GRACE MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH
DOCTRINAL STATEMENT

1.

We believe that love for one another as Jesus loves the believer manifests our discipleship, proves our love for God and symbolizes our authority as a New Testament church. Love is therefore the great commandment of the LORD Jesus Christ upon which all others are dependent (Matt. 22:35-40; John 13:34, 35; John 15:12; 1 John 4:7-2; 1 John 5:1-3; Rev. 2:4, 5).

2.

We believe that the Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is a perfect treasure of heavenly instruction; that it has God for its author; salvation for its end, and truth without any mixture of error for its matter; that it reveals the principles by which God will judge us; and therefore is, and shall remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions should be tried. We believe in using the King James Version of 1611 (II Tim. 3:16, II Pet. 1:21, Matt. 24:35, Psa. 119:105, Psa. 119:140).

3.

We believe that there is only one true God, who is our God; who is eternal, almighty, unchanging, infinite, and incomprehensible; who is a Spirit, having His being in Himself, and gives life to all creatures; He does what He will, in heaven and earth, working all things according to the counsel of His own will. In the unity of the Godhead there are three divine persons: the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. They are equal in every divine attribute, and each executes distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption (Deut. 6:13-15; John 4:24; Jer. 10:10-13; Psa. 93:2; Mal. 3:6; Rom. 11:33-38; Matt. 28:19; I John 5:7; Dan. 4:34-35; John 17:2).

4.	We believe in the absolute Sovereignty of God. We believe according to the Scriptures that nothing comes to pass that is not either ordained or allowed by God (Dan. 4:35; Prov. 16:1; Prov. 16:4; Prov. 16:9; Prov. 16:33; Eph. 1:11; John 1:13; Prov. 19-21).

5.

We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly by grace; through the Mediatorial offices of the Son of God; who by divine appointment, freely took upon Himself our likeness, yet without sin, and by His voluntary death, burial and resurrection made eternal satisfaction and atonement to God for our sins; that the Lord Jesus Christ by grace saves even unto the uttermost all who repent toward God and believe; and are thusly regenerated by the Holy Spirit; and that salvation thus wrought is wholly by grace, “The free gift of God,” requiring neither culture nor works in any form to secure it or to keep it (Eph. 2:5, 8, 9; John 3:16; Phil. 2:6-8; Isa. 53:4,5; Heb. 7:25; John 3:3).

6.

We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God; but by voluntary transgression he fell from that holy and happy estate; in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners, totally depraved, inclined to evil; and therefore under just condemnation to eternal ruin, without excuse (Gen. 1:27; Gen. 3:6-24; Rom. 5:19; Isa. 53:6; Rom. 5:12; Rom. 3:23).

7.	We believe that the conception of Jesus Christ was of the Holy Spirit; that He was of a Virgin according to the Scriptures (Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:20).

8.

We believe the Holy Spirit is a Divine Person, equal with God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature; that He was active in the creation; that He convicts of sin, of Judgment and of righteousness; that He bears witness to the truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony; that He is the agent in the new birth, that He is our abiding Comforter and Helper and is ever present to testify of Christ, seeking to occupy us with Him and not with ourselves (John 14:16-17; John 15:25-27; John 16:13-14; Rom. 8:9-16).

9.	We believe in the personality of Satan who is the unholy god of this age and the author of all the powers of darkness and is destined to the judgment of an eternal justice in hell, a place prepared for him and his followers (Matt. 4:1-3; Rev. 20:1-10; II Cor. 11:13-15).

10.	We believe in the Genesis account of creation which we accept literally; that man’s creation was not a matter of evolution but came by direct creation of God (Gen. 1 and 2; Col. 1:16-17; John 1:3).

11.

We believe that the fall of man is a result of voluntary sin and transgression against God and includes physical and spiritual death, which is separation from God; all human beings are born with a sinful nature, not by constraint, but of choice and therefore under just condemnation without defense or excuse (Rom. 1:18-32; Rom. 5:12-19; Gal. 3:22).

12.

We believe that such only are true believers as endure unto the end; that their persevering attachment to Christ is the grand mark which distinguishes them from superficial professors; that a special providence watches over their welfare, and that they are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation (I John 2:17,28; I John 3:9; 5:18, John 5:24; John 3:16).

13.

We believe that Jesus Christ established His church during His ministry on earth and that it is always a local, visible assembly of scripturally baptized believers in covenant relationship to carry out the Commission of the Lord Jesus Christ, and each church is an independent, self-governing body, and no other ecclesiastical body may exercise authority over it. We believe that Jesus Christ gave the Great Commission to the New Testament churches only, and that He promised the perpetuity of His churches (Matt. 4:18-22; Matt. 16:18; Matt. 28:19, 20; Mark 1:14-20; John 1:35-51; Eph. 3:21).

14.

We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion in water of a believer, into the name of the Father, the Son and Holy Ghost, to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem, our faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Saviour with its effect, in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life; that it is a prerequisite to the privileges of a church relation; and to the Lord’s Supper, in which the members of the church by the sacred use of unleavened bread and fermented wine, are to commemorate together the dying love of Christ; preceded by solemn self-examination (Acts 8:36-39; Matt. 3:5-6; John 3:11, 23; Matt. 28:19; Rom. 6:4; Acts 2:41-42).

15.

We believe that fairs, suppers, bazaars, entertainment or similar methods for raising money for Christ’s cause are contrary to the principles of giving as set forth in the Bible and are dishonoring to our Lord. We believe the Tithes and offerings should be presented unto the Lord according to God’s instruction and the love and dictates of each Christian’s heart (Gen.14:20; Gen 28:22; Lev. 27:30; Prov. 3:9; Neh. 10:37-38; Mal. 3:7-10; 2Cor. 9:6-7; 1Cor. 16:2).

16.

We believe in the imminent, personal and pre-millennial return of the Lord Jesus Christ; that His coming is fast approaching; that the dead in Christ shall rise first, then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them to receive glorified bodies like Him. The dead out of Christ shall rise at the close of the millennium; and they shall be brought before the Great White Throne Judgment and cast into eternal condemnation (Acts. 1:11; I Thess. 4:16, 17; Rev. 20:11-15).