Our Beliefs

We respect people's right to believe whatever they want and understand that some Christian beliefs and doctrines are not essential to salvation; that there will always be legitimate differences of opinion.

Nevertheless, we at Salem Chapel, Martin Top, believe the following:

The Bible:

We believe in the divine inspiration of Holy Scripture and its consequent entire trustworthiness and supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct.

The Trinity:

We believe that the Godhead exists co-equally and co-eternally in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit and that these three persons are one God, sovereign in creation, providence and redemption.

The Saviour:

We believe in the true and proper deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His real and complete humanity, in His sinless life, and in His authoritative teaching. In His substitutionary and atoning sacrifice through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, in His heavenly intercession and in His second advent to receive the Church.

The Holy Spirit:

We believe in the necessity of the work of God the Holy Spirit in the conviction of sin, repentance, regeneration and sanctification. Every believer has the Holy Spirit and that we must keep on being filled with Him.

Mankind:

We believe in the universal sinfulness, depravity and guilt of fallen humanity, making it subject to God's wrath and condemnation.

Salvation:

We believe in the substitutionary sacrifice of the incarnate Son of God, as the sole and all-sufficient ground of redemption from the guilt and power of sin, and from its eternal consequences in hell. We believe that the sinner is justified solely by the grace of God, through faith in Christ crucified and risen from the dead.

The Church:

We believe in the priesthood of all believers and that all who are regenerated by the Holy Spirit are members of Christ's Church. Membership of a Church at a local level is essential as part of our commitment to Christ and is necessary for spiritual nurturing, fellowship, worship and growth.

Ordinances:

We believe in the baptism of believers by immersion though we acknowledge that others sincerely believe in infant baptism. We believe in the commemoration of Christ's death by observance of the Lord's supper or communion; the bread and wine remain exactly as they are. Neither of these ordinances help us achieve salvation; they are merely symbols of what Christ has already done in and for us.

The Coming King:

We believe in the personal, physical and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to reign in power and glory.

The Future State:

We believe in the resurrection of the dead and in the final judgment of the world, the eternal conscious bliss of the righteous and the eternal conscious punishment of the wicked.

We are:

Evangelical: The Bible is the final authority in all matters of faith and conduct.

Congregational: Our church is independent and the decisions are made by our members, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, as directed by God's Word.

Protestant: We do not acknowledge the authority of the Pope or the traditions of men.