Statements of Faith
The Trinity...
We believe There is only one God, infinitely
perfect and eternally existing in three distinct persons: the Father, Son and
Holy Spirit. God is all-powerful, all-knowing, self-sufficient, unchanging and
sovereign over all things.
(Genesis 1:31, 2,18:14; Lev. 19:2; Deuteronomy 32:4; Job 12:23, 34:14-15, 36:26,
37:16; Psalm 8, 11, 18:30, 22:28, 33:11, 33:6, 50:10-12, 71:22, 90:2, 90:4,
99:9, 102:25-27,103:19, 104, 115:3,119:1, 135:6, 139; Proverbs 16:33; Isaiah
6:4, 40:25, 28-29, 43:6-7, 46:9-11; Daniel 4:35; Zephaniah 3:17-18; Malachi 3:6,
Matthew 3:16-17, 5:48, 6:26, 10:29-30, 28:19; John 1:1-3, 3:35, 14:6, 24, 17:24;
Acts 4:24,17:24-25; Romans 5:8, 8:28, 11:33-36; Ephesians 1:11-12, 2:10,
3:20-21; Hebrews 1:3, 4:13, 11:3, 13:8; James 1:17;1 Peter 1:1-2; 1 John 4:8-10;
Revelation 1:8, 4:8, 11, 15:4)
Jesus Christ...
We believe Jesus is the eternal, sinless Son
of God, who exists simultaneously as fully God and fully man. He was conceived
by the Holy Spirit, and born of the virgin Mary. He lived a perfect, sinless
life and died on the cross as a sacrifice for the sins of humanity, arose bodily
from the dead, and ascended into heaven, where He is now our advocate and
intercessor. He will come again to judge all humanity, reconcile all things to
Himself, renew all creation, and establish His everlasting kingdom. Forgiveness
and a right relationship with God comes by His grace alone, through faith alone,
in Jesus Christ alone. He is the head of His body, the Church, to be worshipped,
adored, loved and obeyed by all.
(Luke 24:39; John 1:1-3, 14 17:3, 8; I Corinthians 15:20-26; Galatians 4:4-5;
Ephesians 4:14-15; Philippians 2:5-9; Colossians 1:15-17; 1 Thessalonians
4:16-18; Hebrews 2:14-15; 1 Peter 3:17; 1 John 4:9-10)
The Bible...
We believe The Bible is the only inspired,
infallible, authoritative, inerrant and eternal written Word of God. God has
preserved His Word and it is to be carefully studied, applied, obeyed, and
shared by individuals and the Church.
(Deuteronomy 18:18-22; Psalm 119:72, 97, 103; Isaiah 40:8; 55:10-11; 66:1-2;
Matthew 4:3-4; 5:18; Luke 24:44-45; Acts 20:32; 1 Corinthians 15:57-58; 1
Timothy 3:14-16; 2 Timothy 1:13-14; 2:15; 3:16-17; 4:2; Titus 1:1-3; Hebrews
1:1-2; 4:12; James 1:22-25; 2 Peter 1:21; 1 John 1:1-4)
The Gospel...
We believe Jesus Christ is the Gospel. The
Good News of God’s sovereign, saving grace is revealed in His incarnation,
sinless life, substitutionary death, victorious bodily resurrection and coming
reign over His kingdom. Jesus Christ is the only mediator between God and man.
Salvation is found in Jesus Christ alone. Christ’s death completely satisfies
the demands of God’s holy justice and wrath toward sin, while demonstrating His
unending love and amazing grace toward sinners. The Gospel is central to our
existence, purpose and future as His body, the Church.
(Matthew 18:11; Mark 1:1; Luke 24:47; John 1:14, 14:6; Acts 4:10-12; Romans
1:1-4, 3:21-27, 5:6, 8,10,10:13-15; 1 Corinthians 15:3-5; 2 Corinthians
4:4, 5:21; Ephesians 2:1-10; Colossians 1:13; 15+, 1 Timothy 2:5; 2 Timothy
3:14-15; Hebrews 1:1-4, 2:3, 10:26-28;1 Peter 1:10-12; 1 John 4:10)
Salvation...
We believe Salvation by the regeneration and
renewal of the Holy Spirit is an act of God, whereby God, in His unfathomable
grace, declares righteous undeserving sinners, justifying those who trust in the
saving power of Jesus Christ alone. Salvation is by grace alone, through faith
alone, in Jesus Christ alone, for the glory of God alone. God calls all
humankind to repent and trust in His Son, the Savior King. Biblical repentance
is characterized by turning from sin and dead works to a genuine trust in the
person and saving work of Jesus Christ.
(Romans 3:21-26, 5:1, 10:1-3, 9, 11:33-36; 2 Corinthians 5:14-21; Ephesians
2:8-9; 2 Timothy 1:9; Hebrews 2:3, 5:11-6:1; Romans 3:21-26, 10:1-13; 2
Corinthians 5:14-21; Ephesians 2:8-10; Philippians 3:8-9; Titus 3:3-7)
Humankind...
We believe God created humankind, male and
female, in His own image, as the pinnacle of His created order. Humanity was
created to glorify, love and enjoy relationship with God forever as the stewards
of His creation. Humankind, tempted by Satan, rebelled against God through sin.
As a result, all human beings are alienated from God and corrupted in every
aspect of their being. All humans are lost, blind and dead in their sin, under
the just judgment and wrath of God and in desperate need of His saving grace.
