This Doctrinal Statement contains the basic beliefs of Grace Bible Fellowship Church. The beliefs are based on the inspired, inerrant, Word of God.
THE BIBLE:
We believe that the Bible is the Word of God. The Bible in the original writings is inspired, infallible and inerrant. Today, we have trustworthy copies that are the sole authority for faith and practice. Whenever the Bible speaks on any subject, it is always the truth.
Matthew 5:18; John 17:17; Romans 10:17; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Revelation 22:18-19.
GOD:
We believe in one God and that the Godhead exists eternally in three persons; the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God is the source, support and end of all things.
Genesis 1:1; Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 43:10-11; Matthew 28:19; John 1:1-2; John1:14; Acts 5:3-4; Colossians 1:16-17; 1 Timothy 2:5; Revelation 1:8.
JESUS CHRIST:
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is the second person of the triune Godhead. We believe in His virgin birth, deity, sinless life, miraculous works, substitutionary atonement, bodily resurrection, and ascension to the Right Hand of God, the Father. He will come again.
Matthew 1:18-25; John 1:1; John 1:14; John 10:30-33; John 11:43-45; John 14:1-4; John 20:21; John 20:28; Acts 1:9-11; Acts 2:22-24; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 3:18.
HOLY SPIRIT:
We believe the Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the triune Godhead. The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. He regenerates the Believer, baptizes the Believer in the Body of Christ, and indwells and seals the Believer until the day of redemption.
John 6:63; John 14:15-26; John 15:26-27; John 16:7-15; Acts 5:3,4; Romans 8:9; Romans 8:13-14; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; 1 Corinthians 12:12-13; Galatians 5:22-25; Ephesians 1:13-14; Ephesians 4:30; Ephesians 5:18.
MAN:
We believe man was created in the image and likeness of God. Man sinned in willful disobedience and death passed unto all men. “All have sinned and have come short of the glory of God.” The unsaved man is separated from God, unable to please God, and is doomed to eternal damnation except for the grace of God.
Genesis 1:26-27; Genesis 3:6-7; Proverbs 14:12; Isaiah 59:2; Romans 3:23; Romans 5:12; Romans 6:23; 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9.
SALVATION:
We believe salvation is a gift of God’s grace. The Holy Spirit and the need of Christ convict a sinner. The Bible teaches that all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God. By faith, when a sinner turns from sin and to Christ, the result is justification and peace with God. The sinner is redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ and regenerated by the work of the Holy Spirit. The Believer is eternally secure in Christ. While salvation can never be lost, the Believer can be out of fellowship with God.
John 1:12, John 3:16; John 5:24; John 10:28-30; John 14:6; John 16:8-11; Acts 4:12; Romans 3:23; Romans 5:1; Romans 5:8-12; Romans 6:23; Romans 8:16; Romans 8:28-39; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 1:7; Ephesians 2:1-5; Ephesians 2:8-10; 1 Thessalonians 1:9; 1 Timothy 2:3-5; Titus 3:5-6; Hebrews 2:9-10; 1 Peter 1:5; 1 Peter 1:18-19; 1 John 1:5; 1 John 2:1-2.
THE CHURCH:
We believe the Church is the body of Christ and is made up of all that have received the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior. At the moment of conversion the Holy Spirit places the believer into the body of Christ. The purpose of the Church is to worship and glorify the Lord, edify the Saints, and to evangelize the world. The Believer is to identify with a local Church, which is faithful to the Word of God. Each member has been gifted to edify the body of Christ. The Church practices two ordinances; Believer’s Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Baptism is to follow salvation and is done by immersion. The Lord’s Supper is for the Believer and is a remembrance of the death of Christ. The bread and the cup are symbolic of the body and blood of Jesus Christ. The Believer should joyfully support the local Church with his time, gifts, talents, and treasures; all to the Glory of God.
Matthew 26:26-29; Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; Acts 8:34-39; Acts 16:31; Romans 6:1-6; 1 Corinthians 11:23-28; 1 Corinthians 12:12-13; Ephesians 1:22-23; Ephesians 4:11-16; Colossians 1:18, Hebrews 10:24-25.
THE CHRISTIAN LIFE:
We believe that the only way to live the Christian life effectively is by the grace of God. The Believer is to allow Christ to be the Lord of his life and to live a holy life to the glory of God. The Believer is called to a life of separation from those things, which are detrimental to his personal life and to the witness of the Church. The Believer is commanded to be filled with the Holy Spirit. The Believer, when filled with the Holy Spirit, will live a life of praise, thanksgiving and obedience. The Believer should be committed to a regular devotional life and a life of prayer. The Believer needs to be committed to a life of fellowship with other Believers for the purpose of edification, encouragement and service.
John 15:1-5; Acts 17:11; Romans 6:1-11; Romans 12:1-2; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 2:20; Galatians 5:19-23; Ephesians 5:17-21; 2 Timothy 2:15; Hebrews 10:24-25; 1 Peter 1:16; 1 Peter 2:9-10; 2 Peter 1:5-8; 1 John 2:15-17.
LAST THINGS:
We believe in the pre-tribulational, pre-millennial doctrine of the end times. The Blessed Hope is the Lord coming in the clouds for the Church. The Rapture of the Church will occur before the Tribulation. After the Rapture, the Believer will be at the Judgment Seat of Christ to be judged for his works. Rewards will be given for faithful service. The Marriage Supper of the Lamb will also take place. The Tribulation will last seven years. The Tribulation will end with the Second Coming of Christ, coming with the Church. Christ will defeat the armies of the Antichrist at the Battle of Armageddon. Satan will be bound for a thousand years. Christ will establish the Millennial Kingdom on earth. The Thousand-Year Kingdom will be a time when all will worship the Lord. It will be a time of peace, prosperity and Christ will rule with perfect righteousness. At the end of the Millennium, Satan will be loosed from the bottomless pit. He will lead a short rebellion against Christ, but will be defeated and cast into the Lake of Fire (Hell). The unsaved will be resurrected and judged at the Great White Throne Judgment. They will be cast into the Lake of Fire. This will be the final abode for Satan, the fallen angels (demons), and the unsaved. The Believer will spend eternity in the presence of the Lord.
Isaiah 9:6-7; Isaiah 11:1-9; Micah 4:1-4; Matthew 24:1-44; John 5:25-29; Romans 14:10; 1 Corinthians 2:10-15; 1 Corinthians 15:24-28; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Titus 2:11-13; Jude 14-15; Revelation 3:10, Revelation 19:1-21; Revelation 21:1-27.