Welcome to Mercy Reformed Baptist Congregation of SWINDON, England, United Kingdom

We are new to this endeavour of Blogger and hope to share with you our Convictions and the Hope that we have in our Triune LORD: Father, Son-Jesus Messiah (Christ) and Holy Spirit, who is Himself in Jesus the fulfilment of the Redeemer of believing Spiritual Israel and all His people who love Him in spirit and truth.

Statements of Faith Confessed and Practiced:

a) The 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith

( http://www.reformedreader.org/ccc/1689lbc/english/1689econtents.htm );

b) The Five Doctrines of Grace as essential Doctrines of Salvation

(This being the test of True Christian Unity and a Non- negotiable);

c) We are a NON-Charismatic Cessationist Congregation;

d) We are strongly opposed to seeking unity, in any matter, with any Apostate human religions (Those who add, by any means, works, deeds, actions or human effort; to the Gift of grace, repentance and Faith; unto salvation).

Ministries:

Bible Study, Prayer Meetings, Daily Bible Study and Devotional time, Active Evangelism, Visitation (Where possible), Disabled Ministry, Correspondence Ministry and Networking with likeminded ministries across the Globe.

Currently affiliated with: Whitley Wood Reformed Baptist Church – READING, UK

http://www.wwrbc.org.uk/beliefs.htm

We are currently in the process of applying to network with the Fellowship of Independent Reformed Evangelicals (FIRE) http://firefellowship.org/about.shtml and SOLA5 of southern Africa http://www.sola5.org/categories/About-Sola-5/ .

Accessibility:

We have complete access for Wheelchair users as the Caretaker is sometimes reliant on his own wheelchair.

We should be grateful to help those with hearing or visual impediments; please ask or give us pointers if you have concerns or ideas.

We have a desire to lead children in the Congregation to the knowledge of Messiah Jesus, by the work of the Spirit and would be needful for servants who are gifted in this area; as we have no experience herein.

We are prayerfully looking to seek the leading of our LORD about calling a Pastor-Elder, once this work is able to support the man that our LORD will call (DV).

We affirm the Biblical fact that there in no racial distinctions; but that our LORD Jesus has made all Nations from One Blood in our first parent Adam:

Acts 17:26

“And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation…”

We speak both Afrikaans and English and from what we are told Flemish is also not a problem, though Dutch presents a slightly difficult task. The Caretaker (Who speaks the aforementioned languages, has a small Sotho and Zulu vocabulary, which is dying out due to disuse). We would love to learn more languages…

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We worship our Triune LORD: Father, Son and Spirit of grace and truth according to Biblical principles as they are given in the Original texts of the Hebrew Scriptures (Tanakh - also known as the Old Testament) and the New Testament of Messiah Jesus and His chosen Apostles, as inspired by the Spirit of our LORD.

As you have already noted by now we hold certain convictions relating to the Godhead, His Persons and their works in our behalf and for His own glory that are founded on the Holy Scriptures.

We believe that our Creator God is Himself the Truth and that truth is an essential part of His character. Therefore justice and mercy are also characteristic of His Person and of our desire and pattern of life, when regenerated by His power.

Therefore it is our desire to grow in the knowledge and in confession and practice of the truth; as revealed by His Spirit through the Scriptures Alone.

We understand that all men; no matter how devout and knowledgeable or learned; are by nature fallible due to the Radical Corruption we have all experienced in our hearts and actions since birth. Therefore we discern all Teaching (Also known as Doctrine); by the Standard that He has gifted and revealed unto us; by His Devine mercy and grace which has been seen in Christ and His word to us as the Complete and Solely Sufficient Authoritive Oracle of our LORD as Christ Fulfils the Prophetic witness by His Spirit in His Apostles of Old.

We affirm as the foundation of the Historical Bible Christian Faith the following:

1) The Five Sola's (Onlys) of the Historic Biblical Reformation;

• Solus Christus (Christ/Messiah Alone)
• Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone)
• Sola Gratia (Grace Alone)
• Sola Fide (Faith Alone)
• Soli Deo Gloria - YAHWEH (For the Glory of God/ Elohim Alone)

Five Solas (Only’s/Alone’s) of the Reformation

In January and February 2008, the founder of Sola Scriptura Ministries and pastor-teacher of Grace Bible Church preached a six-message series on the key tenets of the Reformation, which are also the very pillars of Christianity itself.

http://www.thescripturealone.com/5SolasOfTheReformation.htm

2) The Five Doctrines of Grace;

Although also referred to as The Five Points of Calvinism (TULIP), these are simply five key teachings found in the Bible that were written down as articles by the Synod of Dort in 1610. This was done to counter the five articles published by the followers of a man named James Arminius that were at variance with the Bible.

These five articles underline the vitally important truth that God is in control of all things, not man; that God is the source of salvation; and that men and women can do nothing to save themselves. They glorify God, not man, and emphasize our total dependence as guilty sinners on the mercy and grace of God for salvation. It is the belief … that they form the foundation of true biblical Christianity.

(Much of the following is based with grateful acknowledgement on an article written by Malcolm H. Watts ...)

