Statement of Faith

The following statements comprise the scriptural beliefs of Ronn and Barbara Johnson (in consonance with the statement of faith of our home church of Heritage Baptist Church, Woodbridge, Virginia).

  1. The One True God – We believe that there is one, and only one, living and true God, an infinite, intelligent Spirit, the maker and supreme ruler of heaven and earth; inexpressibly glorious in holiness and worthy of all possible honor, confidence, and love; that in the unity of the Godhead there are three equal persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption. (Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19; John 14:10; John 14:26; II Cor. 13:14)
  1. The Holy Scriptures – We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the verbally and plenary inspired Word of God. The Scriptures are inerrant, infallible and God-breathed and, therefore, are the final authority for faith and life. The sixty-six books of the Old and New Testament are the complete and divine revelation of God to Man. The Scriptures shall be interpreted according to their normal grammatical-historical meaning. The King James Version of the Bible is the only translation used in our English-speaking ministry. (Psa. 19:7-11; Psa. 119:89; Psa. 119:105; Psa. 119:130; Psa. 119:160; Prov. 30:5-6; Isa. 8:20; Luke 16:31; Luke 24:25-27; Luke 24:44-45; John 5:3; John 5:45-47; John 12:48; John 17:17; Acts 1:16; Acts 28:25; Rom. 3:4; Rom. 15:4; Eph. 6:17; II Tim. 3:16-17; I Pet. 1:23; II Pet. 1:19-21; Rev. 22:19)
  1. The Person and Work of Christ
  1. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men.(Isa. 7:14; Isa. 9:6; Luke 1:35; John 1:1-2; John 1:14; II Cor. 5:19-21; Gal. 4:4-5; Phil. 2:5-8)
  1. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice; and, that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead. (Acts 2:18-36; Rom. 3:24-25; Eph. 1:7; I Pet. 1:3-5; I Pet. 2:24)
  1. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate. (Acts 1:9-10; Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25; Heb. 9:24; 1 John 2:1-2)
  1. The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit
  1. We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; and, that He is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption. (John 16:8-11; Rom. 8:9; I Cor. 12:12-14; II Cor. 3:6; Eph. 1:13-14)
  1. We believe that He is the divine Teacher who assists believers to understand and appropriate the Scriptures and that it is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be filled with the Spirit. (Eph. 1:17-18; Eph. 5:18; I John 2:20; I John 2:27)
  1. We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowal of spiritual gifts to every believer. God uniquely uses evangelists, pastors, and teachers to equip believers in the assembly in order that they can do the work of the ministry. (Rom. 12:3-8; I Cor. 12:4-11; I Cor. 12:28; Eph.4:7-12)
  1. We believe that the sign gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues, and the gift of healing, were temporary. Speaking in tongues was never the common or necessary sign of the baptism or filling of the Holy Spirit. Ultimate deliverance of the body from sickness or death awaits the consummation of our salvation in the resurrection, though God frequently chooses to answer the prayers of believers for physical healing. (I Cor. 1:22; I Cor. 13:8; I Cor. 14:21-22)
  1. The Total Depravity of Man – We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God; but that in Adam’s sin the human race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God. Man is totally depraved and, of himself, utterly unable to remedy his lost condition. (Gen. 1:26-27; Rom. 3:22-23; Rom. 5:12; Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:1-3; Eph. 4:17-19)
  1. Salvation – We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins. We believe that all sins, except blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, are forgivable. (Matt. 12:31-32; John 1:12; Eph. 1:7; Eph. 2:8-10; I Pet. 1:18-19; I John 1:9)
  1. We believe in God’s saving grace; that the blessings of salvation are made free to all by the gospel; that it is the immediate duty of all to accept them by a cordial, penitent and obedient faith; and nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner on earth but his own inherent depravity and voluntary rejection of the gospel; which rejection involves him in an aggravated condemnation. (Isa. 55:1; Isa. 55:6-7; Matt. 11:28; John 3:15-16; John 3:18; John 3:36; John 5:40; John 6:37; Acts 2:38; Rom. 8:29-30; Rom. 10:13; I Cor. 15:10; Eph. 2:4; Col. 3:12; I Thess. 1:4; I Tim. 1:15; Titus 1:1; I Pet. 1:2; Rev. 22:17)
