What we Believe

DOCTRINAL STATEMENT

I. THE WORD OF GOD 

We believe that the Bible (Old and New Testaments, which consist of 66 books) is God’s specific revelation to us. It was written by human authors, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living. Because it is inspired by God, it is the truth without any mixture of error. The Bible will be our supreme source of authority for faith and life, above any other document or tradition.  

Psalm 12:6, 19:7-14, 119; Proverbs 30:5; Acts 17:2-3; Romans 15:4; 1 Timothy 4:13; 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 4:1-2; 2 Peter 1:20-21

II. THE TRINITY

We believe there is one living and true God. As a triune Being, God is made up of three equal persons: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence, or being.  

Genesis 1:1–2, 26–27; Deuteronomy 6:4–5; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 3:16-17, 28:19–20; John 1:1–4; Ephesians 4:4-6; 1 Peter 1:2 

III. GOD THE FATHER

We believe in God the Father, an infinite, personal Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power, and love. He is the Creator, the Redeemer, the Preserver, and the Ruler of the universe. He is holy and perfect. He is all-powerful, all-knowing, and ever-present. His perfect knowledge extends to all things—past, present, and future. To Him, all people owe the highest love, reverence, and obedience. He mercifully concerns Himself with the affairs of men, hearing and answering prayer, and saving from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ.

Genesis 1:1–2; Psalm 139:1-12, Isaiah 40:28; Jeremiah 23:24; Matthew 6:9-13, 19:26, 23:9; Luke 10:21-22; John 3:16; Romans 1:7; 1 Peter 1:3; Revelation 1:6

IV. JESUS CHRIST 

We believe that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was born of a virgin and is God incarnate, both fully God and fully man. Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross. We believe that Jesus Christ’s physical, crucified body was resurrected from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. After His resurrection and forty-day ministry on earth, He ascended into Heaven where He speaks to God for us, and He will literally return to the earth again in His glorified body to reign. We believe Jesus is the Name above every name, and that every knee will bow before Him, and every tongue will confess Him to be King of kings and Lord of lords.  

Matthew 1:18–23; John 1:1–5; Romans 1:3–4; 1 Corinthians 15:3–4; Philippians 2:6–11; Colossians 1:15-20; Hebrews 1:3, 8-14, 4:14–15; Revelation 22:12-13

V. THE HOLY SPIRIT 

We believe in the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God is present in the world, and His ministry to believers includes teaching, testifying, guiding, convicting, commanding, regenerating, gifting, and interceding. He also comes into, lives in, and seals every Christian from the moment of salvation. He provides the Christian with power for living in obedience to God, understanding of God’s truth, and guidance in doing what is right. He gives believers spiritual gifts for the common good of the church. As Christians, we seek to live under His control daily 

Genesis 1:1–2, John 14:16-17, 26, 16:8, 13; Acts 1:8; Romans 8:26; 1 Corinthians 2:12, 6:19-20, 12:7; Galatians 5:22-25; Ephesians 1:13-14, 5:18; Titus 3:5 

VI. HUMANITY 

We believe that people are created uniquely in God’s image to reason and act like Him. God created us for a relationship with Him in perfection and beauty. Humanity chose to sin and turn from God’s authority, become independent and thus accepted the penalty of separation from God in relationship and in physical death. All human beings are born with a sinful nature that reaffirms our rebellion against God.  

Genesis 1:26-27; Psalm 8:3-6, 14:1-3; Isaiah 53:6, 59:2; Romans 3:10-23; Ephesians 2:1-3

VII. FINDING GOD’S SALVATION THROUGH CHRIST’S DEATH AND RESURRECTION 

We believe that God gave His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the penalty of death for our rebellion. Each person must trust in Jesus’ atoning work for themselves. No one can make up for sin by doing good deeds, righteous acts, or performing spiritual rituals. Only those who, by God’s grace, put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ as God’s atonement for sin can be rescued from sin’s penalty. The faith that each believer has for salvation is a gift from God. When we repent from our self-centered life and rely on Jesus’ death and resurrection, we are reconciled to God and made completely righteous in His sight. Eternal life begins the moment one trusts in Jesus’ death and resurrection as full payment for their sins.  

Acts 2:38; Romans 3:23-25, 5:1-9, 6:23; 10:9-10; Ephesians 2:8-9; John 1:12, 3:16, 3:36, 6:40, 11:25, 14:6; Galatians 3:26; 1 Peter 1:3-5, 18-19, 23

 
VIII. EVERY BELIEVER’S RESPONSIBILITY TO OBEY GOD 

We believe that just as every person who trusts in Jesus is forgiven by God’s power, so each believer by God’s grace will pursue a life of obedience to God’s commands. We obey God’s Word out of gratitude for His mercy and to discover His will for our lives, not to earn His love. As followers of Jesus, it is our desire to die to our old sinful nature and live lives of obedience, love, purity and righteousness that will bring glory to the One who saved us. This is only accomplished through the power of the Spirit who lives within us.  

