The Bible is the inspired, inerrant, infallible word of God. This includes both the Old and the New Testaments. The doctrine of inspiration is expressly taught in scripture (II Timothy 3:16; II Peter 1:19-20) and applies to the original manuscripts. The Bible was written by men and authored by God, who guided them by His Holy Spirit to accurately write every word that He intended to be written, and it is our authoritative guide for faith and practice.
The debate over which English translation of the bible should be used is a matter of much confusion and contention in the church today. We at Cornerstone Baptist church teach that the Word of God was inspired in the original documents penned by the Apostles. Although those documents no longer exist, God, in His providence, preserved His word through the many Greek, Hebrew manuscripts of those originals. Godly, intelligent scholars of God's word have translated those manuscripts into various languages throughout history.
We recommend and use a reliable translation, such as the KJV, NKJV, NASB, or ESV. There are many translations that are not reliable and should be avoided. For a list of such translations see What to expect.
II Timothy 3:16, II Peter 1:21
We teach that there is one God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
We teach that man was created in the image of God and was originally without sin. Because of the sin of Adam, all men are now sinners both by nature and by choice. Man is unable to remedy his own lost condition.
Romans 3:10-19; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23
We teach that salvation is a free gift from God to man. Salvation cannot be earned or deserved through good works. Salvation from the eternal punishment of God for sin in hell is only attained by trusting in Jesus Christ alone by faith.
Ephesians 2:8,9; John 3:16; John 1:12-14
The church is what scripture refers to as the "Bride" or "Body of Christ." The church means people, not a building or denomination. The church consists of all those who, by the Spirit, have been born into the family of God (1 Cor. 12:13; 1 Peter 1:3). The term church in scripture has several possible meanings, depending on the context: the universal Body of Christ throughout the world (Matt. 16:18; 1Cor. 10:32; Col. 1:18), a group of believes in a particular city or region (Acts 8:1; 13:1; 9:31), or churches meeting in individual's homes (Rom. 16:5; 1 Cor. 16:19).
We teach that Satan is a person, a fallen angel, and the author of sin (Isa. 14:12-15). He is the father of lies (John 8:44). The scriptures declare that Satan disguises himself and his evil plans in a cloak of righteousness (2 Cor. 11:14). He has great but limited power to thwart God's sovereign plans and afflict God's people (Job 1:7-15). One day, he will be cast into the "Lake of fire," there to suffer forever and ever the just punishment for his rebellion towards God (Rev. 20:10).
We teach that one day, Jesus Christ will return for His church. This will take place by the rapture of all those who have been saved (1 Thess 4:13-18). This will signify the end of the church age and mark the beginning of the Great Tribulation period (1 Thess. 1:10; 5:1-9). After the Great Tribulation, Christ will come again and establish the Millennial Kingdom on Earth (Rev. 20:4-6). Our position on Eschatology is Pre-Tribulational and Pre-Millennial.