Doctrinal Statement of Grace and Truth Bible Church
I. The Holy Scriptures
A. Inspiration of the Bible
Definition: Biblical inspiration means that God superintended the human authors so that, using their own individual personalities, they composed and recorded (without error) His revelation to man in the words of the original autographs.
We believe that the words of Scripture were “God-breathed” (Theopneustos, II Timothy 3:16).
We believe that the human authors of Scripture were kept from error by being “borne along” by the Holy Spirit. II Peter 1:21. **Note also: Mark12:36, Acts 1:16, Acts 4:24-25, and Hebrews 10:15-16.
B. Authority of the Bible
We believe that the Bible is the final authority in the Church concerning all questions of faith and practice. II Timothy 3:16, I Corinthians 10:11, and Romans 15:4.
We believe that the Bible’s authority is eternal and will not pass away until all has been fulfilled. Matthew 5:18, I Peter 1:23.
C. Theme of the Bible
We believe that the Bible in both the Old and New Testaments seeks to set forth the Lord Jesus Christ as its primary theme and any study of the Bible apart from uplifting Christ is fruitless. Luke 24:27 and 44, John 5:39, Acts 17:2-3, Acts 18:28, Acts 26:22-23, and I Peter 1:11.
II. The Godhead
The Trinity
We believe that God eternally exists in three persons (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit), and these three persons are one God having precisely the same nature, attributes, and perfections and are worthy of precisely the same homage, confidence, and obedience. Deuteronomy 6:4, Matthew 28:19, II Corinthians 13:14.
1. The Father is God. John 6:27, Ephesians 4:6, and I Peter 1:3.
2. Jesus Christ is God. John 1:1, John 20:28, Romans 9:5, Titus2:13, I John5:20, Hebrews 1:1-3, and Colossians 1:15.
3. The Holy Spirit is God. Acts 5:3-9, II Corinthians 3:17
The Person and Work of Christ
The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit
III. The Total Depravity of Man
IV. Salvation
V. Assurance
VI. Eternal Security
VII. Sanctification
We believe that sanctification-a setting apart unto God-has three aspects in relationship to the believer.
VIII. Separation
We believe that Biblical separation involves a willingness of the believers to set themselves apart from that which is contrary to the Word and character of God. Without separation there can be no communion with Christ (II Corinthians 6:17-18). Separation has several aspects:
IX. The Two Natures of the Believer
We believe that every believer possesses two natures. At the time an individual is saved he receives a new divine nature (II Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 2:5, and II Peter 1:4) which is the nature of Christ Himself abiding in him (Galatians 2:20, Colossians 1:27, and Colossians 3:3-4); however, he still retains a sin nature which he received by his physical birth in Adam (Psalms 51:5, Romans 5:12,and I John 1:8).
There is provision for the believer to have victory over sin in his daily life. This victory is:
X. Spiritual Gifts
We believe that God has bestowed a divine enablement of spiritual gifts to every believer according to His sovereign will (1 Corinthians 12:7, 11). We believe that the “sign gifts” such as tongues, miracles, and healing were needed to authenticate the Apostles early ministry (11 Corinthians 12:12); especially to the Jews who “required a sign” (1 Corinthians 1:22), but that the gift of Apostleship, along with the other signs, have ceased having been unnecessary by the completion of the Canon of Scriptures which is authoritative in itself (11 Timothy 3:16, 11 Peter 1:19, Revelation 22:18-19). The remaining gifts are for the edification of the Church until the coming of Christ (Ephesians 4:11-13).
XI. The Church
XII. Dispensation
XIII. Missions
We believe that it is the privilege and responsibility of the saved to witness by life and by word to the truths of Holy Scriptures and to seek to proclaim the Gospel to all mankind (Acts 1:8, Romans 1:14, 11 Corinthians 5:18-20).
XIV. The personality of Satan
We believe that Satan is a person, the author of sin, and the cause of the fall; that he is the open and declared enemy of God and man; and that he shall be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire. (Job 1:6&7, Isaiah 14:12-17, Matthew 4:2-11, Revelation 20:10).
XV. The Blessed Hope
We believe that, according to the Word of God, the next great event in the fulfillment of prophecy will be the coming of the Lord in the air to receive to Himself into heaven both His own who are alive and remain unto His coming, and also all who have fallen asleep in Jesus. This event is the blessed hope set before us in the Scriptures, and for this we should be constantly looking (John 14:1-3, 1 Corinthians 15:51&52, Philippians 3:20&21, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, Titus 2:13&14).
