The statement of faith that must be
affirmed in order to become a member of Grace Reformed Fellowship
Church.
I. THE
WORD OF GOD
We believe that the Bible is the Word of God, fully inspired and
without error in the original manuscripts, written under the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and that it has supreme authority in
all matters of faith and conduct. II Timothy 3:16;
II Peter 1:20,21; Mark 13:31; John 8:31,32; John 20:31; Acts 20:32
II. THE TRINITY
We believe that there is one living and true God, eternally existing
in three person; that these are equal in every divine perfection,
and that they execute distinct but harmonious offices in the work of
creation, providence and redemption.
Genesis 1:1,26; John 1:1,3; Matthew 28:19; John 4:24; Romans
1:19,20; Ephesians 4:5,6
III. GOD THE FATHER
We believe in God the Father, an infinite, personal spirit, perfect
in holiness, wisdom, power and love. We believe that He infallibly
foreknows all that shall come to pass, that He concerns Himself
mercifully in the affairs of men, that He hears and answers prayer,
and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through
Jesus Christ. Luke 10:21,22; Matthew 23:9; John 3:16; 6:27; Romans
1:7; I Timothy 1:1,2; 2:5,6; I Peter 1:3; Revelation 1:6
IV. JESUS CHRIST
We believe in Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son, conceived by
the Holy Spirit. We believe in His virgin birth, sinless life,
miracles, and teachings. We believe in His substitutionary atoning
death, bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, perpetual
intercession for His people, and personal visible return to earth.
Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38; John 1:1; 20:28; Romans 9:5; 8:46; II
Corinthians 5:21; I Peter 2:21-23; John 20:30, 31; Matthew 20:28;
Ephesians 1:4; Acts 1:11; Romans 5:6-8; 6:9,10; Hebrews 7:25;
Hebrews 9:28; I Timothy 3:16
V. THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe in the Holy Spirit who came forth from the Father and Son
to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and to
regenerate, sanctify, and empower all who believe in Jesus Christ.
We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Christ,
and that He is an abiding helper, teacher and guide. John
14:16,17,26; 15:26,27; John 16:9-14; Romans 8:9; I Corinthians 3:16;
6:19; Galatians 5:22-26
VI. REGENERATION
We believe that man was created by God in His own image; that he
sinned and thereby incurred physical, spiritual and eternal death,
which is separation from God; that as a consequence, all human
beings are born with a sinful nature and are sinners by choice and
therefore under condemnation. We believe that those who repent and
forsake sin and trust Jesus Christ as Savior are regenerated by the
Holy Spirit and become new creatures, delivered from condemnation
and receive eternal life. Genesis. 1:26; 5:2; Genesis 3; Genesis
2:17; 3:19; Eccl. 2:11; John 3:14; 5:24; John 5:30; 7:13; 8:12;
10:26;
Romans 9:22; II Thessalonians 1:9; Rev. 19:3,20; 20:10;14,15; 21:18;
Psalm 51:7; Jeremiah 17:9; James 1:14; Romans 3:19; 5:19; Proverbs
28:13; I John 1:9; John 3:16; John 1:13; II Corinthians 5:17; Romans
8:1
VII. THE CHURCH
We believe in the universal church, a living spiritual body of which
Christ is the head and all regenerated persons are members. We
believe in the local church, consisting of a company of believers in
Jesus Christ, baptized on a credible profession of faith, and
associated for worship, work, and fellowship. We believe that God
has laid upon the members of the local church the primary task of
giving the gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost world. Ephesians
2:19-22; Acts 1:8; Ephesians 5:19-21; Acts 2:42; Hebrews 10:23-25
VIII. CHRISTIAN CONDUCT
We believe that a Christian should live for the glory of God and the
well-being of his fellow men; that his conduct should be blameless
before the world; that he should be a faithful steward of his
possessions; and that he should seek to realize for himself and
others the full stature of maturity in Christ. I Corinthians 10:31;
Romans 12:1-3; Hebrews 12:1-2; John 14:15,23-24; I John 2:3-6; II
Corinthians 9:6-9; I Corinthians 4:2; Col. 1:9-10
IX. THE ORDINANCES
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has committed two ordinances
to the local church, baptism and the Lord's Supper. We believe that
Christian baptism is the immersion of the believer in water into the
name of the triune God. We believe that the Lord's Supper was
instituted by Christ for commemoration of His death. We believe that
these two ordinances should be observed and administered until the
return of the Lord Jesus Christ. Matthew 28:18-20; Romans 6:3-5; I
Corinthians 11:23-26
X. RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
We believe that every human being has direct relations with God, and
is responsible to God alone in all matters of faith; that each
church is independent and must be free from interference by any
ecclesiastical or political authority; that therefore Church and
State must be kept separate as having different functions, each
fulfilling its duties free from dictation or patronage of the other.
I Timothy 2:5; Romans 14:7-9,12
XI. THE LAST THINGS
We believe in the personal and visible return of the Lord Jesus
Christ to earth and the establishment of His kingdom. We believe in
the resurrection of the body, the final judgement, the eternal
felicity of the righteous and the endless suffering of the wicked.
Matthew 16:27; Mark 14:62; John 14:3; Acts 1:11; Phil. 3:20; I
Thessalonians 4:15; II Timothy 4:1; Titus 2:13;
I Corinthians 4:5; I Corinthians 15; II Thessalonians 1:7-10;
Revelation 20:4-6,11-15
