Statement of Faith​
We believe that the Bible is the sole infallible authority for the church and that it is verbally inspired, inerrant, and totally sufficient and trustworthy. We maintain unity on the essentials and liberty on the non-essentials. We will not compromise the Word of God for trends, truth for technique, or theology for therapy. We are committed to the advance of the Gospel, the expository preaching of God's Word, and the development of one another through building relationships in the context of Biblical fellowship.
We affirm the five “Solas” of the Reformation:
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"Sola Scriptura" - Scripture Alone
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"Sola Gratia" - Grace Alone
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"Sola Fide" - Faith Alone
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"Solus Christus" - Christ Alone
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"Soli Deo Gloria" - To the Glory of God Alone
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The following, up to and including #16 is from FIRE - Fellowship of Independent Reformed Evangelicals statement of faith:
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1. God and the Trinity
We believe in the one true and living God, in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, who is invisible, personal, omnipresent, eternal, dependent on none, unchanging, truthful, trustworthy, almighty, sovereign, omniscient, righteous, holy, good, loving, merciful, long-suffering, and gracious.
2. The Holy Scripture
We believe that Almighty God has revealed all that is necessary to life and salvation in the sixty-six books of Holy Scripture, which are the Word of God. All Scripture was given by inspiration of God, is infallible and inerrant, and is the final arbiter in all disputes. Its authority is derived from its Author and not from the opinions of men.
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3. Election
We believe that God, before the foundation of the world, for His own glory did elect a great multitude of men and women to eternal life as an act of free and sovereign grace. This election was in no way dependent upon His foresight of human faith, decision, works, or merit.
4. Adam Our Representative
We believe that God made our first father Adam perfect, holy, and upright. He was appointed representative and head of the human race, thereby exposing all his offspring to the effects of his obedience or disobedience to God's commands.
5. The Fall and Its Effects
We believe that Adam fell from his original righteousness into sin and brought upon himself and all his offspring death, condemnation, and a sinful nature.
6. Man's Inability
We believe it is utterly beyond the power of fallen man to love God, to keep His laws, to understand the gospel, to repent of sin, or to trust in Christ.
7. Christ Our Representative
We believe that God sent His Son into the world, conceived of the virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit, unchangeably sinless, both God and man, born under the law, to live a perfect life of righteousness on behalf of His elect people.
8. Particular Redemption
We believe that God's Son died at Calvary to effect propitiation, reconciliation, redemption, and atonement for His elect people. God bore testimony to His acceptance of His Son's work by raising Him bodily from the dead.
9. The Ascension of Christ
We believe that God's Son ascended to the right hand of His Father and is enthroned in glory, where He intercedes on behalf of His people and rules over all things for their sake.
10. Irresistible Grace
We believe that God the Son has poured out the Holy Spirit to work alongside the preached Word. The Spirit of God regenerates elect sinners and draws them irresistibly to faith in Christ the Savior.
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11. Justification
We believe the elect, who are called by grace, are justified in the sight of God on account of the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ, which is received by faith alone.
12. Perseverance
We believe that all who are regenerated, called, and justified shall persevere in holiness and never finally fall away.
13. Evangelism
We believe it is the calling of every local church to participate in fulfilling the Great Commission by making disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything Christ has commanded us.
14. The Church
We believe that the local church is under the authority of Christ alone. Nevertheless, He has appointed men to be elders (undershepherds) to represent Him as they care for His body. Deacons also serve Christ as His ministers of mercy. Furthermore, the communion of saints requires the recognition of, and fellowship with, other local evangelical churches.
15. Church Ordinances
We believe that baptism by immersion and the Lord's Supper are gospel ordinances belonging only to regenerated believers.
16. Eschatology (End Times)
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ shall come again to raise the dead bodily, both righteous and unrighteous, and that the righteous shall enjoy everlasting life and the wicked endure everlasting punishment.
17. Statement on Gender and Sexuality
We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary sexes together reflect the image and nature of God (Gen. 1:26-27). Rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person.
18. Statement on Marriage
We believe the term “marriage” has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture (Gen. 2:18-25). We believe that marriage between one man and one woman, for life, uniquely reflects Christ’s relationship with His Church (Eph. 5:21-33). We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other (1 Cor. 6:18; 7:2-5; Heb. 13:4). We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman.
We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, or use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God (Matt. 15:18-20; 1 Cor. 6:9-10).
We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of Grace Baptist Church (GBC) as the local Body of Christ, and to provide a biblical role model to GBC’s members and the community, it is imperative that all persons employed by GBC in any capacity, or who serve as volunteers, agree to and abide by these Statements on Marriage, and on Gender-and-Sexuality (Matt 5:16; Phil 2:14-16; 1 Thess 5:22).
We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ (Acts 3:19-21; Rom 10:9-10; 1 Cor 6:9- 11).
We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity (Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31). Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture nor the doctrines of Grace Baptist Church.
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19. Statement on the Sanctity of Human Life
We believe that all human life is sacred and created by God in His image. Human life is of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, the aged, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition from conception through natural death. We are therefore called to defend, protect, and value all human life. (Ps. 139.)
20. Statement of Final Authority for Matters of Belief and Conduct
This 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 Baptist Church’s faith, doctrine, practice, policy, and discipline, our Elder Board is Grace Baptist Church’s final interpretive authority on the Bible’s application.
21. Statement on our London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689
The membership of Grace Baptist Church has voted to hold to the London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689, with modifications as noted below:
Modification #1: Chapter 22.7, 8 - Of Religious Worship and the Sabbath Day (modified)
We believe that a proper New Testament observance of the Fourth Commandment entails our regularly gathering to worship our God in Christ according to the Scriptures (Heb 10:25), and to rest in Him from our works, “For he that is entered into His rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from His” (Heb 4:10). We hold to the custom of Jesus Christ’s church since His resurrection to observe this on the first day of the week (Sunday), which is called the Lord’s Day (Rev 1:10), while not condemning those churches who gather on other days.
This regular worship and rest is a Creation ordinance (Gen 2:2, 3; Exod 20:11) that finds its fulfillment and true import in Christ Jesus, who fulfilled all the Law, and in whom we rest and worship God in newness of life (2 Cor 5:17, 21: Rom 6:4).
The manner of our Lord’s Day observance, beyond our gathering for worship—and given we are to be holy always and in all things—is left to the conscience of each; for the Decalogue is a rule of life to us, not a condemning judge, and our desire is to please God in this in holy fear and gratitude for His forgiveness and grace in Jesus Christ (Heb 4:8-11; Rom 14:5, 6; Col 2:16, 17).
Modification #2: Chapter 26.4 - The Church (modified)
We would modify 26.4 regarding the Pope, to read “… but he is an antichrist, a ‘man of lawlessness’, and ‘son of destruction’… and not ‘the antichrist’, for others will follow after him and fill that role, and notably one final antichrist at the end of time, whom the Lord shall destroy. The final antichrist may, or may not, come from Roman Catholicism. (2 Thess 2:8 ff; Rev 16:13, 14, 16; 19:19, 20; 20:7-9)
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