Doctrinal Statement- Grace Community International
Section 1-The Scriptures
We believe that the Bible, God’s holy, eternal, inerrant written Word has been preserved by the sovereignty of God and delivered to us intact, undiluted and without error in it’s entirety. We believe the bible to be the verbally inspired word of God, without error in the original writings, and the supreme and final authority in doctrine and practice. We hold the Bible is a finished work and reject all extra-Biblical revelation. (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:21; John 17:17; Rev 22:18 & 19)
Section 2- The Godhead
We believe in one God eternally existing in three equal persons- Father, Son and Holy Spirit-who have the same nature and attributes but who are distinct in office and activity. That being both Three yet One they are indivisible and inseparable one from the other. (Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14)
Section 3- The Person and Work of God the Father
We believe God the Father is the Father of all creation, the nation of Israel, the Lord Jesus Christ and all believers in Christ. He is the author of the decree which is His eternal purpose, according to the counsel of His own will, whereby, for his own glory, He has foreordained whatsoever comes to pass. As such, He is the author of election, which involves God’s choosing a people for Himself. He was the begetter and sender of His only Son, Jesus Christ. As the Father of the elect, He is also their provider and disciplinarian. (Acts 17:29; Ex. 4:22; Matt. 3:17; Gal. 3:26; Eph. 1:3-6; John 3:16; Matt.6:30-32)
Section 4- The Person and Work of Christ
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became a man without ceasing to be God. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary in order that He might reveal God to man and redeem sinful man. We believe that he accomplished our redemption through his death on the cross as a substitutionary sacrifice. That as the perfect propitiatory sacrifice He has totally satisfied in Himself the wrath of God as it pertains to His elect. We believe that our salvation and redemption are guaranteed by his literal, physical resurrection from the dead. That this salvation as purchased by His shed blood is eternal an secure for the believer and cannot be lost. (John 1:1, 14, 18; Luke 1:35; Romans 3:24-26, 4:25) We believe the Lord Jesus Christ is now in heaven, exalted to the right hand of God, where, as the High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of intercession and advocacy for his people. (Heb 1:3, 3:1, 7:23-25; 1 John 2:1-2)
Section 5- The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit
We believe that God, the Holy Spirit, is that person in the Trinity who restrains evil in the world and convicts men of sin. He also regenerates those who receive Christ as Saviour, baptizes them into the church (the Body of Christ), indwells the permanently at the instant of salivation, seals them unto the day of redemption, bestows one or more spiritual gifts on each believer, and empowers those yielded to him. We hold to the Bible as the finished work of revelation and as such reject any definition of gifts or spiritual manifestation for the church age which entail extra-Biblical Revelation. (John 16:7-11; 3:8, 4:16-17; 1 Cor.12:4-11, 13; Eph. 4:30, 5:18)
Section 6- Angels Fallen and Unfallen
We believe that angels are spiritual beings who were created in a sinless state and that they occupied different orders and ranks. They presently exist in both fallen and unfallen states; the former includes Satan and his angels. That satan is a created fallen angel and not the equal and opposite of God. (Heb. 1:13-14; 2 Pet. 2:4; Rev. 7:12)
We believe that Satan, by his own choice the enemy of God and of the people of God, is the originator of sin. We believe he led our first parents into sin and now rules as the god of this world. Satan was judged at the cross, and ultimately he will be cast into the lake of fire for eternity. (Is.14:12-14; Gen3:1-19; Heb. 2:14; Rev. 20:10)
Section 7- Creation
We believe all things in heaven and earth were created by God in seven days and exist by His power. (Gen 1:1; Col. 1:16-17)
We believe that man was created innocent and in the image and likeness of God but that he sinned, bringing both physical and spiritual death to himself and his posterity. As such he is totally depraved and incapable of offering any remedy for his sinful state. We believe that man has inherited the imputed sinful nature of Adam; is alienated from God, and is in need of salvation. (Gen. 1:27, 2:17, 3:19; Eph.2:1-3)
Section 7 A- Creation of man; woman and the family
We believe that first Adam was created and then Eve. That marriage is composed of one man married to one woman. We reject as both sin and depravity all homosexual behavior, homosexual unions and any other sexual lifestyle than one man married to one woman within the confines of holy matrimony. That the marriage union is a covenant with God and that man and woman are held to this covenant until death do them part. That God hates divorce. We hold that the husband is head of the wife as Christ is head of the church. That the wife is to be subject to her husband as the church is subject to Christ. That children are to honor and obey their parents. That children are to obey their parents because it is the right and just response to parental authority before God. That parents are to discipline and instruct their children bringing them up in the faith and preparing them for success in society. That the rod is a tool of grace for use in the instruction and discipline of children. That in all areas pertaining to man, woman, marriage, family and the discipline and training of children the Word of God holds authority over all science, psychology and other human disciplines. That where these disciplines deviate from a literal interpretation of the holy, eternal, inerrant Word of God they are deemed to be in error, in rebellion against God and to be rejected by all true believers. (Genesis 1 & 2; Romans 1:18-32; Ephesians 5:22 – 6:4; Malachi 2:16; Matthew 19:4 – 6; Prov. 22:15; 23:13 & 14; I Peter 3:1 – 7; Hebrews 11:1 & 2; II Corinthians 5:7))
Section 8- Salvation
We believe that salvation is a free gift from God and is received by man only through personal faith in Jesus Christ. We believe that man is justified by grace through faith apart from works. (Acts 13:38-39; Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:8-10)
We believe that all true believers, once saved, are kept secure in Christ forever. (Rom. 8:1, 38-39; John 10:27-30)
Section 9- Sanctification
We believe that sanctification, which is a setting apart unto God, is positional, progressive and ultimate:
Positionally, it is already complete, since the believer is in Christ and is set apart unto God as Christ is set apart unto God.