XVI. The Tribulation
We believe that the translation of the church will be followed by the fulfillment of Israel’s seventieth week (Daniel 9:27, Revelation 6:1-19:21) during which the Church, the body of Christ, will be in heaven. The whole period of Israel’s seventieth week will be a time of judgment on the whole earth, at the end of which the times of the Gentiles will be brought to a close. The latter half of this period will be the time of Jacob’s trouble (Jeremiah 30:7), which our Lord called the great tribulation (Matthew 24:15-21). We believe that universal salvation will not be realized previous to the second coming of Christ, but that the world is day by day ripening for judgment and that this age will end with a fearful apostasy (11 Timothy 3:1-8).
XVI. The Second Coming of Christ
XVII. The Eternal State
‘EVEN SO COME LORD JESUS’ Revelation 22:20
I. The Holy Scriptures
A. Inspiration of the Bible
Definition: Biblical inspiration means that God superintended the human authors so that, using their own individual personalities, they composed and recorded (without error) His revelation to man in the words of the original autographs.
We believe that the words of Scripture were “God-breathed” (Theopneustos, II Timothy 3:16).
We believe that the human authors of Scripture were kept from error by being “borne along” by the Holy Spirit. II Peter 1:21. **Note also: Mark12:36, Acts 1:16, Acts 4:24-25, and Hebrews 10:15-16.
B. Authority of the Bible
We believe that the Bible is the final authority in the Church concerning all questions of faith and practice. II Timothy 3:16, I Corinthians 10:11, and Romans 15:4.
We believe that the Bible’s authority is eternal and will not pass away until all has been fulfilled. Matthew 5:18, I Peter 1:23.
C. Theme of the Bible
We believe that the Bible in both the Old and New Testaments seeks to set forth the Lord Jesus Christ as its primary theme and any study of the Bible apart from uplifting Christ is fruitless. Luke 24:27 and 44, John 5:39, Acts 17:2-3, Acts 18:28, Acts 26:22-23, and I Peter 1:11.
II. The Godhead
The Trinity
We believe that God eternally exists in three persons (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit), and these three persons are one God having precisely the same nature, attributes, and perfections and are worthy of precisely the same homage, confidence, and obedience. Deuteronomy 6:4, Matthew 28:19, II Corinthians 13:14.
1. The Father is God. John 6:27, Ephesians 4:6, and I Peter 1:3.
2. Jesus Christ is God. John 1:1, John 20:28, Romans 9:5, Titus2:13, I John5:20, Hebrews 1:1-3, and Colossians 1:15.
3. The Holy Spirit is God. Acts 5:3-9, II Corinthians 3:17
The Person and Work of Christ
- We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God who took on a human body through the virgin birth. Luke 1:35, John 1:1 and 14, Galatians 4:4, and I Timothy 2:5.
- We believe that Christ’s purpose for coming was to reveal God to man and to redeem man from sin. Johns 1:29, John 14:9, II Corinthians 4:4, Colossians 1:15, Luke 2:11, Luke 19:10, and Hebrews 9:26.
- We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His spiritual and physical death on the cross as a representative substitutionary sacrifice. Isaiah 53:5-6, II Corinthians 5:21, Ephesians 1:7, Hebrews 2:9, and I Peter 2:24, Romans 3:24-25.
- We believe in the Lord Jesus Christ’s literal, physical resurrection from the dead. Acts 2:23-24 and 31, I Corinthians 15:3-4, and I Peter 1:3.
- We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God (Acts 1:9-11, Acts 7:55-56, and Ephesians 1:20) where He fulfills the ministry of Representative (Hebrews 9:24), Intercessor (Romans 8:34 and Hebrews 7:25), and Advocate (I John 2:1-2).
The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit
- We believe that the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, permanently indwells every genuine believer in Jesus Christ during the Church Age. John 14:16-17, Acts 1:8, Romans 8:9, I Corinthians 6:19, and Ephesians 4:30.
- We believe that when a person is saved by faith in Christ the Holy Spirit regenerates and baptizes him\her into the body of Christ. This baptism is an invisible identification of the individual with Christ’s body. I Corinthians 12:13 and Titus 3:5.
- We believe that the Holy Spirit fills or controls the yielded believer for the purpose of empowering him\her to know and to do God’s will as revealed in the Word of God so that God may be glorified. John 16:13-14, Acts 1:8, Acts 4:31, and Ephesians 5:18.
