SCF is an independent baptistic church that affirms the statements of faith of both the Association of Baptist Churches in Ireland and the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches (FIEC).
God is the uncreated creator. There is one God, who exists eternally in three distinct but equal persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. God is unchangeable in his holiness, justice, wisdom and love. He is the almighty Creator, Saviour and Judge who sustains and governs all things according to his sovereign will for his own glory.
God has revealed himself in the Bible, which consists of the Old and New Testaments alone. Every word was inspired by God through human authors, so that the Bible as originally given is in its entirety the Word of God, without error and fully reliable in fact and doctrine. The Bible alone speaks with final authority and is all we need for all matters of belief and practice. The Bible tells us the truth about God, about ourselves, and the only way to be saved.
God made both male and female (biological sex determined at conception) in his image. Because of that, everyone has equal worth and value. Our greatest purpose in life is to love, obey and worship God
Our first parents, Adam and Eve, were created innocent and good. But they chose to rebel against God, bringing sin into the world. Since then, every person has been born as a sinner, inheriting the sin that came from Adam and Eve’s disobedience. As a result, we all naturally turn away from God and break his commands. Every part of human nature has been corrupted and all men and women are without spiritual life, guilty sinners and hostile to God. Every person is therefore under the just condemnation of God and needs to be born again, forgiven and reconciled to God in order to know and please him. However, because of our sin we are not able to do this by ourselves.
The Lord Jesus Christ is fully God and fully human. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, and lived a perfect, sinless life in obedience to God the Father. He taught with authority and all his words are true. On the cross he died in the place of sinners, took God’s punishment for their sin, redeeming them by his blood. He rose from the dead and in his resurrection body ascended into heaven where he is exalted as Lord of all. He intercedes for his people in the presence of God the Father.
We cannot earn our salvation and no-one deserves it. Salvation is entirely a work of God’s grace alone. It has been made possible by the Lord Jesus Christ at the cross and is offered to all in the gospel. God in his love forgives sinners whom he calls, granting them repentance and faith. Everyone who believes in Jesus Christ is justified by faith alone, adopted into the family of God and receive eternal life.
The Holy Spirit has been sent from heaven to glorify Christ and to apply his work of salvation. He convicts sinners, gives them spiritual life and gives a true understanding of the Bible. He indwells all believers from conversion, brings assurance of salvation and produces increasing likeness to Christ. All believers should obey and serve the Lord Jesus through obedience to his will, revealed in the Bible. They have a responsibility to live self- controlled, upright and godly lives which honour him. He builds up the Church and empowers its members for worship, service and mission.
The universal Church is the body of which Christ is the head and to which all who are saved belong. It is made visible in local churches, which are congregations of baptised believers who are committed to each other for the worship of God, the preaching of the Bible, the administering of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper; for pastoral care and discipline, and for evangelism. The unity of the body of Christ is expressed within and between churches by mutual love, care and encouragement. True fellowship between churches exists only where they are faithful to the gospel.
Churches are to be led by Elders, who are to be qualified men (according to the Bible’s requirements), and are responsible for the teaching and spiritual life of the church. Deacons may also be appointed to lead alongside the Elders. Deacons are leaders who are responsible for the practical matters of the church and must meet the qualifications the Bible teaches. Both Elders and Deacons must live lives that are Christ-honouring examples to the church.
Baptism and the Lord’s Supper (also known as communion) have been given to the churches by Christ as visible signs of the gospel. Baptism and the Lord’s Supper do not give spiritual life but are signs for everyone who believes. Baptism is the immersion of believers on profession of their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and is a symbol of their identification with Him in His death, burial and resurrection. The Lord’s Supper is a commemoration by believers of Christ’s sacrifice offered once for all and involves no change in the bread and wine.
The Lord Jesus Christ will return in glory. He will raise the dead and judge the world in righteousness. The righteous will be welcomed into a life of eternal joy in fellowship with God and the wicked will be sent to eternal punishment. God will make all things new and will be glorified forever.
God created us male and female and calls us to live according to our gender identity which is our biological sex determined at conception. Our gender may not be changed or reassigned. We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sins, seeking mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. Marriage is the exclusive and lifelong union of one man and one woman. Marriage is a picture of the relationship between Jesus Christ and his church (the bride). Sexual intimacy is a gift from God to be enjoyed only within the context of marriage. Sex outside of marriage is sin.