek His leading and follow His will so that we can give life glory to
God. The Holy Spirit is the one that enlightens and empowers every believer and the church in
worship, evangelism, and service.

We believe that the Holy Scriptures, the Bible, is the inspired written word of God for
teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in faith that manifests in good works.29

The bible is an inspired compilation of narratives written by God through inspired writers. That
the basis of our faith must be grounded biblically as a final authority of our faith, as Rev. Danilo
Bordado and Rev. Dr. Domingo Diel, Jr. says; Theological formulations are welcomed provided
they are based on explicitly scriptural claims not on debatable ground. The undermining of the
authority of the Bible is the primary ground of the assertion of this principle. 30 Reading and
understanding the Bible must be grounded in its context to make it meaningful in our daily
lives.

27
Luke 3:22; John 14; Acts 1:8
28
Barth, Karl. The Faith of the Church: A Commentary on the Apostles Creed. New York, Living Age Books, 1958.
p.124.
29
2 Timothy 3:16-17
30
Rev. Danilo Borlado & Rev. Dr. Domingo Diel, Jr. What’s the Big Deal About Being a Baptist? Convention of
Philippine Baptist Churhes, Inc. Fajardo Street, Jaro, Iloilo. P. 8
We believe in the Holy Church of Jesus Christ,31

the Fellowship of the Believers that is Local and Universal, and is commissioned to make
disciples and baptize and teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.32

Lord Jesus Christ body is the church33. It is an autonomous local congregation of baptized believers,
associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel; observing the two ordinances of Christ,
governed by His laws, exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word, and
seeking to extend the gospel to the ends of the earth.

The Greek word ekklesia which is translated “church” means “the called out” and originally signified of
people assembled for a civil purpose (Acts 19:32 where the word is rendered “Assembly). This word was
used in New Testament to denote the body of the faithful in Christ. In this connection he word suggest
the following ideas: 1. The Church Universal includes all those who have believed and obeyed the Gospel
(Acts 2:47; Eph. 5:25); 2. The Church is local. Church is also used to designate a local congregation of
Christian (I Cor. 1:2; 1 Thess. 1:1); 3. The Assembled Local Congregation (1 Cor. 11:18).34

31
Matthew 16:18-19; Colossians 1:18-20
32
Matthew 28:18-20; Act 1:42-47
33
Rom. 12:5; 1 Corinthians 12:27; Ephesians 1:23, 4:12; Col. 1:24
34
Charles F. Pfeiffe. The New Combined Bible Dictionary and Concordance. Grand Rapids, Michagan 4916. P. 96
We believe that Man is created in the Image of God,35 male and female,36

who is a sinner37, who can be saved by the Grace through Faith in Jesus Christ and has have
eternal life.38

In His own image, God created human beings. In Psalms 139:14, says I am fearfully and
wonderfully made. The man composition is the “spirit”, “soul”, and “body” (1 Thess. 5:23). The
most important part is spirit. When the the body is dead the spirit departs (Jas. 2:26) and goes
back to God who made it (Ecl. 12:7) but when the spirit returned the body become alive. Death
will be experience of man because of Rebellion against God and sinful parents (Gen. 3:6; 3:5).
Jesus came in the likeness of man (Rom. 8:3; Phil. 2:7-8) and in perfect likeness of God (2 Cor.
4;4; Col. 1:15) so that the sinful man would put their trust in Him can renew their ruined image
of God through Christ Jesus (Col. 3:10). Jesus came because of the love of God that those who
believe in him will have an abundant life (John 3:16). The chief end (duty) of man is to please
and glorify God (1 Cor. 10:31; Eccles. 12:13) . Reflecting upon it, I was moved to share the love
of God most especially to the unreached people.

We believe that Jesus Christ will come and judge both the living and the dead.39

We believe in the resurrection of the body40. Amen41.

Longing and believing that the blessed hope will come (Titus 2:13). That time will come in the
physical resurrection of all human beings, the saints to everlasting joy and enjoy to the New
Earth, and the wicked to eternal punishment in the lake of fire (Matt. 25:46; John 5:28-29; Rev.
20:5-6, 12-13). Believing that the souls of believers are, at death, absent from the body and
present with the Lord, where they await their resurrection when spirit, soul, and body are
reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord( Luke 23:43; 2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23, 3:21; 1 Thess.
4:16-17).

35
Gen. 1:26
36
Gen. 1:27
37
Rom. 3:23
38
Eph. 2:8-10; Rom. 3:24
39
Romans 2:12-16; 2 Tim. 4:1,8; Jude 14b-15
40
1 Cor. 15:42-54
41
A Hebrew word, usually translated verily,, or sometimes not translated at all, meaning “so be it.” It used as a
name for the Lord in Rev. 3:14. In is used as a response or closing of a prayer (Matt. 6:13; Rom. 11:36). Charles F.
Pfeiffe. The New Combined Bible Dictionary and Concordance. Grand Rapids, Michagan 4916. P. 33.