What We Believe
The Bible.
The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were given by inspiration of God, and are our infallible rule of faith and practice.
God.
There is one living and true God, revealed in nature as the Creator, Preserver, and Righteous governor of the universe; and in the Scriptures as Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; yet as one God, infinitely wise and good, whom all intelligent creatures are supremely to love, adore and obey.
Christ.
Christ is God manifest in the flesh; in His divine nature truly God, in His human nature truly man. The mediator between God and man, once crucified, He is now risen and glorified, and is our ever present Savior and Lord.
The Holy Spirit.
The Scriptures assign to the Holy Spirit all the attributes of God.
Election.
God determined from the beginning to save all who should comply with the conditions of salvation. Hence, by faith in Christ, men become His elect.
Freedom of the Will.
The human will is free and self-controlled, having power to yield to the influence of the truth and the Spirit, or to resist them and perish.
Salvation Free.
God desires the salvation of all. The Gospel invites all. The Holy Spirit strives with all. Whosoever will may come and freely accept the offer of life eternal.
Perseverance.
All believers in Christ who, through God’s grace and personal faith in Jesus, persevere in pursuit of holiness to the end of life have the promise of eternal salvation.
The Government of God.
God exercises a wide and benevolent providence over all beings and all things by maintaining the constitution and laws of nature. He also performs special acts, not otherwise provided for, as the highest welfare of men requires.
The Sinfulness of Man.
Man was created innocent, but by disobedience fell into a state of sin and condemnation. His posterity, therefore, inherits a fallen nature of such tendencies that all who come to years of accountability sin and become guilty before God.
The Works of Christ.
The Son of God by His incarnation, life, sufferings, death, and resurrection effected for all a redemption from sin that is full and free, and is the ground of salvation by faith.
The Terms of Salvation.
The conditions of salvation are: (1) Repentance of sin [sincere sorrow] for sin and hearty rejection of it. (2) Faith or total commitment of one’s self to Christ as Savior and Lord, and to love and obey Him in all things. In this the soul is renewed by the Holy Spirit, freed from the dominion of sin, and becomes a child of God. (3) Continual faith and obedience unto death.
Gospel Ordinances.
BAPTISM, an ordinance by the immersion of believers in water as a witness of their faith. COMMUNION as modeled at the Last Supper, an ordinance commanded by Jesus Himself during his last hours on earth. FEET WASHING, an ordinance teaching humility, is of universal obligation, and is to be ministered to all true believers.
Tithing.
God commanded tithes and offerings in the Old Testament, Jesus Christ endorsed it in the Gospel (Matt. 23:23), and the apostle Paul said, “Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him” (1 Cor. 16:2a).
The Christian Sabbath.
The divine law requires that one day in seven be set apart from secular employments and amusements for rest, worship, holy works, and for corporate worship with other believers and for personal communion with God.
First Free Will Baptist Church of Pocahontas began on September 11, 1939, with twenty-one charter members, under the leadership of G.W. Million. Official services began in the first church building in 1940. However, it was not long until they had outgrown their space and needed a larger building to house members. In the early days of the church’s history, the first quarterly meeting of the Social Band Association was held in November of 1941. Also, the 12th Annual Session of the National Association of Free Will Baptists was hosted by our First Free Will Baptist Church family in 1948 with the entire community assisting. In the present day, First Free Will Baptist Church still holds a reputable name in the community and strives to be a beacon of light for the glory of God in Pocahontas. Our church participates as a member of the Pocahontas Ministerial Alliance.