(Genesis 1:26-31; Jeremiah 17:9, Luke 19:10; John 9:39; Romans 5:8,10, 7:18;
Ephesians 2:1-3, 4:18-19; Colossians 1:26)
Marriage...
We believe God gave and ordained marriage for
the blessing of humankind and for His glory. Marriage is intended to be a
picture of the eternal covenant relationship between Christ and His Church.
Marriage is the foundation and primary building block of the human family and
society. Because God created male and female, in His own image, to compliment
one another, we believe marriage is only defined between one biological man and
one biological woman. Sexual intimacy is a God-given gift intended by Him to be
fully enjoyed in the context and life-long commitment of the marriage
relationship. Singleness is affirmed by God and ordained by Him for some
individuals. Those who are single in our local church body are recognized as
equally vital to the life of our church as those who are married.
(Genesis 1:28, 2:18, 24; Mark 10:6-7; Romans 11:36; 1 Corinthians 7:3-5, 7,
32-34; Ephesians 5:21-33; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8; Hebrews 13:4)
Sanctification...
We believe sanctification is the life-long
work of God in believers by which those who trust in Him grow in holiness and
are conformed to the character of Jesus Christ. Sanctification begins at the
moment of salvation with the giving of spiritual life, and continues by the
presence and power of the Holy Spirit through an ever-deepening understanding
of, application of, and obedience to our relationship with Jesus Christ in every
area and circumstance of our lives. Glorification is the promised completion of
our sanctification at the moment we meet Jesus at our death or upon His glorious
return.
(John17:17; Acts 20:32; Romans 6:1-14, 8:18-19, 29-30; 2 Corinthians 3:18,
6:18-7:1; Galatians 2:20, 3:1-3, 5:22-23; Ephesians 2:19-22, 4:1, 4:15, 6:10-18;
Philippians 1:6, 27, 2:12-13, 3:13-14; Colossians 1:9-14, 3:4; 1 Thessalonians
3:13, 5:23; 2 Thessalonians 2:13, 17, 3:12-13; Titus 2:11-12; Hebrews 10:24-25,
11:6, 12:1-2, 12:23, 13:9; 1 Peter 1:1-2,14-16, 2:5, 9, 3:18; 2 Peter 3:17-18;
I John 3:1-3)
The Church...
We believe God, by His Word and Spirit, has
established and continues to establish His Church as He calls sinful humans out
of darkness and into the marvelous light of the fellowship of His family. He
is and will remain faithful to guide, grow and preserve His Church. The
universal Church, the global body of Christ, consists of all those who trust the
person and work of Jesus Christ in all times, places and locations. A believer’s
inclusion in the universal Church is expressed through regular worship with,
service in, commitment and accountability to a local church body. We believe the
local church is God’s primary means for spreading His good news in the world.
God raises up and gifts a plurality of leaders to serve and care for the local
church.
(Matthew 16:18; Acts 2:41, 16:31, 20:17-34; 1 Corinthians 3:7-8; Ephesians 2:19;
1 Timothy 3:1-7,15; Hebrews 12:1, 13:7; 1 Peter 2:9-10, 4:10, 5:1-3)
Baptism...
We believe water baptism is the command of
Christ for all those who trust the Gospel. Baptism is not a saving work, but an
expression of faith. Baptism is an outward sign of an inward spiritual
transformation, a visual picture of a believer’s union with Christ in His death,
burial, and resurrection.
(Psalm 51:2, Matthew 4:4, 26:26-29, 28:18-20; Luke 22:19-20; John 5:39-40,
6:53-57,17:17; Acts 2:38, 8:36-39,10:44-48, 16:15, 30-33, 20:32, 22:16; Romans
6:3-4; 1 Corinthians 1:17-31, 2:1-2, 10:16-17, 11:23-26; 2 Corinthians 4:5-6;
Galatians 3:27; Colossians 2:12; 1 Timothy 4:11-16; 2 Timothy 2:15, 3:14-16,
4:1-4; Hebrews 4:12-13; I Peter 1:22-2:10)
Communion/The Lord’s Supper...
We believe the Lord’s Supper (communion) is
to be enjoyed regularly by all those who trust in Jesus Christ as Savior. The
Lord’s Supper symbolizes the giving of Christ’s body and the shedding of His
blood on our behalf. As we enjoy the Lord’s Supper together by faith, we
remember and proclaim Christ’s sacrificial death, receive spiritual nourishment,
are encouraged in hope, and signify our unity with the members of the family of
God.
(Psalm 51:2, Matthew 4:4, 26:26-29, 28:18-20; Luke 22:19-20; John 5:39-40,
6:53-57,17:17; Acts 2:38, 8:36-39,10:44-48, 16:15, 30-33, 20:32, 22:16; Romans
6:3-4; 1 Corinthians 1:17-31, 2:1-2, 10:16-17, 11:23-26; 2 Corinthians 4:5-6;
Galatians 3:27; Colossians 2:12; 1 Timothy 4:11-16; 2 Timothy 2:15, 3:14-16,
4:1-4; Hebrews 4:12-13; I Peter 1:22-2:10)
*These Statements of Faith do not exhaust the extent of our
beliefs. The Bible itself, as the inspired and infallible Word of God that
speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality, and the proper conduct
of humanity, is the sole and final source of all that we believe. For purposes
of Grace Bible Church's faith, doctrine, practice, policy, and discipline, our
Elder Team is the final interpretive authority on the Bible's meaning and
application.
