Photo by Aaron Burden

DISTINCTIVE

Baptist

What do we mean when we say we’re baptist?

By baptist, we refer to our convictions about the biblical understanding on the nature, practice, and priorities of a local church (our ecclesiology).

We affirm the autonomy of the local church

We maintain regenerate church membership

We employ the priesthood of all believers

We celebrate the two ordinances: a) Believers’ Baptism by immersion, and, b) The Lord’s Supper. 

We practice elder-led-congregationalism

Reformed

Why are we Reformed? Because, firstly, we’re committed to the central truths of the Reformation known as 5 Solas.

  • Scripture alone (Sola Scriptura)- १. सोला स्क्रिपचूरा (केवल धर्मशास्त्र) । हाम्रो निम्ति केवल बाइबल मात्र सर्वोच्च रुपमा अधिकार सम्पन्न छ ।
  • Christ alone (Sola Christus)- २. सोला फिडे (केवल विश्वास) । हामी केवल ख्रीष्ट येशूमा विश्वास गरेर उद्धार पाउँछौं ।
  • Grace alone (Sola Gratia)- ३. सोला ग्राटिया /ग्रसिया (केवल अनुग्रह) । हामी केवल परमेश्वरको अनुग्रहद्धारा बचाइएका छौँ  ।
  • Faith alone (Sola Fide)- ४. सोलस ख्रीष्टस (केवल ख्रीष्ट) । येशू ख्रीष्ट मात्र हाम्रो प्रभु, उद्धारक र राजा हुनुहुन्छ ।
  • God’s glory alone (Soli Deo Gloria)- ५. सोलि डियो ग्लोरिया (केवल परमेश्वरको महिमाको निम्ति मात्र)

Secondly, we inherit the teachings of John Calvin. It is our conviction that Calvinistic teachings on the five points are biblical and therefore true. 

T— Total Depravity (पूर्ण भ्रष्टता)

Our sinful corruption is so deep and so strong as to make us slaves of sin and morally unable to overcome our own rebellion and blindness. This inability to save ourselves from ourselves is total. We are utterly dependent on God’s grace to overcome our rebellion, give us eyes to see, and effectively draw us to the Savior (Rom. 3:9-11; 14:23; Eph. 2:1-3).

U— Unconditional Election (शर्तरहित चुनाउ)

God’s election is an unconditional act of free grace that was given through his Son Jesus before the world began. By this act, God chose, before the foundation of the world, those who would be delivered from bondage to sin and brought to repentance and saving faith in Jesus (Rom. 8:28-33; Eph. 1; Rom. 9).

L— Limited Atonement (सीमित प्रायश्चित)

The atonement of Christ is sufficient for all humans and effective for those who trust him. It is not limited in its worth or sufficiency to save all who believe. But the full, saving effectiveness of the atonement that Jesus accomplished is limited to those for whom that saving effect was prepared. The availability of the total sufficiency of the atonement is for all people. Whosoever will— whoever believes—will be covered by the blood of Christ. And there is a divine design in the death of Christ to accomplish the promises of the new covenant for the chosen bride of Christ. Thus Christ died for all people, but not for all in the same way (John 10:15, 26; John 11:50-52; Rev. 5:9; Eph. 5:25-27; Rom. 8:32).

I— Irresistible Grace (इन्कार गर्न नसकिने अनुग्रह)

This means that the resistance that all human beings exert against God every day (Rom. 3:10-12; Acts 7:51) is wonder- fully overcome at the proper time by God’s saving grace for undeserving rebels whom he chooses freely to save.

P— Perseverance of the Saints (विश्वासीहरूको स्थिरता)

We believe that all who are justified will win the fight of faith. They will persevere in faith and will not surrender finally to the enemy of their souls. This perseverance is the promise of the new covenant, obtained by the blood of Christ, and worked in us by God himself, yet not so as to diminish, but only to empower and encourage, our vigilance; so that we may say in the end, I have fought the good fight, but it was not I, but the grace of God which was with me (2 Tim. 4:7; 1 Cor. 15:10).

(From the Five Points by John Piper)