- We believe that the Holy Spirit also seals the believer unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30), convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:7-8); restrains evil in the world to the measure of divine will (II Thessalonians 2:7); and gives Spiritual gifts to the saved. I Corinthians 12:4-11.
III. The Total Depravity of Man
- We believe that man was originally created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26) and fell through disobedience (Romans 5:19) and as a consequence became spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:2-3) and therefore is an enemy of God (Romans 5:10 and Colossians 1:21)
- We believe that all men by birth are under sin (Romans 3:9 and 23, Psalms 51:5, and Jeremiah 17:9), under condemnation (Romans 3:19), and are unchangeably evil apart from the divine grace of God through Christ (Ephesians 2:4-6).
IV. Salvation
- We believe that when a person exercises faith in Jesus Christ for salvation he\she passes immediately out of Spiritual death into spiritual life (John 5:24, Colossians 2:13), from the old creation into the new (II Corinthians 5:17), from “the power of darkness into the Kingdom of His dear Son” (Colossians 1:13), being accepted in Christ (Ephesians 1:6), and blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). This salvation is complete and cannot be improved upon or added to although the believer’s knowledge of and appreciation for his\her salvation may increase (I Corinthians 3:21, Colossians 2:10, Ephesians 3:17-19).
V. Assurance
- We believe it is a privilege of all that have been genuinely born again by faith in Jesus Christ to be assured of their eternal salvation. This assurance is not based upon their personal worthiness or works but wholly upon the promise of God in His written word. Romans 5:1, Romans 8:1, II Corinthians5:1 and 6-8, Hebrews 6:18-19, I John 2:25, and I John 5:11-13).
VI. Eternal Security
- We believe that every true believer is eternally secure from the moment he accepts Jesus Christ as his personal Savior (Romans 8:1) and that nothing can alter his position in Christ as a son of God nor can he lose his salvation for the following reasons:
- Because eternal life is said to be the present possession of every believer. John 3:16, John 6:40, John 20:31, and I John 5:13.
- Because when a person becomes born again by faith in Christ Jesus, at that point he becomes a child of God which is an unchangeable relationship. Just as a child cannot be un-born out of his natural family, so a child of God cannot be un-born out of his Spiritual family (John 1:12, John 3:3, and Galatians 3:26). God chastens His children in time (I Corinthians 11:32 and Hebrews 12:5-6) not eternity.
- Because of the promises of Christ to His own that, “Those who come to Him, He will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37); His promises to those that believe that they will not come into condemnation (John 5:24); His statement that of all which the Father had given Him “He would lose nothing” (John 6:39); His promise of eternal life to His sheep along with the assurance that they would never perish (John 10:28-29); His promise of future resurrection for all believers (John 6:39 and John 11:25); and His promise that He will come again for believers: “that where I am there ye may be also” (John 14:3).
- Because our salvation is by grace based on the merit and work of Christ and not on our merit or works-so “the promise might be sure” to all them that believe (Romans 4:4-5 and 16). If we were save be faith and kept by works, salvation could not be by grace (Romans 11:6).
- Because salvation is a free gift (Romans 5:15 and Ephesians 2:8-9), and God’s gifts and calling are “without repentance” (Romans 11:29).
- Because of God’s omniscience and eternal purpose in which He has already foreknown, predestinated, called, justified, and glorified every believer in Christ (Romans 8:28-30).
- Because the believer is kept by the power of God (I Peter 1:5 and Jude 24) and therefore it is based on the faithfulness of God rather than of man (II Timothy 2:13 and Hebrews 6:17-19).
- Because all believers receive the Holy Spirit at salvation (Romans 8:9 and I Corinthians 12:13) and are said to be “sealed” by that Spirit until the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30).
- Because Jesus Christ as our Great High Priest makes intercession for us (Luke 22:31-32 and John 17:1-26) and when we fail He becomes our advocate with the Father receiving forgiveness for us based upon His once and for all sacrifice for sin (I John 1:7 and 2:1-2)
- Furthermore, we believe that Eternal security is not a license to sin but rather it gives freedom to serve not out of fear or bondage but out of a heart of love and devotion for Jesus Christ. II Corinthian 5:14-15 and I John 4:18-19.
VII. Sanctification
We believe that sanctification-a setting apart unto God-has three aspects in relationship to the believer.
- Positional Sanctification-This is the perfect position afforded every believer at salvation as a result of being redeemed, cleansed, forgiven, and justified through the work of Christ on the cross. So the believer is called a “saint” (I Corinthians 1:2) not on the basis of his walk but on the basis of union with Christ “who of God is made unto us…sanctification…” (I Corinthians 1:30). This sanctification is complete, unchangeable, and true of every believer no matter if he is a babe in Christ or a mature father of the faith (Hebrews 10:10).