The Five Doctrines of Grace

1. Radical Corruption (Total Depravity)

The Scriptures clearly teach that the effects of sin have extended to all parts of our being, rendering us incapable of spiritual understanding and love towards God. Despite the heading of this first article, it does not indicate that all people are as wicked as they could possibly be in all areas of belief and practice. However, sin has so fully and deeply affected our lives that, spiritually speaking, we are in a totally hopeless condition, unable to do anything to get ourselves out of this fallen state.

Our natural spiritual incapacity prevents us from being able to respond by our own strength to the call of the gospel message, yet this does not remove our guilt. We choose to follow the natural inclinations of our depraved hearts because when left to ourselves that is all we want to do.

Scripture references:

Ephesians 4:18; 1 Corinthians 2:14; Romans 1:30; John 15:25; Luke 19:14; John 5:40; Isaiah 5:20; Titus 1:15; Deuteronomy 32:18; Hebrews 2:1; John 12:39; John 6:44 & 65; John 3:18.

2. Sovereign (Unconditional) Election

God has shown us in his Word that from eternity past he has elected some sinners to be saved from the condemnation that is justly deserved by all, purely on account of his gracious mercy and love, not because of any foreseen merits in those sinners. Because of the fact of total depravity, salvation must originate with God, and we read in the Bible that it is God's sovereign will alone that has determined the recipients of that salvation.

This doctrine does not render God unjust, for all are guilty and all deserve to suffer God's judgment. Rather, it emphasises the grace (Mercy) of God by the fact that he has chosen some for salvation.

Scripture references:

Psalm 65:4; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; Romans 9:11; Ephesians 1:4-5 & 9 & 11; Romans 11:5; Romans 9:15 & 23; Psalm 103:11; 1 Peter 1:2-3; 1 Thessalonians 5:9; Jonah 2:9.

3. Definite Atonement (Particular Redemption/Limited Atonement)

Put simply, Christ died only to save the elect, securing with absolute certainty their salvation. This is not to teach that there is anything lacking in the power of God, perhaps suggesting that he is not able to save all men. Rather, God's Word indicates that it was the Father's intention that his Son was to suffer and die only for his chosen people, atoning for their sins alone. Christ's atonement was limited only in extent, not in power, according to the sovereign will of God.

In the Bible we read that the Lord's servant (Jesus) would see the results of his work (his atoning sacrifice) and "be satisfied" (Isaiah 53:11). But also, Jesus stated plainly that there are many who are heading for eternal destruction (Matthew 7:13). We can only reconcile these two statements if we understand that Christ died only for a limited number of people - for God's elect.

Scripture references:

Acts 20:28; John 3:14 & 15; Galatians 1:4-5; Revelation 13:8; John 6:38-39; John 17:9-10 & 24; John 10:11; 1 Peter 2:21; Romans 5:8-10; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; Romans 8:33-34; Luke 1:68; Revelation 5:9; Isaiah 53:11.

4. Effectual Grace (Irresistible Grace)

When the gospel is preached, an invitation is issued by the Lord to all people to come to him for salvation. However, as the first article clearly states, the natural state of all people renders them incapable of responding to this invitation, except to reject it. So when God calls an elect sinner to repentance and faith in Christ Jesus, he does so by sending his Holy Spirit to work a great change in that sinner's heart, enabling them to see their sin and their need of a saviour and leading them to put their faith in Christ alone for salvation. The Lord, by his Spirit, irresistibly draws his elect to himself, raising them to spiritual life and making them willing to trust in Jesus.

Scripture references:

Matthew 11:28-30; John 6:37; Matthew 23:37; John 5:40; Ephesians 1:12 & 19; Ezekiel 11:19-20; Psalm 110:3; 2 Thessalonians 1:11.

5. Preservation of the Redeemed (Perseverance of the Saints)

Once God has saved elect sinners, he continues to keep and preserve them by his power and grace and will never let them go. Thus, they persevere to the end and can never be lost. If God did not do this, we would inevitably turn back again to the world, because of the sin that is around us and within us. Thus God enables his children to continue in faith and obedience throughout their earthly lives, then to pass into God's presence forever.

This doctrine is not to be taken as a license to go on sinning, as if the believer is free to act in any way he chooses now that he is eternally secure in Christ Jesus. The true believer will show signs of a growing desire for holiness and an increasing loathing of sin. The one who attempts to use the grace of God as an excuse for sinful living is in all probability not a true believer, for where there is spiritual life; the fruit of the Spirit will become evident.

Scripture references:

1 Peter 1:5; James 4:6; Philippians 1:6 &19; John 6:39; John 10:28-29; Romans 8:38-39; Romans 8:8; Galatians 5:13-26.

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This article can be found at:

http://www.grace.org.uk/faith/calvin.html

Another useful short article that explains these Teaching may be found at following very reliable website:

http://www.reformedreader.org/t.u.l.i.p.htm

For more excellent materials for further study we recommend:

Evangelistic Calvinism (Why the Doctrines of Grace are GOOD NEWS) by Pastor John Benton available from Banner of Truth:

http://www.banneroftruth.org/pages/item_detail.php?5009

and

What is Reformed Theology? (Understanding the Basics) by Pastor R.C. Sproul (Snr.) available from BakerBooks.com or Ligonier ministries (DVD, CD, MP3 or Paperback):

https://store.ligonier.org/product.asp?idDept=D&idCategory=TH&idProduct=WHA01DC

https://store.ligonier.org/products.asp?keyword=what+is+reformed+theology&whichpage=1

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