Riverside Church, Blandford, is part of Broadstone Baptist Church and affiliated with the FIEC. We adhere to this statement of faith:
God
There is one God, who exists eternally in three distinct but equal persons: the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Spirit. God is unchangeable in his holiness, justice, wisdom
and love. He is the almighty Creator, Saviour and Judge who sustains and governs
all things according to His sovereign will for His own glory.
The Bible
God has revealed Himself in the Bible, which consists of the Old and New
Testaments alone. Every word was inspired by God through human authors so that
the Bible as originally given is in its entirety the Word of God, without error and fully
reliable in fact and doctrine. The Bible alone speaks with final authority and is always
sufficient for all matters of belief and practice.
The Human Race
All men and women, being created in the image of God, have inherent and equal
dignity and worth. Their greatest purpose is to obey, worship and love God. As a
result of the fall of our first parents, every aspect of human nature has been
corrupted and all men and women are without spiritual life, guilty sinners and hostile
to God. Every person is therefore under the just condemnation of God and needs to
be born again, forgiven and reconciled to God in order to know and please Him.
The Lord Jesus Christ
The Lord Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man. He was conceived by the Holy
Spirit, born of a virgin, and lived a sinless life in obedience to the Father. He taught
with authority and all his words are true. On the cross he died in the place of sinners,
bearing God’s punishment for their sin, redeeming them by his blood. He rose from
the dead and in his resurrection body ascended into heaven where he is exalted as
Lord of all. He intercedes for his people in the presence of the Father.
Salvation
Salvation is entirely a work of God’s grace and cannot be earned or deserved. It has
been accomplished by the Lord Jesus Christ and is offered to all in the gospel. God
in his love forgives sinners whom he calls, granting them repentance and faith. All
who believe in Christ are justified by faith alone, adopted into the family of God and
receive eternal life.
The Church
The universal Church is the body of which Christ is the head and to which all who
are saved belong. It is made visible in local churches, which are congregations of
believers who are committed to each other for the worship of God, the preaching of
the Word, the administering of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper; for pastoral care and
discipline, and for evangelism. The unity of the body of Christ is expressed within
and between churches by mutual love, care and encouragement. True fellowship
between churches exists only where they are faithful to the gospel.
The Future
The Lord Jesus Christ will return in glory. He will raise the dead and judge the world
in righteousness. The wicked will be sent to eternal punishment and the righteous
will be welcomed into a life of eternal joy in fellowship with God. God will make all
things new and will be glorified forever.
Baptism and the Lord’s Supper
Baptism and the Lord’s Supper have been given to the churches by Christ as visible
signs of the gospel. Baptism is a symbol of union with Christ and entry into his
Church but does not impart spiritual life. The Lord’s Supper is a commemoration of
Christ’s sacrifice offered once for all and involves no change in the bread and wine.
All its blessings are received by faith.