What We Believe
Doctrine of Our Faith
At Baptist Bible College Tanzania, our beliefs are grounded upon the truth found in the Bible. We believe the Bible to be inerrant, infallible, and authoritative for all of life. Therefore, we cherish the Scriptures and seek to proclaim that we all are sinners, yet God in His infinite love has made a way for us to be saved through faith in His Son, Jesus.
You can read details about our beliefs in the paragraphs below or download a copy here. If you have any questions please contact us.
What We Believe
I. Of the Scriptures
We believe the Scriptures, both the Old and New Testaments, to be the verbally inspired Word of God; without error in the original writings, and that they are the only supreme and final authority in faith and life.
1. By “Scriptures” we mean the Holy Bible consisting of sixty-six books, from Genesis to Revelation, which as originally written does not only contain and convey the Word of God, but is the very Word of God.
2. By “inspired” we mean that the books of the Bible were written by holy men of old, as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. Peter 1:21; 2 Timothy 3:16,17
II. Of the True God
We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Genesis 1:1; John 10:30; Matthew 28:19; Romans 8:9-11
III.Of Satan
We believe that Satan is literal and personal, the agent of the fall of man, the prince and power of this world and that he shall be judged and eternally punished.
Ephesians 2:1-4; Revelations 20:1-10; Acts 5:3; Genesis 3:14,15
IV. Of The Fall of Man
We believe that man was created in the image of God, that he sinned and thereby incurred not only physical death but also spiritual death, which is separation from God, and that all human beings are born with a sinful nature and are therefore under just condemnation to eternal ruin without defence or excuse.
Genesis 2:17; Psalms 51:5; 58:3; Romans 1:20; 5:12-21
V. Of The Virgin Birth
We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten by the Holy Spirit; was born of Mary, a virgin, and that He is both the Son of God, and God, the Son. Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:1-25; Colossians 2:9
VI. Of The Atonement for Sin
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice and that all who believe in Him are justified on the ground of His shed blood. Romans 5:8,9; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 1:18,19; 2:24
VII. Of The Freeness of Salvation
We believe that all who truly repent of their sins and believe on and receive, by faith, the Lord Jesus Christ are born again of the Holy Spirit, and are thereby children of God and are eternally saved: that the blessings of salvation are made free to all by the gospel and that nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner on earth but his own inherent depravity and voluntary rejection of the gospel. Romans 3:3; 5:24; Galatians 3:24-26; 1 John 5:13
VIII. Of The Holy Spirit
We believe that every Christian is indwelt by the Holy Spirit at the very moment he believes in Christ for salvation: that His work is to convict of sin, of judgment and or righteousness; that He bears witness to the Truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony; that He is the agent in the New Birth; and that there is a definite need to be filled with the Holy Spirit, as a result of yielding completely to Him. We believe that the Supernatural sign gifts of Tongues, healers, and raising from the dead, are no longer valid. These disappeared in the first century when the Word of God was completed. We believe that the new prosperity Gospel teaching is false. We believe that the offices of the Apostles and of prophets are no longer valid. The church, under the leadership of the Holy Spirit and it’s appointed leadership, are to teach the scriptures with good exposition and not according to the popular beliefs and fads of the day. Romans 8:9; Ephesians 1:13,14; 4:30; 5:18; 1 Thess. 5:19
IX. Of The Church
We believe that a New Testament church is a body of baptized believers, associated by a covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel, assembled for worship, service, and the spreading of that Gospel into all the world; that it is the highest organization taught in the Scriptures, and that therefore it has the right of self-government, but that it is scriptural for true churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the Gospel. Matthew 28:19,20; Act 1:8; 1 John 1:3
X. Of Baptism And The Lord's Supper
We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion in water of a believer; in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, by the authority of the local church; showing our faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Savior, with its effect in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life; that it has no saving power, and that the new birth (see #VII) is the requirement for baptism; it is a prerequisite to the privilege of church membership, and the Lord’s Supper, in which the members of the church, by the use of bread and the fruit of the vine, commemorate together the Lord’s death until He returns. Acts 2:38; Romans 6:1-5; Acts 2:41,42; 1 Corinthians 11:23-28
XI. Of The Resurrection and Return of Christ
We believe in the bodily resurrection of our Lord on the third day, His bodily ascension into heaven and His bodily presence there for us as High Priest and Advocate. We believe in the imminent, bodily, premillennial return of Christ; that He will come first to take all believers out of the world; and that He will come to the earth later to reign for a thousand years. We believe in the bodily resurrection of the dead, both the just and the unjust, the eternal punishment of the lost, and the eternal joy of the saved. Acts 1:9-11;1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Hebrews 7:25; 1 John 2:1,2; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1Corinthians 15:51; Revelation 20:4
XII. Of Missions
The command to give the Gospel to the world is clear and unmistakable and this Commission was given to the churches. Matt. 28:18-20, “And Jesus came and spoke unto them saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and, lo l am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” Mark 16:15, “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” John 20:21, “Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.”
XIII. Of Civil Government
We believe that civil government is appointed by God, for the interests and good order of human society; that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed; except only in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ. Rom. 13:7; 2 Sam. 23:3; Acts 23:5; Matt. 22:21; Tit. 3:1; 1 Pet. 2:13,14; 1 Pet. 2:1