New Covenant Church

1689 Reformed Baptist Church in Auburn Hills, MI

Beliefs

This is a summary of the fundamental beliefs of New Covenant Church. As a Reformed Baptist church, we hold to the 1689 Second London Baptist Confession of Faith, and we invite you to review this historic confession for an in-depth look at our doctrinal positions. For more information, please see our article, “What is a Reformed Baptist Church?”

Core Doctrines

The Nature of God

  • The Triune God: There is one God, eternally existing in three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—each possessing all the attributes of deity. (1689 LBCF 2:3; Deuteronomy 6:4, Matthew 28:19)
  • God’s Sovereignty: God ordains all things according to His perfect will, bringing salvation to His people and glorifying Himself in all of history. (1689 LBCF 3:1; Isaiah 46:9-10, Romans 11:36)

Scripture and Authority

  • Inspiration: The Bible is the inspired Word of God, written by men under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is divinely authored and carries the authority of God Himself. (1689 LBCF 1:2; 2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:21)
  • Infallibility and Inerrancy: The Scriptures are infallible and without error in their original manuscripts. They are the perfect and trustworthy revelation of God’s will. (1689 LBCF 1:1; Psalm 19:7, John 17:17)
  • Final Authority: The Bible is the ultimate and sufficient authority in all matters of faith, life, and doctrine. Nothing is to be added to or taken from it, and it is to be interpreted by Scripture itself. (1689 LBCF 1:6; Isaiah 8:20, Acts 17:11)

Salvation and Grace

  • The Fall and Redemption: Humanity, created in God’s image, fell into sin through Adam, bringing alienation from God. Salvation comes only through God’s grace, received by repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. (1689 LBCF 6:1-2, 20:1-2; Romans 3:23, Ephesians 2:8-9)
  • The Work of Christ: Jesus Christ, fully God and fully man, lived a sinless life and died as the substitute for sinners, securing salvation for all who trust in Him. (1689 LBCF 8:2, 8:5; 1 Timothy 2:5, 1 Peter 2:24)
  • God’s Election: Before the foundation of the world, God chose His people by grace alone, not based on foreseen actions or merit. (1689 LBCF 3:5, 10:1-2; Ephesians 1:4-5, John 6:44)
  • The Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit regenerates hearts, draws sinners to Christ, sanctifies believers, and empowers the Church to fulfill the Great Commission. (1689 LBCF 10:1-2, 14:1; John 14:26, Romans 8:9)

The Church and The End of Times

  • The Church’s Mission: The Church exists to glorify God through worship, preaching the Gospel, and serving others. (1689 LBCF 26:1; 1 Corinthians 10:31, Matthew 28:19-20)
  • Sacred Ordinances: We observe two ordinances—baptism and the Lord’s Supper—which symbolize Christ’s death and resurrection and our union with Him. (1689 LBCF 28-30; Matthew 28:19, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26)
  • The Second Coming and Final Judgment: Jesus Christ will return to judge all humanity. Believers will enjoy eternal fellowship with God, while those who reject Christ will face eternal punishment. (1689 LBCF 31-32; Matthew 25:31-46, 2 Corinthians 5:10)

Distinctive Doctrines

Reformed Doctrine and Eschatology

  • The Doctrines of Grace: We affirm the five points of Calvinism—total depravity, unconditional election, limited atonement, irresistible grace, and perseverance of the saints. (1689 LBCF 9-17; Romans 8:28-30, Ephesians 2:1-10)
  • The Millennium: We hold an amillennial view, understanding Christ’s kingdom to be spiritual, presently established, and awaiting its consummation at His return. (1689 LBCF 32:1-3; Revelation 20:1-6)

Cessationism

  • Sign Gifts: We believe that miraculous sign gifts ceased with the close of the Apostolic age, though God may still work miraculously according to His will. (1689 LBCF 1:1, 5:3; Hebrews 2:3-4)

Church Governance and Participation

  • Male Leadership: In accordance with Scripture, we hold that the office of elder or pastor is reserved for qualified men. (1689 LBCF 26:8-9; 1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-9)
  • Every Member Evangelism: All believers are called to evangelize, sharing the Gospel with others as part of their Christian duty. (1689 LBCF 26:5; Matthew 28:19-20, Acts 1:8)

Family and Life Ethics

  • Sanctity of Life: We affirm the sanctity of all human life and reject practices like euthanasia and abortion, which are forms of murder. (1689 LBCF 24:1-2; Exodus 20:13, Psalm 139:13-16)
  • Marriage and Sexuality: We uphold the biblical definition of marriage as the lifelong covenant between one man and one woman. We reject homosexuality, transgenderism, and other deviations from God’s design for human sexuality. (1689 LBCF 25:1-2; Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19:4-6)