- Practical Sanctification-The believer is practically set apart from evil when he is walking by faith in Christ (Galatians 5:16). This sanctification is also progressive in that God through His Word points out areas of our lives which do not conform to His will and expects us to “cleanse ourselves” from them (John 17:17, Psalms 119:9, and II Corinthians 7:1). The result is what Peter calls “growth in grace’ (II Peter 3:18) and what Paul identifies as being changed into the image of Christ (II Corinthians 3:18).
- Ultimate Sanctification-Ultimate sanctification is the believer’s final perfection in glory having been given a new body like unto our Lord’s (Philippians 2:21 and I John 3:2) and in every way been “conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29).
VIII. Separation
We believe that Biblical separation involves a willingness of the believers to set themselves apart from that which is contrary to the Word and character of God. Without separation there can be no communion with Christ (II Corinthians 6:17-18). Separation has several aspects:
- Separation from being unequally yoked with unbelievers (I Corinthians 6:14-17).
- Separation from those who hold to false doctrine (Romans 16:17, Ephesians 5:11, II Thessalonians 3:14, Titus 3:10, II John 10-11, Revelation 2:2, 14-15, and 20).
- Separation from Christians who continue in sin and thus are bringing disgrace to Christ (I Corinthian 5:1-13, II Thessalonians 3:6, II Timothy 2:20-21).
- Separation from love for the world and conformity to the world system (Romans 12:1-2 and I John 2:15-17).
- Trying the spirits whether they are of God (I John 4:1).
- Rebuking the unfruitful works of darkness (Ephesians 5:11).
- Coming out from among them (II Corinthians 6:17).
IX. The Two Natures of the Believer
We believe that every believer possesses two natures. At the time an individual is saved he receives a new divine nature (II Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 2:5, and II Peter 1:4) which is the nature of Christ Himself abiding in him (Galatians 2:20, Colossians 1:27, and Colossians 3:3-4); however, he still retains a sin nature which he received by his physical birth in Adam (Psalms 51:5, Romans 5:12,and I John 1:8).
There is provision for the believer to have victory over sin in his daily life. This victory is:
- 1. Based upon Christ’s defeat of sin on the cross (Romans 6:6) and our identification with Him in His death, burial and resurrection (Romans 6:3-4).
- Christ’s victory over sin becomes ours in experience by faith as we “reckon ourselves to be dead to sin” (Romans 6:11) and yield ourselves as instruments of righteousness unto God (Romans 6:13). While abiding in Christ, the believer will not sin (I John 3:6) but is kept from sinning by the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:16) and is thus enabled to do God’s will (Romans 8:4).
- The believer is controlled by his nature when he fails to walk by faith, yielding himself once again to indwelling sin (Romans 6:13). It is not God’s will that the believer sin (I John 2:1) but when he does a provision for restoration has been provided through Christ’s death for sin (I John 1:7 and I John 2:2) and the believer’s willingness to confess his sin and yield to God (I John 1:9 and Romans 6:13).
X. Spiritual Gifts
We believe that God has bestowed a divine enablement of spiritual gifts to every believer according to His sovereign will (1 Corinthians 12:7, 11). We believe that the “sign gifts” such as tongues, miracles, and healing were needed to authenticate the Apostles early ministry (11 Corinthians 12:12); especially to the Jews who “required a sign” (1 Corinthians 1:22), but that the gift of Apostleship, along with the other signs, have ceased having been unnecessary by the completion of the Canon of Scriptures which is authoritative in itself (11 Timothy 3:16, 11 Peter 1:19, Revelation 22:18-19). The remaining gifts are for the edification of the Church until the coming of Christ (Ephesians 4:11-13).
XI. The Church
- We believe that the Church called the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12-14, Ephesians 1:22-23) and the espoused bride of Christ (11 Corinthians 11:2, Ephesians 5:25-27) is a spiritual organism made up of all born again persons of this present age.
- We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches, that is, the body of believers meeting in a certain locality, is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures (Acts 14:27, 20:17, 28-32, 1 Timothy 3:1-13, Titus 1:5-11).
XII. Dispensation
- We believe that a dispensation is a period of time during which man is tested in respect to obedience to some definite revelation of God’s will (Genesis 2:16-17). We believe that some of the principles found in earlier dispensations carry on in later ones, but that the specific test of obedience is not repeated. Each dispensation ends in failure by man and with the judgement of God (Genesis 3:6, 24).
