GRACE BIBLE CHURCH

Exists To

Our Statement of Faith

The word of god

We believe that the Bible, consisting solely of sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, is the Word of God, fully inspired and without error, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and that it has supreme and final authority in all matters of faith and conduct. (Isaiah 8:20; 2 Timothy 3:16-17)

God

We believe that there is only one true and living God, who is sovereign, eternal, self-existent, immutable, omniscient, omnipresent, holy, just, and loving. (Isaiah 44:6; Psalm 71:19)

We believe that He has revealed Himself in three distinct persons: God the Father; God the Son, Jesus Christ; and God the Holy Spirit. (Titus 3:4-6)

• God the Father

  • We believe in God the Father: an infinite, personal spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power, and love. We believe that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of mankind, and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ. (Hebrews 1:5-9; 12:5-10)

• God the Son

  • We believe that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man. He is eternal and shares all of the attributes of Deity with the Father and the Holy Spirit, as God's only begotten Son. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit. We believe in His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, and teachings. We believe in His substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension into Heaven, perpetual intercession for His people and personal, visible return to earth. (John 3:16-17; Hebrews 1:1-8; 1 Timothy 3:16)

• God the Holy Spirit

  • We believe the Holy Spirit is a person and shares all the attributes of Deity with the Father and the Son. He came forth from the Father and Son to testify of Jesus Christ. He convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. He regenerates, sanctifies, and empowers all who believe in Jesus Christ. He is an abiding Helper, Teacher, and Guide for all Christians. (John 14-16)

SALVATION

We believe salvation is entirely the work of God, not by the will or effort of man. We believe that mankind was created in holiness, but as the result of sin against God, all have fallen from that original estate, and have no ability to save themselves or contribute anything at all to their salvation. As a result, all of mankind is under the just condemnation of a most holy God. We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of God’s grace, provided exclusively and completely by the life, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We believe that, in order to be saved, sinners must be regenerated, or born again, by the Holy Spirit; and that as a result of regeneration God graciously gives those He is pleased to save both the desire and ability to believe in Christ and to repent of sin. Regeneration must precede faith and repentance, but will always be followed by faith and repentance. (Romans 9:15-16; Romans 5:12-14; Ephesians 2:1-10; Titus 2:11-3:7; Romans 3:23, 5:23, 5:6-8; John 3:3-8; Ezekiel 36:26-27; John 1:12-13; 2 Timothy 2:25)

THE CHURCH

We believe that the Church is the Body of Christ, of which Christ is Head. It consists of all regenerated persons. We believe in local churches as segments of the universal Body of Believers, and that it is the spiritual obligation of every believer to be united with a local church. We believe church members are to be accountable to one another and to the recognized leadership of the church. We believe that God has called the Church to evangelize the lost, and to act as a preserving and illuminating influence in the world. This calling can only be fulfilled under the guidance and in the power of the Holy Spirit. We believe that as individual believers need to be members of a local church, local churches need to be members of an association of like-minded churches. (Romans 12:4-5; Ephesians 1:22-23; Hebrews 10:24-25; Matthew 5:13-16; Hebrews 13:17; Acts 1:8; Colossians 4:16)

CHRISTIAN LIVING

We believe Christian living is marked by love for God and love for one’s fellow man. We believe that every Christian is to live a life worthy of the Lord, seeking to please Him, and growing in the grace and knowledge of God. Christians are to be strengthened with God’s glorious power, in patience, and joy, giving thanks always to God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ who has delivered us from spiritual darkness into light and given us the power to be children of God. Christians are called to be active members of a local church to encourage believers, and to be salt and light in the world, praying, and proclaiming the gospel that others may come to saving faith in Christ. (Matthew 22:36-40; Colossians 1:10-14; John 1:11-13; Acts 2:41-47; Matthew 5:13-16; 1 Corinthians 9:16)

ORDINANCES

We believe that the ordinances of the Lord’s Supper and water baptism for Believers are to be administered in the church as they are recorded in scripture. (Matthew 28:18-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26)

LAST THINGS

We believe in the personal and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth. We believe in the resurrection of the bodies of all who have died, followed by the final judgment of God. We believe in the eternal felicity of those God has declared righteous based on their faith in Jesus Christ; and the endless suffering of those who have died in sin rejecting the free grace of God available only through faith in Jesus Christ. (Acts 1:11; John 3:16-18; Revelation 20:11-21:8)

CHRISTIAN LIBERTY

We believe in the personal Lordship of Christ over individual Believers. Each must give account of himself to God. Therefore, in matters not clearly defined in scripture, convictions of one should not be imposed on others. In addition, doctrinal differences that are within the bounds of historic, orthodox Christianity should not be cause for division. (Romans 14; Mark 9:38-40)

HISTORIC STATEMENTS OF FAITH

We subscribe to the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, the Definition of Chalcedon, and London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689. These creeds and confessions are available from Grace Bible Church.

Biblical Manhood and Womanhood

We affirm that men and women were created by God to be different.  We affirm and celebrate male and female roles and responsibilities as defined in the Word of God.  We believe marriage is only to be between one man and one woman for a lifelong monogamous relationship.  We believe that all expressions of sexuality outside of biblical monogamous marriage are sinful and cannot be affirmed by the church.  We agree with the Danvers Statement on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood at cbmw.org/about/danvers-statement/.