BIBLICAL DISTINCTIVES 

Who We Are:

• Calvary– Reflecting the cross of Jesus Christ which brought salvation to mankind (Philippians 2:8; Romans 5:8-10).
• Baptist - a historic name identified with a set of Biblical doctrines held by Bible-believing churches throughout the long history of Christianity.
• Church - an assembly of like-minded believers, organized to carry out the Lord’s Great Commission (Mt. 28:19-20).

We are independent Baptists. This means simply that our church is an independent and autonomous organization. We are not part of a denomination such as the Southern Baptist Convention or the American Baptist Convention. 
Where We Stand:
On Fundamentalism
Calvary Baptist stands unashamed for the fundamentals found within God’s Word. A fundamentalist is one who accepts the biblical doctrines commonly known as the "fundamentals," such doctrines as biblical inspiration, the total sinfulness of man, salvation by grace alone, the complete deity of Jesus Christ, His bodily resurrection from the dead, His literal return, and other truths historically held by orthodox Christians. We are opposed to modern religious liberalism, to neo-orthodoxy, and to other heretical views under whatever name they may appear. Though the term “fundamentalist” has been abused by many non-believers and believers alike, it simply means that we take the Bible literally and strive to practice it in our daily lives as God’s Word sets forth.
On Bible Translation *
Recognizing that honest differences of conviction exist among us regarding Bible texts and versions, we believe we should balance soul liberty with Christian charity in these matters, and therefore, agree not to magnify these differences. In recent year, some claiming to be evangelicals have advanced the idea that the Bible is inspired when It speaks on doctrinal matters, but contains errors in areas such as geography, history, and science. This position is heartily rejected. Because the King James Version is the greatest translation produced in the English language, we require the King James Version to be used in any preaching or teaching within our church. Our theological stand on the issue of Biblical translation is as follows:
A.  Revelation—We declare our belief that the Bible is special revelation from God.  Scripture repeatedly declares that God engaged in the work of communicating to man truth which otherwise man could not know. Scripture is not a book of human reasoning, nor is it a chronicle of the evolutionary development of man’s religious consciousness.  It is God’s message to humankind (Deut. 29:29; 1 Cor. 11:23; 15:3; 1 Pet. 1:12; 2 Pet. 2:21; Jude 3).
B.  Inspiration—We affirm the declaration of our doctrinal statement which states that we believe in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments alone as verbally plenarily inspired of God, without error in the original writings and the sole authority of faith and practice (2 Pet. 1:21; 2 Tim. 3:16, 17).
C.  Preservation—We believe God has promised in both the Old and New Testaments to preserve His Word as given to us in the original Hebrew/Aramaic and Greek texts (Ps.119:89; 152; 160; Heb. 2:1-4; 1 Pet. 1:23-25; 2 Pet. 1:19). By His providential care, we believe God has kept His Word pure down through the ages as He promised.
D. Illumination—Illumination is that influence or ministry of the Holy Spirit which enables all who are in right relation with God to understand the objective written revelation. The indwelling Holy Spirit teaches believers the truths of God’s revelation (1 Cor. 2:9-13).
On Premillennialism*
We believe pre-millennialism is vital to a true and consistent biblical position of end-time events.
Pre-millennialism is that system of thought which confesses a literal reign of Christ on Earth for one thousand years following His glorious, visible return to Earth. Premillennialists believe during this Kingdom period the promises given in the Old Testament to the nation Israel will be literally fulfilled. They will be restored to their land, and Christ, their Messiah, will rule over them (Genesis 12:1-3; Deut.30:1-10; 2 Sam.7:12-16; Jeremiah 31:31-34; Matthew 24:31; Zechariah 12:10-14).
We do not believe that the Bible supports the following 2 opposing views: 
Post-millennialists teach Christ's Kingdom will be inaugurated through the efforts of the church. After the Kingdom has been established, Christ will return. This system has experienced a revival in recent years through the writings of the "reconstructionists" or proponents of "dominion theology” We do not believe that Postmillennialism is supported by Scripture.
A-millennialists deny any literal and future reign of Christ on Earth and, while differing somewhat in their interpretations, generally see the promises of a kingdom fulfilled in the present-day church. This identification of the Church and Israel is also contrary to the plain teaching of Scripture.
On Dispensationalism *
Dispensationalists affirm certain basic truths.

• All Scripture, including the prophetic portions, should be interpreted literally, that is according to the grammatical-historical principles of biblical interpretation.
• There have been various stewardships (dispensations) during the history of man. It was man's responsibility to respond obediently to these different revelations of God's will.
• God has an eternal purpose for the nation Israel.
• The Church and Israel are separate entities with separate divinely-appointed programs (Romans 9:6; 1 Corinthians 10:32).
• There will be a future kingdom on Earth followed by the eternal state.

