Our Statement of Faith:
1. We believe in the verbal and plenary inspiration of the Old and New Testament Scriptures; that they are inerrant in the original writings; and that they are the supreme and final authority in faith and practice. (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:2-21)
2. We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19; Mark 12:29; Deuteronomy 6:4; Romans 16:26)
3. We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, and is true God and true man, sinless both in His nature and in His life and actions. (Matthew 1:18-25; John 1:1-14; Philippians 2:6-7; Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 2:21-22)
4. We believe that man was created in the image of God; that He sinned and, thereby, incurred not only physical death but that spiritual death which is separation from God; that all human beings are born with a sinful nature. (Genesis 1:26-27; Genesis 3; Psalm 51:5; Romans 3:23; Romans 5:12)
5. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, as a substitutionary sacrifice; and that all who believe in Him are justified on the grounds of His shed blood only, and not by any works or ordinances of man. (Isaiah 53:5,6; Romans 5:6, 8-9; 1 Corinthians 15:3-7; Ephesians 2:8-9; 1 Peter 1:18-19; 1 Peter 2:24)
6. We believe in the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord; in His ascension into Heaven; and in His present life there for us, as High Priest and Advocate. (Matthew 28:1-10; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Corinthians 15:3-7; Hebrews 2:17; Hebrews 5:1-10; Hebrews 7:23-25; 1 John 2:1)
7. We believe in “that blessed hope,” the rapture of the church, and in the visible, personal, and premillenial return of our Lord Jesus Christ to the earth to establish His kingdom. (Psalm 2; Isaiah 9:6-7; Matthew 24; Acts 1:10-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Titus 2:11-13; Revelation 20)
8. We believe that all who receive the Lord Jesus Christ by faith are born again and, thereby, become children of God; that all such are baptized by the Holy Spirit into that spiritual body (the church) of which Christ is the head; and that all such are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. (John 1:12-13; John 14:16-17; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 12:12)
9. We believe that the gifts of the Spirit are given to every believer according to God’s sovereign will to accomplish the purpose of edifying the Church. (1 Corinthians 12:7-11; Ephesians 4:11-12; Hebrews 2:4)
10. We believe in the eternal security of all who trust in our Lord Jesus Christ. (John 3:16, 36; John 5:24; John 10:28-29; Romans 8:35-39; Philippians 1:6; 2 Timothy 1:12; Jude 1)
11. We believe in the bodily resurrection of the saved and the lost; that the saved shall appear in heaven at the Judgment Seat of Christ to receive rewards and to dwell with Him for eternity; that the lost shall be judged at the Great White Throne and be cast into eternal hell. ( (Matthew 25:31-46; John 5:28-29; 1 Corinthians 3:11-15; 1 Corinthians 15; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 20:11-15)
12. We believe that Satan is a personal being and that he is man’s greatest enemy and tempter, the accuser of the saints, and the “god of this world.” (2 Corinthians 4:3-4; 2 Corinthians 11:14; Ephesians 6:11,12; 1 Peter 5:8; Revelation 12:10)
13. We believe that a local New Testament church consists of a company of baptized believers who have voluntarily associated themselves together for fellowship and mutual edification. (Acts 2:41-42; Hebrews 10:23-25)
14. We believe in the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper (communion). We believe that baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 2:37-41; Acts 8:34-38) We believe that communion is to be observed periodically; that all born-again believers are welcome, regardless of affiliation; that the elements represent, but are not physically, His body and blood; and that the ordinance is a memorial feast, not a sacrifice. (Matthew 26:26-29; 1 Corinthians 11:23-31)
15. We believe that God created “man” (human beings) as male and female: equal but different so as to complement and complete each other in the sacred, life-long union of monogamous marriage, which He ordained and instituted, rendering homosexuality, and all other “sexual preferences” or “orientations” as unnatural and sinful, as they are opposed to the design and purpose of God for male and female human beings. Therefore, we can neither condone nor recognize same-sex marriages, civil unions, or domestic partnerships even if any or all of the international, federal, state or local governments and/or governing bodies pass laws concerning its recognition of such unions. (Genesis 2:24; Leviticus 18:22-23; Matthew 19:4-6; I Corinthians 6:9-11; Romans 1:18-32).
The Lord Jesus validated the covenant of marriage. (Matthew 19:4-5, John 2:1-11)
a. Marriage is exclusively the sacred and legal union of one genetic male and one genetic female as evidenced by a marriage ceremony.
b. Legitimate, Biblical sexual relations are exercised solely within marriage. Hebrews 13:4
c. All other sexually-related activities, lifestyle choices and identities are inconsistent with the teachings of the Bible. Such behaviors,
including the creation, viewing and/or distribution of pornography and efforts to alter one’s physical gender or gender related
appearance are incompatible with the teachings of the Bible. (I Corinthians 6:18-20, 7:1-3, 7:8-9; Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 5:3-
7; I Timothy 1:9-11)
All individuals involved in Grace Bible Church operations, activities, and events are expected to uphold this position on marriage, sexual intimacy and appropriate behavior as set forth in this provision. Individuals and organizations who desire to use Grace Bible Church facilities must also act in accordance with this provision. All other issues not specifically addressed in this document will be governed by the Scriptures (the Bible) as understood by the Elders of the church. The version of the Scriptures (the Bible) used by the Elders of the church is at the sole discretion of the Elders of the church.