STATEMENT OF FAITH
The statement of faith does 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 mankind, is the sole and final source of all that we believe. For purposes of Grace Church’s faith, doctrine, practice, policy, and discipline, our Elder Board is Grace Church’s final interpretive authority on the Bible’s meaning and application.
BIBLE: The Word of God, the sixty-six Books of the Old and New Testaments, verbally inspired in all parts and wholly without error as originally given of God (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21).
THE ONE TRUE GOD: Existing eternally as three persons – the Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Luke 3:22; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14).
LORD JESUS CHRIST: His preexistence and deity (John 1:1-3), incarnation by the virgin birth (John 1:14; Matthew 1:18-23), sinless life (Hebrews 4:15), substitutionary death (2 Corinthians 5:21), bodily resurrection (Luke 24:36-43), ascension into heaven and present ministry (Hebrews 4:14-16) and coming again (Acts 1:11).
HOLY SPIRIT: His personality (John 16:7-15), deity (Acts 5:3-4) and His work in each believer, baptism and indwelling at the moment of regeneration (1 Corinthians 12:13; Romans 8:9) and filling (Ephesians 5:18) to empower for Christian life and service (Ephesians 3:16; Acts 1:8; Galatians 5:22-23).
MAN: The direct image of God, created male and female as determined by God, unchangeable by human intervention (Genesis 1:26-28, 2:18-24); his subsequent fall into sin resulted in spiritual death and the necessity of new birth for his salvation (Genesis 3:1-24; Romans 5:12; John 3:3-5).
SALVATION: A complete and eternal salvation by God's grace alone, received as the gift of God through personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work (Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5-7; 1 Peter 1:18-19).
CHURCH: One true Church, the body and bride of Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23, 5:25-32), composed of all true believers of the present age (1 Corinthians 12:12-13) and the organization of its members in local churches for worship, for edification of believers and for worldwide gospel witness, each local church being autonomous but cooperating in fellowship and work (Ephesians 4:11-16). The ordinances, given by the Lord Jesus Christ, should be observed by his church, which are (1) baptism of believers by immersion (Matthew 28:19) and (2) communion (1 Corinthians 11:20-34; John 13:1-20; Matthew 26:17-30; Luke 22:7-23).
CHRISTIAN LIFE: A life of righteousness, good works and separation unto God from the evil ways of the world (Romans 12:1-2), manifested by speaking the truth (James 5:12), maintaining the sanctity of the home (Ephesians 5:22-6:4), settling differences between Christians in accordance with the Word of God (1 Corinthians 6:1-8), not engaging in carnal strife but showing a Christ-like attitude toward all men (Romans 12:17-21), exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and maintaining a life of prayer (Ephesians 6:18; Philippians 4:6).
SEXUAL PURITY: God's exclusive model for marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime of godliness and fidelity; marriage provides the framework for intimate companionship, sexual expression according to Biblical standards, the means for procreation, and is God's foundation for the family; all other sexual thoughts and practices are sin and outside of God's revealed will (Genesis 1:27-28, 2:18-25, Leviticus 18:22-24, Proverbs 5:15-23, Matthew 5:27-28, Romans 1: 24-32, 1Corinthians 5:9-13, 6:9-11, Ephesians 5:22-33).
SATAN: his existence and personality as the great adversary of God and His people (Revelation 12:1-10), his judgment (John 12:31) and final doom (Revelation 20:10).
SECOND COMING: The personal, visible and imminent return of Christ to remove His Church from the earth (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17) before the tribulation (1 Thessalonians 1:10; Revelation 3:10) and afterward to descend with the Church to establish His millennial kingdom upon the earth (Revelation 19:11-20:6).
FUTURE LIFE: The conscious existence of the dead (Philippians 1:21-23; Luke 16:19-31), the resurrection of the body (John 5:28-29), the judgment and reward of believers (Romans 14:10-12; 2 Corinthians 5:10), the judgment and condemnation of unbelievers (Revelation 20:11-15), the eternal life of the saved (John 3:16) and the eternal punishment of the lost (Matthew 25:46; Revelation 20:15).