Our Beliefs
Basics
The Trinity
The Bible
Jesus Christ
The Holy Spirit
Mankind
Salvation
We believe that we are not only saved from the penalty of sin by grace through faith, but we believe that we are also empowered by the Holy Spirit for daily living and victory over sin by grace through faith.
Resurrection
Judgment
We believe that all believers will stand before the judgment seat of Christ where they will appear to give an account for how their lives were lived as believers. We believe that faithfulness will be rewarded by Christ Himself while loss of reward will be accorded to those who have not.
1. Deut. 6:4; 1 Cor. 8:4; Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14
2. Matt. 5:17-18; John 17:17; 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:20-21
3. John 1:1,14; Col. 2:9; Matt. 1:23; 24:30; Heb. 4:15; 7:25; Acts 2:22-23;
1 Pet. 3:18; 1 John 1:7; 1 Cor. 15:4; Mark 16:19
4. 1 Cor. 2:10-11; 6:19; 12:11; Gal. 5:16, 22-23; Eph. 5:18
5. Gen. 1:27; 1 John 3:4; 5:11-13; Rom. 3:23-24, 28; 5:8; John 3:16; 14:6;
Acts 4:12; 1 Cor. 15:3-8; Eph. 1:7, 13-14; 4:30; 2:8-9; Phil. 3:9
6. Rom. 7:24 – 8:11; Col. 2:6-7
7. 1 Cor. 15:50-54; 1 Thes. 4:13-18; Matt. 25:41; John 3:18, 36; Jude 6;
Rev. 20:10-15
8. 2 Cor. 5:9-10; 1 Cor. 3:9-15; Matt. 25:14-30; Luke 19:11-27; 2 John 8
For our full, detailed doctrinal statement, please read this PDF: CBC Doctrine
Baptism
We believe that eternal life is a gift and the means by which that gift is freely received is by trusting only in Christ. We thus declare salvation is by faith alone in Christ alone. However, once that gift is received, a life of obedience is commanded. Baptism is Biblically the first step of obedience following the reception of the free gift of eternal life. It was commanded by the Lord in Matthew 28:18-20, practiced by the early church (Acts 8:38) and commanded by the apostles (Acts 10:44-48).
One of the meanings associated with the word baptize means “to identify with” and thus it is the means by which God commands us to publicly identify with Christ. It is His way for us to declare to the world that we have become Christians.
Second, the word baptize can also mean “to dip” or “to immerse.” In light of this second meaning we practice baptism by immersion. As such this mode best pictures the spiritual transaction that is expounded upon in Romans 6:4-6 and takes place at the moment one trusts in Christ for eternal life. It demonstrates death to an old way of life and burial as we go under the water and resurrection to a new way of life as we are raised up out of the water. The spiritual transaction of death and resurrection as we are baptized by the Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation is thus pictured in this ordinance.
If you desire to be baptized, please contact the church office and a meeting will be scheduled with a Pastor. If a child or teen desires to be baptized, a meeting will be scheduled with the Children’s Minister or Student Ministries Pastor, respectively.
If you would like to learn more about Baptism, what it is and what it isn’t, please watch/listen to Pastor Dave’s sermon on the subject: “Buried and Resurrected.”
Communion
The Lord’s Table – It is probable that 1 Corinthians 11:17 through 1 Corinthians 14 describes not only the life of the early church, but the worship service of the early church. Note the words in 1 Corinthians 11:17 ”since you come together.” Observe that the Lord’s Supper was part of the early church worship service.
Luke 22:15, Acts 2:42 (the phrase “breaking bread” refers to the Lord’s Supper), and 1 Corinthians 11:24-25 demonstrate the importance of the Lord’s Supper. Jesus instituted it and it was celebrated daily at the beginning and then weekly in the early church (Acts 2:46, 20:7).
It is variously called the Lord’s Supper, the Lord’s Table, and Communion. It is a time of remembrance as we reflect on what the Lord as done for us, a time of anticipation of the time when we will be with Him in eternity, a time of communion as we fellowship with Him and one another, and a time of worship as we give God thanks for Him.
We at Cleburne Bible Church place a great deal of importance on the Lord’s Table because it points us to the Person of Christ and the most important event in the history of mankind – the cross. Thus, we celebrate it most weeks at our Sunday morning worship service and we take exception only when there is a special cause or reason.