  1. We believe that the great gospel blessing which Christ secures to such as believe in Him is justification; that justification includes the pardon of sin and the gift of eternal life on principles of righteousness; that it is bestowed not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done; that solely through faith in the Redeemer’s blood, His righteousness is imputed unto us.  (Isa. 53:11; Hab. 2:4; Zech. 13:1; Acts 13:39; Rom. 1:17; Rom. 5:1; Rom. 5:9; Rom. 8:1; Titus 3:5-7; Gal. 3:11; Rom. 4:1-8; Heb. 10:38)
  1. The Eternal Security and Assurance of Believers
  1. We believe that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever. (John 6:37-40; John 10:27-30; Rom. 8:1; Rom. 8:38-39; I Cor. 1:4-8; 1 Pet.1:4-5)
  1. We believe that it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God’s Word which, however, clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion to the flesh. (Rom. 13:13-14; Gal. 5:13; Titus 2:11-15)
  1. The Church
  1. We believe that the local church, which is the body and the espoused bride of Christ, is solely made up of born-again persons. (I Cor. 12:12-14; II Cor. 11:2; Eph. 1:22-23; Eph. 5:25-27)
  1. We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures. (Acts 14:27; Acts 20:17; Acts 20:28-32; I Tim. 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11)
  1. We believe in the autonomy of the local church, free of any external authority or control. (Acts 13:1-4; Acts 15:19-31; Acts 20:28; Rom. 16:1; Rom. 16:4; I Cor. 3:9; I Cor. 3:16; I Cor. 5:4-7; I Cor. 5:13; I Pet. 5:1-4)
  1. We recognize water baptism, by immersion, and the Lord’s Supper as the Scriptural ordinances of obedience for the church in this age. (Matt. 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42; Acts 8:36-38; I Cor. 11:23-26)
  1. Separation – We believe that all the saved should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord. God desires His people to separate from worldly philosophies and practices and to pursue Biblical holiness. (Lev. 19:28; Rom. 12:1-2; Rom. 14:13; I Cor. 6:19-20; II Cor. 6:14; II Cor. 7:1; II Tim. 3:1-5; I John 2:15-17; II John 9-11)
  1. The Second Advent of Christ – We believe in that blessed hope, the personal, imminent return of Christ, who will rapture His church prior to the seven-year tribulation period. At the end of the Tribulation, Christ will personally and visibly return with His saints, to establish His earthly Messianic Kingdom which was promised to the nation of Israel. (Psa. 89:3-4; Dan. 2:31-45; Zech. 14:4-11; I Thess. 1:10; I Thess. 4:13-18; Titus 2:13; Rev. 3:10; Rev. 19:11-16; Rev. 20:1-6)
  1. The Eternal State
  1. We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment. (Matt. 25:46; John 5:28-29; John 11:25-26; Rev. 20:5-6; Rev. 20:12-13)
  1. We believe that the souls of the redeemed are, at death, absent from the body and present with the Lord, where in conscious bliss they await the first resurrection, when spirit, soul, and body are reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord. (Luke 23:43; II Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23; Phil. 3:21; I Thess. 4:16-17; Rev. 20:4-6)
  1. We believe that the souls of unbelievers remain, after death, in conscious punishment and torment until the second resurrection when, with soul and body reunited, they shall appear at the Great White Throne of judgment, and shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting, conscious punishment and torment. (Matt. 25:41-46; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 16:19-26; II Thess. 1:7-9; Jude 6-7; Rev. 20:11-15)
  1. The Personality of Satan – We believe that Satan is a person, the author of sin and the tempter that led to the fall of man; that he is the open and declared enemy of God and man; and that he shall be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire. (Job 1:6-7; Isa. 14:12-17; Matt. 4:2-11; Matt. 25:41; Rev. 20:10)
  1. Marriage, Gender and Human Sexuality
  1. We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God. (Gen. 1:26-27) Rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person. We believe that God disapproves of and forbids any attempt of a person to choose to alter his or her own birth gender by surgery or appearance. (Gen. 2:24; Gen. 19:5; Gen. 19:13; Gen. 26:8-9; Lev. 18:1-30; Rom. 1:26-29; I Cor. 5:1; I Cor. 6:9; I Thess. 4:1-8; Heb. 13:4)
  1. We believe that the term “marriage” has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture. (Gen. 2:18-25) We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other. God has ordained marriage and defined it as the covenant relationship between a man, a woman, and Himself. (I Cor. 6:18; I Cor. 7:2-5; Heb. 13:4)
