Grace Community Chapel is not affiliated with any denomination, and so we often are asked about our beliefs.
Some of the most basic questions we hear are:
- What do you believe about Jesus? We are “Trinitarian” in our doctrine. We believe in the deity of Jesus Christ.
- What do you believe about the Bible? We believe the Bible is the Word of God and it is authoritative for doctrine and conduct.
- What must we do to be right with God? We believe that there is one way of salvation and that is in Jesus Christ.
- Do you “baptize” babies? We practice baptism by immersion for those who have come to faith in Christ.
- Are you charismatic? No, we do not practice “sign” gifts during our worship, but we believe that they were given at Pentecost to authenticate the coming of the Holy Spirit and the revelation of the Gospel of Christ.
Here is a more complete statement of our beliefs. We Believe:
- The Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, to be the inspired Word of God, without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of His will for the salvation of men, and the Divine and final authority for all Christian faith and life. (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:21).
- In one God, Creator of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (Mark 12:29; John 1:1-4; Matt. 28:19-20; 2 Cor. 13:14).
- That Jesus Christ is true God and true man, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He died on the cross a sacrifice for our sins, according to the Scriptures. He arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven, where at the right hand of the Majesty on High, He now is our High Priest and Advocate. (John 3:16; Matt.l:21-23; John 1:14; 8:46; Rom. 5:8-10; Heb. 7:25; Acts 1:9-11; I Thess. 4:16-18; 1 Jn. 2:11).
- That the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ, and during this age to convict men, regenerate the believing sinner, indwell, guide, instruct, and empower the believer for godly living and service. (John 3:5; 14:26; 16:8-11,12-14; Eph. 1:13-14).
- That man was created in the image of God but fell into sin and is therefore lost and only through regeneration by the Holy Spirit can salvation and eternal life be obtained. (Gen. 1:26,27; Rom. 5:12-19; Eph. 2:1-3).
- That the shed blood of Jesus Christ and His resurrection provide the only ground for justification and salvation for all who believe, and only such as receive Jesus Christ are born of the Holy Spirit, and thus become children of God. This salvation is apart from human works or ceremonies. (Lev. 17:11; Matt. 26:28; Rom. 5:1, 6-9; Eph.2:8-9; Heb. 9:22).
- That water baptism and the Lord’s Supper are ordinances to be observed by the Church during the present ages. They are, however, not to be regarded as means of salvation. (Rom. 6:3-5; Acts 8:26-39; I Cor.10:16,17; 11:23-34).
- That the true Church is composed of all such persons who through saving faith in Jesus Christ have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit and are united together in the body of Christ of which He is the Head. This church is manifest in local assemblies of believers in which each member is gifted for service in and through the body (Romans 12; I Corinthians 12; Eph. 4:7-16).
- In the personal and imminent coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and that this “Blessed Hope” has a vital bearing upon the personal life and service of the believer. We believe in the resurrection of the body; the eternal existence of all men either in heaven or in hell; in Divine judgment; in rewards and punishments; and in the certain fulfillment of all the Biblical prophecies. (I Thess. 4:13-18; I Cor. 15:35-58; Rev. 20:12-15; 2 Cor. 5:10-11).
- That God’s Word declares that the believer should lead a separate life and so live after the Spirit that he will not fulfill the desires of the flesh, but since the flesh will be with the believer to the end of his earthly life it needs, therefore, to be kept in subjection to Christ. (Rom. 8:12, 13; Gal. 5:16-25; Eph. 4:22-24; Col. 3:1-10; I John 3:5-9).