Romans 6:11-13; 8:9-11, 12:1-2; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 2:20-21, 5:16-23; Ephesians 2:10, 4:22-24; 1 Peter 1:14-16; Titus 2:11-14 

IX. LIFE AFTER DEATH AND ETERNITY 

We believe that people were created to exist forever. Every person will either exist eternally separated from God by sin, or eternally with God through forgiveness. To be eternally separated from God is the conscious punishment of the lost in Hell. To be eternally living with God in His Kingdom is eternal life which begins the day of a believer’s salvation and will continue on after death in the physical presence of God.

John 3:16, 36, 14:1-3, 17:3; Romans 6:23; 1 Corinthians 15:51; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 John 5:11-13; Revelation 20:12-15, 21:1-4, 22:1-5

X. MARRIAGE, GENDER, AND SEXUALITY 

We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God. Rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person.  

Genesis 1:26-27

We believe that the term “marriage” has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture. 

Genesis 2:18-25 

We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other.  

1 Corinthians 6:18; 7:2-5; Hebrews 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, and use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God.  

Matt 15:18-20; 1 Corinthian 6:9-10 

We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of Grace Bible Church as the local Body of Christ, and to provide a biblical role model to the GBC members and the community, it is imperative that all persons employed by Grace Bible Church in any capacity, or who serve as volunteers, agree to and abide by this Statement on Marriage, Gender, and Sexuality. 

Matthew 5:16; Philippians 2:14-16; 1 Thessalonians 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; Romans 10:9-10; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity.  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 Bible Church.  

Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31 

XI. 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.  

Genesis 1:26-27; Psalm 139 

XII. THE CHURCH 

We believe that all true believers comprise the “church.” The church began on the day of Pentecost and is the new-covenant community of those indwelt by the Holy Spirit. The church's mission is to glorify and reveal the one true God. This shall be done through the worship of God and through preaching, teaching, declaring, and making known the Scriptures to the entire world. The church is recognized as Christ’s disciples by its love for one another, in which a believer loves his neighbor as himself. Love for one’s neighbor is seen in the ministries of evangelism, fellowship, ministry and service.  

Jeremiah 31:31-34; Matthew 18:20; Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 12:29-31; John 13:34-35; Romans 15:16; Ephesians 1:15-23; 3:8-10; 4:11-16; Colossians 1:10-28 

XIII. PERSEVERANCE OF THE BELIEVER 

We believe that since we were not forgiven by our own efforts, neither can we lose our salvation through our own failures. Salvation is maintained by the grace and power of God, not by the self-effort of the Christian. We believe that all people who are genuinely saved will be kept by God’s grace and power until the day of redemption. True believers will persevere as followers of Christ until the end of their lives and only those who persevere until the end have been truly saved. 

John 5:24, 6:38-40, 10:27-29; Romans 8:1, 29-30, 38-39; 1 Corinthians 1:8, 6:19; Ephesians 1:13-14; Colossians 1:22-23; 2 Timothy 1:12; Hebrews 7:25, 10:10, 14, 36; James 1:12; 1 Peter 1:3-5; 1 John 2:1-2, 5:11-13; Jude 24; Revelation 2:11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21; 21:7 

XIV. THE LAST THINGS 

We believe in the personal and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth and the establishment of His kingdom. We believe in the resurrection of the body, the final judgment, the eternal joy of the righteous, and the endless suffering of the wicked.

Matthew 16:27; Mark 14:62; John 14:3; Acts 1:11; Philippians 3:20; 1 Thessalonians 4:15; 2 Timothy 4:1; Titus 2:13; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 1 Corinthians 15; 2 Thessalonians 1:7–10; Revelation 20:4–6, 11–15

 XV. ORDINANCES: Grace Bible Church believes in two ordinances of the church, given by Jesus Christ: (A) Baptism and (B) the Lord's Supper (Communion). 

A. Baptism: Baptism by immersion is commanded of all believers as an act of obedience, signifying the death, burial, and resurrection "in Christ" of the believer. Baptism also represents the believer’s entry into the community of the church. Those professing faith in Jesus Christ as personal Savior will be instructed to follow the Lord in baptism by immersion in water according to the Scriptural teaching. Baptism will be administered by the pastors, elders or any person authorized by the church. Grace Bible Church does not believe in baptismal regeneration, nor does it believe that baptism is necessary to be a believer.  

Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:41; 8:12, 35-38; Romans 6:3-5; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Galatians 3:27; Colossians 2:12

B. The Lord’s Supper: (Communion) will be practiced reminding ourselves of Christ’s gift of salvation, of our union to Christ and to His church, and of our future in the presence of Christ to come. We will practice communion regularly as an assembled group and will also promote that our members practice this ordinance with other believers during small groups and the common meal. Since it is the Lord’s Table, none who are His shall be barred, but the pastor shall frequently explain the meaning of this ordinance. Grace Bible Church believes that the Lord's Supper is a symbolic act of obedience by which believers memorialize the death of Jesus Christ until He returns.  

Matthew 26:26–29; Mark 14:22–25; Luke 22:17–20; Acts 2:46; 1 Corinthians 10:16-18; 11:18-34