Statement of Faith

Our Articles of Faith

What follows are basic doctrinal statements that we, the fellowship of believers known as Grace Bible Church, hold to be true based on the clear teaching of Scripture. This is not an exhaustive list of all doctrines contained in Scripture; but it does provide sufficient guidance for us as we seek to honor God and bring Him glory through the exercising of our Christian faith , life, walk, and practice.

  1. The Blood Atonement for Sin

    We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace; through the mediatorial office of Christ Jesus as the Son of God who, by appointment of the Father, freely took upon Himself our nature. he who was without sin honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and by His death made a full and vicarious atonement for our sins. his atonement set us an example, not by His death as a martyr, but as the voluntary substitution of Him in the sinner’s place as the Just dying for the the unjust; Christ Jesus, bearing our sins in His own body on the tree (cross), and shedding His own precious blood there as the only suitable payment to God the Father for the penalty of our sins. Having risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in Heaven at the right hand of God the Father, and is continually making intercessions for us. He is, in every way, qualified to be a suitable, compassionate, and all-suffient Savior. (Isaiah 53:4-7; Matthew 18:11; John 3:16; 10:18; Acts 4:12; 15:11; Romans 3:24-25; 8:34; Galatians 1:4; Ephesians 2:8; Philippians 2:7-8; 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 2:14; 7:25; 9:12-15 & 22; 12:2)

  2. The Bible is the Word of God

    The Bible is the inspired Word of God, wholly inerrant in the original writing, infallible and God-breathed; it is the sole and final authority for faith and righteousness. It is not merely the basis for what we are about; it IS what we are about. God’s Word changes lives! (2 Timothy 3:16-17; Matthew 5:18; 2 Peter 1:20-21; John 16:12-13)

  3. The Creation as Presented in Genesis Chap. 1

    God created the Heavens and the Earth and everything that was in them and on them, in six literal days and rested on the seventh day as recorded in Genesis 1 & 2. The Genesis account of creation is accurate and complete, and is to be accepted literally and not allegorically or figuratively. Man was created directly in God’s own image and after His own likeness. Man’s creation was not a matter of evolution or evolutionary changes of species, or development through interminable periods of time from lower to higher forms.  All flora and fauna was made directly by God, and God’s established law was that they should bring forth only “after their kind.” (Genesis 1-2; Job 38:4; Psalm 33:6-9; Isaiah 45:7-8; 12; 18; John 1:1-3; 10; Ephesians 3:9; Colossians 1:16-17; Revelation 4:1)

  4. The Fall of Man

    Man was created in the image and likeness of God but in Adam’s sin, the race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God. Man is unable to remedy himself of his lost condition. (Genesis 1:26-27; 3; Ephesians 2:1-3; Romans 3:22-23; 5:12)

  5. The Virgin Birth of Christ

    Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, wholly God and wholly man. (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-23; Luke 1:27-35; John 1:1-2 & 4; Philippians 2:6-11)

  6. The Sinless Life of Christ

    The “God-Man,” Jesus Christ was impeccable in His person. He lived a sinless life. He not only did not sin, He could not sin, being God in the flesh. He can still sympathize with us, because He “was in all points tempted like as we are, yet [He was] without sin.” (2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 2:22)

  7. The Resurrection

    Christ Jesus, as the eternal Son of God, lived a sinless life, died as a substitutionary sacrifice for the sins of mankind, was buried, arose bodily from the grave, and ascended into Heaven. There He now sits at the right hand of God the Father as our Advocate. (Romans 3:24-25; 8:34; Ephesians 1:7; 1 Corinthians 15:4; 1 Peter 2:24; Acts 1:9-11; Hebrews 9:24; 12:2)

  8. The Trinity

    There is only One God, eternally existing in three persons – The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory, and have all the same attributes and perfections. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 3:16-17; 2 Corinthians 13:14)

  9. The Indwelling of the Holy Spirit

    We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person; equal with God the Father and God the Son, and of the same nature; the Holy Spirit was active in the creation, and in His relation to the unbelieving world, He retains the evil one until God’s purpose is fulfilled. He convicts of sin, of judgement and of righteousness, and He bears witness to the Truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony. he is the agent in the New Birth, and He dwells within, seals endures, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies and helps the believer. (Genesis 1:13; Matthew 3:11; 28:19; Mark 1:8; Luke 1:35; 3:16; 24:29; John 1:33; 3:5-6; 14:16-17 & 26; 15:26-27; Ephesians 1:13-14; 2 Thessalonians 2:7 & 13; Hebrews 9:14; I Peter 1:2)