Since the believer retains his sinful nature, however, there is need for progressive sanctification whereby the Christian grows in grace by the power of the Spirit.
The child of God will be sanctified, ultimately when he is taken to be with Christ and becomes more like Him. (John 17:17; 2 Cor. 3:18; Eph. 5:25-27; 1 Thess. 5:23; Heb.10:10, 14; 1 John 3:2-3)
Section 10- The Church
We believe that the universal church, the Body and Bride of Christ, is a spiritual organism, made up of all born-again persons of this present age. We believe the church began at Pentecost and that a believer is placed into the church by the baptizing work of the Holy Spirit. We believe the church is distinct from Israel. (Eph. 1:22-23, 5:25-27; 1 Cor. 12:12-13, 10:32)
We believe the local church is an assembly of professed believers in Jesus Christ who are voluntarily joined together in one locality for the purpose of worship, study of the Word of God, observance of the ordinances, Christian fellowship and to be equipped for Christian service. That God has raised up in addition para-church ministries such as seminaries, Bible colleges, mission organizations, publishing houses, radio, TV, internet, chaplaincies and other such ministries to serve, bless and promote the Church. That said para-church ministries do not act as a substitute for the local church and the members of all such ministries should be active participants in a local church. (Acts 2:42-47; Eph.4:11-13.)
Section 11- The Ordinances of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper
We believe that Christ instituted the ordinances of water Baptism and the Lord’s Supper which are to be observed by believers until He returns. (Matt. 28:19-20; 1 Cor.11:23-26)
We believe that by water baptism a believer is publicly identified with his Savior. We accept the Biblical approach of both the Baptist, Dispensational and Reformed churches as it pertains to believers baptism. That baptism in no way confers salvation, grace nor security of salvation but is a symbolic act to which all believers are called upon to participate in upon repentance of sin and confession of faith in Christ so as to follow the Lord in believers baptism. (Acts 8:36-38)
We believe the Lord’s Supper is a memorial of Christ’s death, the elements being symbols of His body and blood. We feel every Christian has a right to partake of the elements of the Lord’s Supper but participation should always be proceeded by solemn self-examination. (2 Cor. 11:23-24)
Section 12- Events of the End Times
A. The Blessed Hope
We believe in the personal, imminent coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to receive to Himself all those, dead or alive, who belong to Him. This event commonly called, “The Rapture of the Church” is the blessed hope implied in the Scriptures for which we should constantly be looking. (John 14:1-3; 1 Cor.15:51-52; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; Titus 2:11-14.)
B. The Eternal State
We believe that the spirits of believers in Jesus Christ in this age, do at death immediately pass into his presence, and there remain in conscious bliss until the resurrection of the body at His coming for the church. At that time the spirit and body shall be reunited and shall be associated with Him forever in glory. We believe that the spirits of unbelievers remain, after death, in conscious torment in Hades until the final judgment of the Great White Throne at the close of the Millennium. At that time spirit and body shall be reunited and cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be destroyed, but to be punished with everlasting separation from the presence of the Lord. (Luke 16:19-26, 23:43; 2 Cor. 5:8; Phil.1:23; 2 Thess. 1:7-9; Rev. 20:11-15.)