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A statement of faith is like a rudder that
guides a ship. These are the core beliefs that we have
about God and Christianity that provide the foundation
for our ministry at Grace.
GRACE STATEMENT OF FAITH
Approved by Elders January 24, 2006
A. THE TRIUNE GOD
There is one God who exists in three persons, Father,
Son and Holy Spirit, each person being fully God. God
the Father, along with Jesus the Son, is the Creator
and Lord of the universe who both governs all things
according to His will and is accomplishing His purpose
in the world and in the church. Jesus Christ is both
truly God and truly human, the only mediator between
God and humanity. The Holy Spirit is necessary for
the individual’s new birth and growth to maturity.
The Holy Spirit empowers and indwells the church as
well as each individual believer.
Gen. 1:1, 26; Isaiah 45:21-22; Matthew 28:19; Ephesians
4:4-6; Luke 10:21-22; John 1:1-4; Revelation 4:11;
I Corinthians 8:6; Colossians 2:9; Colossians 1:16-17;
John 3:16; Titus 3:5,6; Jude 20-21; John 14:16-17,
26
B. THE BIBLE
The Holy Scripture in its entirety is inspired by
God’s
Spirit through human authors and constitutes the revelation
of God’s truth to humanity. It is trustworthy
and without error in its original manuscripts in
all that
it affirms. Whatever the Bible, rightly interpreted,
teaches followers of Christ are bound to believe
and obey. It is the supreme authority in every matter
of
belief and conduct, and it establishes moral absolutes
for the human race.
2 Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:21; Matthew 5:18; John
10:35; John 17:17; I John 2:5
C. THE VALUE OF HUMAN LIFE
All human beings are created in God’s own likeness
and therefore have inherent value and equality
before God. All human life is in the image of God
and is
sacred.
Genesis 1:27; Ephesians 1:4-13; Psalm
139; Jeremiah 1:4-5; Acts 17:28
D. THE HUMAN CONDITION
Humanity is hopelessly lost by imputation of sin
as a result of Adam’s sin as well as by personal sinful
acts. This sin and guilt have rendered mankind subject
to God’s wrath and condemnation and have resulted
in humanity’s alienation from God’s life,
suppression of God’s truth, and hostility to God’s
law. God’s love desires all to come to
repentance and to be reconciled rather than condemned.
Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23; Jeremiah 17:9; Acts 3:19; Acts
16:31
E. SALVATION
Salvation from the guilt and penalty of sin has been
achieved solely through the work of Jesus Christ – his
perfect obedience, substitutionary death, bodily
resurrection and exaltation to heaven as Lord.
Apart from Christ,
there is salvation through no person, church,
creed, process, or power. Each sinner is justified
before
God and reconciled to God only by divine grace
appropriated by faith alone, apart from human
merit or good works.
Authentic salvation is evidenced by a transformed
life.
Romans 5:12-19; Romans 10:9-10; John 3:16; John 14:6;
John 1:12-13; Titus 3:5; Ephesians 2:3-9; 2
Corinthians 13:5-6; James 2:14-26
F. THE NATURE AND MISSION OF THE CHURCH
There is one, holy and universal church, which is
the Body of Christ, and to which all true
believers belong.
As the Father sent the Son into the world,
so the Lord Jesus Christ sends his church to participate
in God’s
mission by words and works. In this mission the church
is called to proclaim the gospel of God’s grace,
to baptize and make disciples among all nations, to exhibit
God’s character through compassionate care for
the needy; to push back the forces of evil, and to demonstrate
to humanity the reality of God’s kingdom.
Matthew 28:19-20; Ephesians 1:22-23; Acts 16:16-18; Matthew
22:37-40; Isaiah 61:1-3; Acts 1:8; Matthew
25:34-45
G. LAST THINGS
As the Lord Jesus ascended to his Father, so He will
return literally, physically, and in glory. He will raise
the dead and bring salvation and judgment to final completion.
All humanity will be resurrected for judgment and entrance
into either eternal life or eternal hell. There is no
second opportunity for salvation after death and all
who did not trust Christ will stand condemned. God will
then fully establish his Kingdom and finish the new creation
- a new heaven and a new earth from which all evil and
evildoers, all suffering and death, will be excluded
and in which God will be glorified forever.
Acts 1:11; I Thessalonians
4:13-17; Revelation 11:15; Revelation 20:4-6;
I Corinthians 15:42-44;
51-52; John 5:28-29; Revelation 20:11-15; Matthew 25:46
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