Bible: The Holy Bible was written by divinely inspired individuals and is God's revelation of Himself to humankind. It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter. All Scripture is a testimony to Christ, who is Himself the focus of divine revelation.

God: There is one living and true God. He is an intelligent, spiritual, and personal Being, the Creator, Redeemer, Preserver, and Ruler of the universe. The eternal triune God reveals Himself to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Jesus Christ: Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and in His substitutionary death on the cross He made provision for the redemption of men from sin. He was raised from the dead, ascended into heaven, and is now exalted at the right hand of God. He will return to consummate His redemptive mission. He now dwells in all believers as the living and ever present Lord.

Salvation: Salvation involves the redemption of the whole man, and is offered freely to all who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, who by His own blood obtained eternal redemption for the believer. There is no salvation apart from personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord. Those whom God has accepted in Christ, and sanctified by His Spirit, will never fall away from the state of grace, but shall persevere to the end.

Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, fully divine. He enables men to understand truth, and he exalts Christ. He convicts men of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. He calls men to the Savior, and effects regeneration. He cultivates Christian character, comforts believers, and bestows the spiritual gifts by which they serve God through His church.

Church: A New Testament church of the Lord Jesus Christ is a local congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel. The New Testament speaks also of the church as the Body of Christ which includes all of the redeemed of all the ages, believers from every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation.

Ordinances: Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer's faith in Christ. The Lord's Supper is a symbolic act of obedience whereby members of the church, through partaking of the bread and the fruit of the vine, memorialize the death of the Redeemer and anticipate His second coming.

First Baptist Matthews fully affirms the Southern Baptist Convention’s doctrinal statement called the "Baptist Faith & Message".