Dispensationalists reject that system known as "covenant theology." Most Covenant theologians equate Israel and the Church, spiritualize many of the prophetic portions of Scripture, and affirm that infants should be "baptized" (sprinkled) because infants were circumcised under the Old Testament covenant. We also reject Reformed theology that embrace the tenets of Covenant theology.
Dispensationalists also believe in the "blessed hope," the biblical teaching of the pretribulation rapture of the Church. We interpret the term "pretribulational" as referring to a rapture of the Church prior to the beginning of the seventieth week of Daniel. Christ will catch His Bride away before the inception of that awful time (7 years of tribulation) of judgment.
On the Gifts of the Spirit *
We reject the teaching by the charismatic movement that ALL of the spiritual gifts mentioned in the New Testament are operative today. They especially emphasize the use of certain miraculous gifts such as speaking in tongues and healing. Some also claim to have the gift of prophecy by which they receive extra-biblical revelation.
The Charismatic movement has embraced and is propagating heretical errors and is having a very disruptive impact upon the Christian world. Their contention that the miraculous sign gifts are still evident today is contrary not only to the teaching of Scripture but also to the historical position of Bible-believing Christians through the centuries. We believe that the gift of tongues, for example, was a "sign gift," that is, a gift divinely-bestowed and intended as a sign to the nation Israel authenticating the message and ministry of the apostles. The gift of tongues was never a sign of the baptism, nor filling of the Holy Spirit.
On the Baptist Distinctives
We stand unashamed to use the name "Baptist." This name, understood and interpreted in the light of its historical context, denotes a people who have held tenaciously to great biblical truths when many of these truths were disdained and those who held them were vilified and persecuted. We do not embrace these doctrines because they were taught by our Baptist forefathers, but because they are taught in God’s Word. While recognizing there are people calling themselves "Baptists" who are unfaithful to the historic doctrinal position associated with the name, we are unwilling to give up a designation which has both historic and biblical significance.
The biblical doctrines when grouped together are referred to as the "BAPTIST Distinctives" and are as follows:

• Biblical Authority: Sole authority of Scripture
• Autonomy of the local church & Saved church membership
• Priesthood of the believer
• Two ordinances of the church: Communion & Baptism 
• Individual Soul Liberty – No one is forced or coerced to believe as we do
• Two officers of the church: pastor and deacon
• Separation of Church and State

Obviously Baptists do not believe these principles constitute the sum total of divine revelation. They are, however, precious truths which have distinguished those people called "Baptists" for centuries and are still worthy of our joyful adherence.
On The Local Church
The word "church" is used in two ways in the New Testament. It sometimes speaks of the universal Body of Christ in which all believers are placed at their conversion. Most of its usages, however, refer to the local congregation, the visible body of believers gathered in a particular place for the worship of God, the observance of the ordinances, the evangelism of the world, and the teaching and preaching of God's Word. We believe that every Christian should be an active member of a biblical church.
A person must be a born-again Christian in order to qualify for church membership. There are only two ordinances committed to the local church: baptism and the Lord's Table. Baptism is the single immersion of a genuine believer in Christ and is required for church membership. We believe in the memorial view of the Lord’s Table or Communion as 1 Corinthians 11:24,25 sets forth…”in remembrance of me”. Though we have open communion, we believe the Scripture clearly teaches that those who participate must have a biblical profession of faith (1 Corinthians 10:16,17)
Each church is responsible to its Head, the Lord Jesus Christ. No organization or group of individuals can act for a local church nor impose their will upon it. Each church is free to follow the direction of the Spirit of God in supporting missionaries, calling pastors, and making other decisions relating to its work.
On Biblical Separation *
We believe in the separation of the local church from all affiliation and fellowship with those who deny the fundamentals and distinctives of the Christian faith and from those who are content to walk in fellowship with unbelief and inclusivism. We believe biblical separation includes more than separation from outright apostates. It also includes a refusal to work with true believers who compromise biblical principles in the name of Christian fellowship. We therefore biblically refuse to support or endorse anything related to the “purpose-driven” movement, “emergent church” movement, or any future movement that compromises the truth of God’s Word or attempts to manipulate the Truth of God’s Word. We reject any and all extra-biblical techniques or experiences (mystical, experiential, or other-wise) that attempt to bring a person ‘closer’ to God (Colossians 2:20-23; Romans 16:17,18; 2 Timothy 3:1,5-9,13-14; 2 Peter 2:1-3; 1 John 2:18-19).
The foundation of biblical separation is the holiness of God. "Be ye holy for I am holy" (1 Pet. 1:16). Separation from false doctrine is simply obedience to this command. Our holy God demands holy teaching. To be separated is to "touch not the unclean thing" (2 Cor. 6:17). Obedience in the matter of separated fellowship and work is part of "perfecting holiness in the fear of God" (2 Cor. 7:1).
Personal separation is also a corollary of biblical holiness. The believer is commanded in Scripture to be separated from the sinful practices of this world. We are not to be "conformed to this world" (Rom. 12:2). We are to have "no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness" (Eph. 5:11). We are to repudiate the world with its lusts (1 Jn 2:15-16). In this age of loose living, some may interpret personal godliness as being "legalistic." It is our desire not to be “legalistic”, but rather to seek to be godly in holy obedience (Titus 2:12).
On Worship and Music
We believe the purpose for both worship and music is to praise the Lord Jesus Christ and not man. We believe its sole purpose is to glorify God not the world. We refrain from using any music associated with the CCM (Contemporary Christian Music) movement. We believe that the Lord should get ALL the praise, ALL the glory, and ALL the honor, not the music or the musician(s). We do not believe in the use of “praise bands”, “praise teams”, or “interpretive expressions” in order to lead us in worship or song. We seek to sing biblical hymns of worship and praise that “feed” the spirit of redeemed man, not the flesh. We sing songs, hymns and spiritual songs that exalt the Lord Jesus Christ based upon the unchanging truths of God’s Word, not the changing fads of today’s culture or . It is our ultimate desire to “worship Him (God) in spirit and in truth” by acknowledging His “worthship” (Psalm 28:7; Colossians 3:16; Psalm 144:9; 1 Corinthians 14:15; Psalm 66:2; Hebrews 2:12; Ephesians 5:18-21; Galatians 5:16,24; John 4:24).
On Missions
We stress the New Testament work of soul winning and church planting. We seek to be faithful as a local church in obeying the Great Commission and in the supporting and sending of church planting missionaries around the world (Matthew 28:18-20; Romans 10:14-15).

* See “Statement of Faith” for further doctrinal explanation

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Church Ph: (415) 924-2250
P.O.Box 594
Larkspur, CA 94977
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