PLBC Beliefs
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We believe that the Holy Bible, as originally written, was verbally inspired and the product of
Spirit controlled men, and therefore is truth without admixture of error. We believe that it is
the true center of Christian union and the only infallible rule for all human conduct, creeds,
and opinions (2 Tim. 3:16,17; 2 Peter 1:19-21).
The True God (back to top)
We believe that there is only one living and true God, infinite in every excellence; that in the
unity of the Godhead there are three personal distinctions...the Father, the Son and the
Holy Spirit...yet one in substance and equal in every divine perfection (Ex. 20:2,3; 1 Cor.
8:6).
We believe in the absolute deity of the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ; that He was divine as no
other man can be, being very God of very God, existing from all eternity, co-equal with the
Father and the Spirit; and that His humiliation did not consist in laying aside His deity; that
as a man He was miraculously begotten of the Holy Ghost and born of Mary a virgin, as no
other man was ever born or can ever be born of women (Gen. 3:15; Isa. 7:14; Matt.
1:18-25; Luke 1:35; John 1:1-4).
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine Person, equal with the Father and Son and of the
same substance and nature; that He convicts of sin, righteousness and judgment, bears
witness to the truth, is the agent of the new birth and that He regenerates, seals, enables,
guides, teaches, witnesses to, sanctifies and indwells every true child of God (2 Cor. 13:14;
John 14:16,17; 16:8-11; Acts 5:30-32; John 3:5,6; Eph. 1:13,14).
The Devil or Satan (back to top)
We believe in the distinct personality of Satan, that he is the unholy god of this age, author
of all powers of darkness and sin, and is destined to the judgment of an eternal justice in
the lake of fire (Matt. 4:1-3; 2 Cor. 4:4; Rev. 20:10).
The Creation (back to top)
We believe that God created the heavens and the earth, including all life, "each after its
own kind," by direct act, and not by the process of evolution (Gen. 1,2; Col. 1:16,17; John
1:3).
The Fall of Man (back to top)
We believe that man, in the person of the first Adam, was created in innocence but by
voluntary transgression fell into sin thus plunging the whole race into condemnation and
death, so that now also mankind is born in sin and shapen in iniquity and become willful
sinners with the first expression of personal choice, and so are without excuse before God
(Gen. 3; Rom. 5:10-19).
The Redemption From Sin (back to top)
We believe that the only escape from the condemnation of sin is through the redemption
accomplished by Jesus Christ, when He voluntarily took upon Him a human body and
nature, yet without sin, and by His suffering, death and resurrection made full satisfaction to
the justice of God for the sin of man; that the blessings of this salvation are given on the
ground of grace to all who believe and that it is the immediate duty of all to accept these
offers of mercy (John 1:1-3; 3:1-7; Heb. 10:4-14; Acts 16:30-33).
The Salvation by Grace (back to top)
We believe that faith in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ is the only condition of
salvation from sin. This salvation is wholly by grace through the mediatorial offices of the
Son of God, who in agreement with the appointment of the Father, freely took upon Him our
nature, yet without sin, honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and by His death
made a full and vicarious atonement for our sins; that His atonement consisted not in setting
us an example by His death as martyr, but was a voluntary substitute of Himself in the
sinner's place, the Just dying for the unjust; Christ, the Lord, bearing our sin in His own
body on the tree; that having risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in heaven, and
uniting in His wonderful Person the tenderest sympathies with divine perfection, He is in
every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate and an all-sufficient Saviour. We
believe that no works, however good, make that salvation more secure (Acts 16:31; 15:11;
Rom. 3:24; John 3:16; Matt. 18:11; Phil. 2:7; Eph. 2:8,9; Heb. 2:14; Isa. 53:4-7; Rom. 3:25;
1 John 4:10; 1 Cor. 15:3; 2 Cor. 5:21; Titus 3:5-7; Rom. 10:9-13).
We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again; that the new birth is a
new creation in Christ Jesus; that it is instantaneous and not a process; that in the new birth
the one dead in trespasses and sins is made a partaker of the divine nature and receives
eternal life, the free gift of God; that the new creation is brought about in a manner beyond
our comprehension, solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth, so
as to secure our voluntary obedience to the gospel; that its proper evidence appears in the
holy fruits of repentance and newness of life (John 3:3; 2 Cor. 5:17; 1 John 5:1; John 3:6,7;
Acts 16:30-33; 2 Peter 1:4; Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:1; 2 Cor. 5:19; Col. 2:13; John 3:8).
We believe that the great gospel blessing which Christ secures to such as believe in Him is
justification. This justification includes the pardon of sin, and the gift of eternal life, on
principles of righteousness; it is bestowed not in consideration of any works of
righteousness which we have done; but solely through faith in the Redeemer's blood, His
righteousness is imputed to us (Acts 13:39; Isa. 53:11; Zech. 13:1; Rom. 5:1,9; 8:1).
We believe that all who take Christ as their Saviour are born from above and are eternally
secure in Christ (John 10:28,29; Rom. 8:35-39; Phil. 1:6).
The Church (back to top)
We believe that the Church universal is a New Testament institution; unknown to the Old
Testament prophets; established by Jesus Christ, who is its sole Head; revealed through
the Apostles; empowered and perpetuated by the Holy Spirit; His "body" for service and His
"bride" for glory. The Church began with the New Testament saints and will be
consummated at the coming of Christ in the Rapture (Matt. 15:18; Acts 1:8; 2:1-13; 41-47;
15:14; Rom. 16:26; 1 Cor. 12:12-28; Eph. 1:22,23; 5:23-33; 1 Thess. 4:13-18).
We believe that the Church universal is manifest through the local church which is a
congregation of immersed believers, associated by the covenant of faith and fellowship of
the gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ, governed by His laws; exercising the gifts,
rights and privileges invested in it by His Word, that its officers are pastors and deacons;
that the truemission of the church is the faithful witnessing of Christ to all men as we have
opportunity. We believe that the local church has the absolute right of self-government
directed by the Holy Spirit, free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or
organization; and that the one and only superintendent is Christ through the Holy Spirit and
it is answerable only to Christ, and that in all matters of membership, policy, government,
discipline and benevolence, the will of the local church is final; that it is scriptural for true
churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of
the gospel; that each local church is the sole judge of the measure and method of its
cooperation (Matt. 18:15-17; 1 Cor. 1:2; 6:4,5; 7:17; 11:16; 1 Tim. 3:1-15).
The Ordinances (back to top)
We believe that there are two church ordinances: Baptism and the Lord's Supper. Baptism
is the immersion of a believer in water and is properly called "Believer's Baptism." It sets
forth in a beautiful and solemn way our faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Saviour, with
the effects of that faith in our lives as it produces death to sin and resurrection to a new life.
Baptism is a prerequisite to the privileges of church membership. The Lord's Supper is the
commemoration of our Lord's death until He comes and our continual fellowship with Him,
and should be preceded by baptism and always by careful self-examination (Acts 8:36-39;
Rom. 6:3-5; 1 Cor. 11:23-32).
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