  10. Salvation is Solely by Grace Through Faith

    Salvation is the gift of God, brought to man by grace and received through repentance toward God and personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and Christ alone; there is no other means of Salvation. Salvation is based on the redemptive work of Christ Jesus, through the shedding of His own blood on the cross. (Ephesians 1:7; 2:8-12; John 1:12; 1 Peter 1:18-19)

  11. The Second Coming of Christ – The Rapture

    We believe in a literal, personal, and imminent return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in an event commonly referred to as “the Rapture of the Church,” which will occur prior to the establishment of the Millennial Kingdom. Christ Jesus, it is promised, will descend from heaven to receive unto Himself His bride, which is the Church and consists of all who who reached salvation by placing their faith in Christ Jesus. The saved who have died shall rise first; then, we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (John 14:1-4; 20:27; Acts 1:9 & 11; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 5:1-11; Mark 13:28-30; 16:6 &19; Luke 1:32; 24:2; 4-6, 39-43, & 51)

  12. The Tribulation

    We believe in a literal period of tribulation upon the earth, as prophesied in the books of Daniel and Matthew and described in the book of Revelation, during which a terrible suffering, such as has never been seen nor ever will be seen again shall occur. (Daniel 9:27; 12:1-13; Matthew 24; Revelation 4-19)

  13. The 1,000-Year Reign of Christ on Earth

    At the close of the Tribulation Period, Christ Jesus will physically return to Earth with all of His saints, establish His literal throne upon the earth, and reign for 1,000 years. He will rule in righteousness upon the promised Throne of David. At the end of this 1,000-year reign will be “The Great White Throne of Judgement.” All born-again believers (those whose names are found in “The Lamb’s Book of Life”) will go to Heaven. Those whose names are not found in The Book of Life (non-believers) will be judged according to their works, found wanting, and shall be cast into the lake of fire for eternity with the Devil and his angels. (Psalm 72:8; Isaiah 11:4-5; Zechariah 14:1-4; Matthew 16:27; John 5:24; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 5:1-11; 2 Peter 3:10-14; Revelation 20-22)

    • All men and women will stand before God and give an account for his/her life. Those who have been saved, through faith in Jesus, will spend eternity in Heaven. Those who refused to accept the free gift of salvation will spend eternity in a literal place of everlasting punishment. (Matthew 25:46; John 5: 28-29; 11:25-26; Romans 14:12; Revelation 20:5-6 & 12-15)

  14. Baptism by Immersion

    Baptism is one of two ordinances given to the local, New-Testament church (the second being the observance of the Lord’s Supper). Baptism by immersion follows the literal meaning of the term and the examples given in the New Testament (including the baptism of Jesus by John). Baptism is not a part of, nor is it necessary for, salvation. It is an act of obedience by a professing believer that provides an outward expression of an internal faith in Jesus. (Matthew 3:16; 28:19; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:41; 8:12 & 36-38; Romans 6:1-11; Ephesians 2:8-9; Galatians 2:16; 2 Timothy 1:19; Titus 3:5)

  15. You Become Part of the Church (the Body of Christ) the Day You are Saved

    The Church is the Body of Christ. It is a spiritual organism made up of all born-again persons of the present age. It exists in local assemblies/”churches” established in communities around the world. It is God’s organization for the furtherance of the Gospel and opposition to evil; Christ Jesus is the Head of the Church. (Romans 12:5; Ephesians 1:22-23; 5:25-27; 1 Corinthians 12:12-13; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Acts 14:27; 20:17 & 28-32)

  16. Two Offices in the Church – Pastor and Deacon

    1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 provide the framework and qualification for leadership in the local, New-Testament Church. The two offices identified in these passages are those of Bishops/Elders (which refers to “overseers,” more generally called “Pastors”  today) and Deacons. (Phillipians 1:11; Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9; James 5:14; 1 Peter 5:1-4)

  17. Give your Tithes to the Lord

    New-Testament believers are reminded that everything we have belongs to the Lord, even our very bodies, which Jesus purchased (redeemed) through His sacrifice on the cross. It is reasonable then, that we should liberally and joyfully give our time, our treasures, and our talents back to Him. (Proverbs 3:9-10; Luke 6:38; Acts 4:34-37; 20:28; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; 7:23; 16:2; 2 Corinthians 8:1-4)