Today, let’s continue our examination of the key findings from the study of the spiritual maturity of Kentucky Southern Baptists conducted by the Kentucky Baptist Convention and LifeWay Research. (See Spirtual Maturity Study: Key Findings, Part 1, and Part 2 for other key findings). In future posts, we will look closely at each major area of the study. Here are some of the key doctrinal findings from the study….
KEY DOCTRINAL FINDINGS
- The resurrection and the Second Coming are true. 93% of those surveyed said they believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross, physically raised from the dead, and will return a second time to gather believers to Himself.
- The devil is alive and well. 86% of Kentucky Baptists believe that Satan is a real being, not just a symbol of evil, and 84% believe that Hell is a real, literal place.
- The Bible is the Word of God. 90% said that the Bible is an authoritative source of truth and wisdom for dailing living. Similarly, 82% said that the Bible is the written word of God and is totally accurate in all that it teaches.
- Salvation questions produce mixed signals. 85% said that eternal salvation is available through grace alone and that there is nothing we can do to earn it. However, 55% said a person can obtain salvation through religions other than Christianity if they are sincerely seeking God.
- Eternal security doctrine not secure. The eternal security of the believer is the doctrinal area that needs the most work. 51% said that a person must continually work toward their salvation, or risk losing it.