- We do not believe that the dispensations are different means of salvation but that salvation has always been “by grace through faith” and is based upon the work of our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross and His resurrection from the grave (John 1:29, Romans 4:3&6, I Corinthians 15:3-4, Ephesians 2:8&9).
- We believe that man’s responsibilities in each dispensation were fulfilled when he was walking by faith, (Hebrews 11) and the failure in each was due to man’s rejection of God’s enabling grace (Romans 9:31&32, Hebrews 4:2&3).
- We believe that we are living in the dispensation called the Church age and that today God is calling out a people for His name (Acts 15:14, Ephesians 3:2-6, 10).
- We believe that this dispensation began at Pentecost with the coming of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2), and will end with the apostasy of the professing Church and the rapture of the true Church (11 Timothy 3:1-5, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).
XIII. Missions
We believe that it is the privilege and responsibility of the saved to witness by life and by word to the truths of Holy Scriptures and to seek to proclaim the Gospel to all mankind (Acts 1:8, Romans 1:14, 11 Corinthians 5:18-20).
XIV. The personality of Satan
We believe that Satan is a person, the author of sin, and the cause of the fall; that he is the open and declared enemy of God and man; and that he shall be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire. (Job 1:6&7, Isaiah 14:12-17, Matthew 4:2-11, Revelation 20:10).
XV. The Blessed Hope
We believe that, according to the Word of God, the next great event in the fulfillment of prophecy will be the coming of the Lord in the air to receive to Himself into heaven both His own who are alive and remain unto His coming, and also all who have fallen asleep in Jesus. This event is the blessed hope set before us in the Scriptures, and for this we should be constantly looking (John 14:1-3, 1 Corinthians 15:51&52, Philippians 3:20&21, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, Titus 2:13&14).
XVI. The Tribulation
We believe that the translation of the church will be followed by the fulfillment of Israel’s seventieth week (Daniel 9:27, Revelation 6:1-19:21) during which the Church, the body of Christ, will be in heaven. The whole period of Israel’s seventieth week will be a time of judgment on the whole earth, at the end of which the times of the Gentiles will be brought to a close. The latter half of this period will be the time of Jacob’s trouble (Jeremiah 30:7), which our Lord called the great tribulation (Matthew 24:15-21). We believe that universal salvation will not be realized previous to the second coming of Christ, but that the world is day by day ripening for judgment and that this age will end with a fearful apostasy (11 Timothy 3:1-8).
XVI. The Second Coming of Christ
- We believe that the period of great tribulation on the earth will be climaxed by the personal return of the Lord Jesus Christ in the clouds to the earth with power and great glory (Matthew 16:27, 26:64, Mark 13:26).
- To establish the Millenial Kingdom (Daniel 7:14, Zachariah 14:9, Revelation 20:4).
- To bind Satan and place him in the Bottomless Pit (Revelation 20:1-3).
- To establish peace on earth (Isaiah 2:2-4).
- To restore Israel to her own land (Jeremiah 23:5-8).
- To fulfill God’s covenant promises to Israel (Romans 11:25-27).
- To judge the nations (Matthew 25:31-46).
- To lift the curse upon the earth (Isaiah 11:6-9, 35:1&2,5&6, Romans 8:19-23).
- To resurrect the Old Testament and tribulation saints (Daniel 12:2&3, Revelation 20:4-6).
XVII. The Eternal State
- We believe the following events will occur following the Millenial reign of Christ:
- Satan and his angels will be placed in the Lake of Fire (Matthew 25:41, Revelation 20:10).
- The resurrection and judgement of the unbelieving dead with their final doom being cast alive and conscious into the Lake of Fire not to be annihilated but to be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord (Mark 9:47&48, Luke 16:19-26, 11 Thessalonians 1:7-9, Revelation 20:11-15, 21:8).
- There will be a new heaven and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness (the former heaven and earth having been purged with fire) (11 Peter 3:7, 10-13, Revelation 21:1&2).
- The city of the living God, Heavenly Jerusalem, will come down to earth to be the abode of the triune God, an innumerable company of unfallen angels, the Church, Old Testament saints and tribulation saints (Hebrews 12:22-24, Revelation 21: 9-27, 22:1-8).
- All saints of every age will enter into eternity with glorified bodies to be associated with the Lord forever in unending happiness and glory (1 Thess. 4:17, Revelation 21:3&4, 27, 22:14).
‘EVEN SO COME LORD JESUS’ Revelation 22:20