  1. We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman.
  1. We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, pedophilia, and use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God. (Matt. 15:18-20; I Cor. 6:9-10)
  1. We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. (Acts 3:19-21; Rom. 10:9-10; I Cor. 6:9-11)
  1. We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity. Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture. (Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31)
  1. Family Relationships
  1. We believe that men and women are spiritually equal in position before God, but that God has ordained distinct and separate spiritual functions for men and women in the home and the church. The husband is to be the leader of the home. (Gal. 3:28; Col. 3:18; I Tim. 2:8-15; I Tim. 3:4-5; I Tim. 3:12)
  1. We believe that God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. The husband is to love his wife as Christ loves the church. The wife is to submit herself to the Scriptural leadership of her husband as the church submits to the headship of Christ. Children are a heritage from the Lord. Parents are responsible for teaching their children spiritual and moral values and leading them, through consistent lifestyle example and appropriate discipline, including Scriptural corporal correction. (Gen. 1:26-28; Exod. 20:12; Deut. 6:4-9; Psa. 127:3-5; Prov. 19:18; 22:15; 23:13-14; Mark 10:6-12; I Cor. 7:1-16; Eph. 5:21-33; Eph. 6:1-4; Col. 3:18-21; Heb. 13:4; I Pet. 3:1-7)
  1. Divorce and Remarriage – We believe that God disapproves of divorce and intends marriage to last until one of the spouses dies. Divorce and remarriage is regarded as adultery except on the grounds of fornication. Although divorced and remarried persons or divorced persons may hold positions of service in the church and be greatly used of God for Christian service, they may not be considered for the offices of pastor or deacon. (Mal. 2:14-17; Matt. 19:3-12; Rom. 7:1-3; I Tim. 3:2, I Tim. 3:12; Titus1:6)
  1. The Sanctity of Life
  1. Abortion – We believe that human life begins at conception and that the unborn child is a living human being. Abortion constitutes the unjustified, unexcused taking of an unborn human life for which God has a purpose and plan. (Job 3:16; Psa. 51:5; Psa. 139:14-16; Isa. 44:24; Isa. 49:1; Isa.49:5; Jer. 1:5; Jer. 20:15-18; Luke 1:44)
  1. Euthanasia – We believe that the direct taking of an innocent human life is a moral evil, regardless of the intention. Life is a gift of God and must be respected from conception until natural death. Discontinuing medical procedures that are extraordinary or disproportionate to the expected outcome can be a legitimate refusal of over-zealous treatment. (Exod. 20:13; Exod. 23:7; Matt. 5:21; Acts 17:28)
  1. Love – We believe that we should demonstrate love for others, not only toward fellow believers, but also toward those who are not believers, those who oppose us, and those who engage in sinful actions. We are to deal with those who oppose us graciously, gently, patiently, and humbly. God forbids the stirring up of strife, the taking of revenge, or the threat or the use of violence as a means of resolving personal conflict or obtaining personal justice. Although God commands us to abhor sinful actions, we are to love and pray for any person who engages in such sinful actions. (Lev. 19:18; Matt. 5:44-48; Luke 6:31; John 13:34-35; Rom. 12:9-10; Rom. 12:17-21; Rom. 13:8-10; Phil. 2:2-4; II Tim. 2:24-26; Titus 3:2; I John 3:17-18)