WHAT WE BELIEVE

GRACE CHURCH’S DOCTRINAL STATEMENT

We believe…

  1. Bible
    1. The sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments are the divinely inspired, infallible Word of God, without error in the original manuscripts, and God’s complete written revelation to humankind. The Bible is sufficient and trustworthy for life, faith, conduct, and practice, and is the supreme and final authority in all matters to which it speaks.
  2. God
    1. Essential Nature– God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. He eternally exists in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and are one God.
    2. Father – God the Father is a living spiritual being, infinite, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power, love; He is righteous and compassionate, just and merciful. He concerns himself in the affairs of humanity, He hears and answers prayer, and He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ.
    3. Son – Jesus is the eternal Son of God equal with the Father and Holy Spirit in essence, nature, power and glory. He was born in this world of a virgin so that, becoming the perfect God-man, He might become the perfect sacrifice for humanities’ sin. He lived a perfect sinless life and gave His life as a substitute on the cross for humanity to pay for our sins. After three days, He rose bodily from the dead and later ascended to heaven where He is seated at the right hand of God the Father as our Advocate.
    4. Holy Spirit – The Holy Spirit is equal with the Father and the Son in essence, nature, power and glory. His ministry is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ, to implement Christ’s work of redeeming the lost, and to empower the believer for godly living and service. The Holy Spirit distributes spiritual gifts to believers as He wills both to accomplish God’s will and to benefit the church. No specific gift signifies His baptism or filling nor does any gift provide authoritative revelation beyond what has already been revealed in the Bible. Life in the Spirit includes trials and does not guarantee physical health, material wealth, or confirming outward signs.
  3. Humanity
    1. Creation – God originally created human beings, both male and female, in the image of God and free from sin. God’s intention in the creation of humanity was that they should glorify God and enjoy perfect relationship with Him.
    2. Sin – All people are sinners by nature and choice and are spiritually dead, which means they are separated from God. God is loving and gracious but because of His holiness and justice He cannot endure sin. The Bible defines sin as not being or doing what God requires in His Word.
    3. Human Relationships – Humanity has great value in God’s eyes and was created as male and female. Marriage is exclusively the sacred and legal union of one male and one female as described in the Bible. God’s design for the continuance of humanity is through the procreation of children within the bounds of marriage. Legitimate sexual relations are exercised solely within biblical marriage.
  4. Salvation
    1. Salvation is based upon the grace of God, was purchased solely by Christ on the cross, and is received through faith apart from human effort, merit or ritual. Salvation is maintained by the grace and power of God, not by the self-effort of the believer therefore salvation cannot be lost.
  5. Church
    1. Nature – The local church consists of a company of believers in Jesus Christ who have voluntarily joined together for worship, instruction, fellowship and service as a local expression of the larger body of Christ.
    2. Ordinances – There are two ordinances given by our Lord Jesus Christ for the church:
      1. Baptism is the immersion of a believer following their credible confession of faith; it is an outward picture of that faith in Christ’s work on the cross.
      2. Communion is a remembrance of Christ’s death recognizing that the elements are only symbols of His body and blood.
    3. Last Things
      1. There is a future bodily resurrection of the saved and the lost. The final judgment will result in the eternal existence of all people in either heaven and eternal reward (based on faith in Christ alone) or hell and eternal punishment (based on rejection of Jesus Christ).
      2. One day Jesus will return in the clouds to gather His church. He will also bodily and visibly return to earth to establish His kingdom for a thousand year reign. All believers will then live in the presence of God forever.

 

  1. Church & Government
    1. The local church is a self-governing body and must be free from interference by any political or ecclesiastical authority. Recognizing the interdependence of the Body of Christ, we may cooperate and partner with other churches and ministries of like faith and practice as opportunity arises within the vision of the church.
 
 

Scripture References:

  1. Bible –
    1. Psalm 19:7-11; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Hebrews 4:12; 2 Peter 1:19-21; Psalm 119; Isaiah 55:11; Matthew 5:18
  2. God –
    1. Essential Nature – Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 3:16-17; Matthew 28:19; Ephesians 4:4-6; Titus 3:4-7; 2 Corinthians 13:14
    2. Father – Exodus 34:6-7; Psalm 145:8-9; John 3:16; John 4:34; John 14:26; Hebrews 12:9; 1 John 2:1
    3. Son – Isaiah 53; Matthew 1:20-21; John 1:1-18; Romans 5:18-19; 1 Corinthians 15:3-5; 2 Corinthians 5:19,21; Ephesians 1:22-23; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 1:18; Hebrews 7:25; Revelation 19:11-16
    4. Holy Spirit – Acts 5:1-4; Genesis 1:2; 1 Peter 1:20-21; John 3:5-8; John 16:7-9; Romans 8:2; 1 Corinthians 2:10; Ephesians 1:13; Ephesians 4:30; 1 Corinthians 6:19; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Acts 1:8
  3. Humanity –
    1. Creation – Genesis 1:26-30; Genesis 2:7; Genesis 2:21-24; Psalm 8:1-9; Psalm 139:13-16
    2. Sin – Genesis 3:1-24; Romans 3:10-20; Romans 5:12-19; Psalm 51:5; Romans 3:23
    3. Human Relationships – Genesis 1:27-28; Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:1-12; 1 Corinthians 6:18; Galatians 5:18-21; Romans 1:24-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Matthew 5:27-28
  4. Salvation –
    1. John 1:12; John 3:16-18; Isaiah 53:4-6; Romans 3:22-26; Romans 6:23; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; 2 Corinthians 5:14-21; Ephesians 2:1-10; Titus 3:4-7; Acts 4:12; Acts 16:31
  5. Church –
    1. Nature – Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 2:41-47; Ephesians 4:11-16; Hebrews 10:19-25; Matthew 16:18; Colossians 1:24: Ephesians 5:23; 1 Corinthians 3:16-17
    2. Ordinances – Matthew 28:19; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; Matthew 3:13-17; Matthew 26:26-30
  6. Last Things –
    1. Matthew 24:1-51; 1 Corinthians 3:10-15; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11; Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 20:1-3; Revelation 20:11-15
  7. Church & Government –
Romans 13:1-7; 1 Timothy 2:1-2; Matthew 22:15-22; 1 Peter 2:13-17; Acts 15:1-35