To the Praise of His Glory 3/17/19
March 17, 2019
Our Beliefs
About the Bible
The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments have been given by the verbal plenary inspiration of God and therefore are inerrant (Ps. 19:7-13; 119:89,105). They are designed to lead us to salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. They are fully inspired by God and therefore serve as the authoritative guide for Christian understanding, life, and ministry (2 Timothy. 3:15-17). The Scriptures are not to be added to, superseded, or changed by tradition or any supposed later revelation (Isa. 8:20; Gal. 1:8-9). Every doctrinal formulation, whether of creed, confession, or theology, must be put to the test of the full counsel of God in the Holy Scriptures (Matt. 22:29-33; Eph. 2:20; Acts 28:23). Correct understanding of the Scriptures depends upon the illumination of the Holy Spirit; therefore, the most accurate factual knowledge attained through exegesis, exposition, and interpretation does not bring about conversion or spiritual comprehension without the Holy Spirit creating an understanding through the Word and applying the message to the heart ( 1 Cor. 2:7-16).
About God
God is triune. There is but one God, Infinite, Eternal, Almighty, and Perfect in Holiness, Truth, and Love (Deut. 6:4; I Cor. 8:4,6; Isa. 44:6-8; 57:15; 1 John 4:8; Gen. 17:1; Ps. 145:3). In the unity of the Godhead there are three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, who are co-existent, co-equal, co-eternal (Matt. 3:16-17; 28:19; 1 Cor. 12:4-6; 2 Cor. 13:14). The Father is not the Son, and the Son is not the Holy Spirit, yet each is true Deity. The belief in one God — the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — is the foundation of Christian faith and life (John 14:23, 25; 15:26; 16:13-15). God is the Creator of heaven and earth (Gen. 1:1; Heb. 11:3; Ps. 33:9). By His Word, all things were made. Through the same Word, He daily sustains all of His creation (John 1:3,10; Col.1:15-17; Heb. 1:2-3; Ps. 147:13; Rom. 8:28; John 3:16). He made man for fellowship with Himself and intended that all creation should live to the praise of His glory (Rom. 11:36; Eph. 1:12, 14, Rev. 4:11). As Creator, the Triune God fashioned the universe apart from any pre-existing materials and without any evolutionary process. (We affirm the historicity of the first eleven chapters of Genesis.)
About Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ the Son is fully God and fully man. He is mankind’s only provision for forgiveness and redemption (John 1:1, 20:28; Col. 1:19; 1Tim. 2:5-6; Heb. 2:14-18). He is the Word made flesh, meaning He was supernaturally conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, and perfect in nature, being, and obedience (John 1:14; Matt. 1:18, 22-23; Luke 1:35; John 8:29; Heb 5:8). He shed His blood on the cross as the vicarious atonement for the sins of all mankind. He rose from the dead in His own glorified body, ascended into heaven, and will return in glory (John 19:33-37; Rom. 4:24-25; 1 Cor. 15:1-3; 2 Cor 5:21; 1Peter 2:24; 1 John 2:2; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Thess. 4:16-17). He is the Head of His body the Church; He is Victor over all the powers of darkness. He reigns at the right hand of God the Father (Col. 1:8, 2:15; Heb. 1:3-4).
About The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment; He unites man to Jesus Christ in faith; He brings about the New Birth; and He dwells within the regenerate, producing in them the fruit of the Holy Spirit, thus enabling them to grow in the experience of sanctification (John 15:8-10; 1 Cor. 12:13; John 3:5; 1 Cor. 6:19; Rom. 8:9- 11; Gal 5:22-23; 2 Cor. 3:17-18). The Holy Spirit inspired prophets, judges, and kings in ancient times; He anointed Jesus Christ for His ministry, filled the Church with power on the day of Pentecost, and will transform the mortal bodies of believers into the likeness of Jesus Christ’s glorious body (Phil. 3:21).
About Man
Man was created male and female, in the image and likeness of God (Gen. 1:26-27). Because of man’s original sin, mankind has fallen from God and has become corrupt in his whole nature. By himself, man is totally incapable of returning to God (Rom. 5:12, 16-17; Jer. 17:9; Eph. 2:1-3; John 6:44). Fallen, sinful humanity, whatever its character or attainments, is eternally lost and without hope apart from salvation in Jesus Christ (John 3:3-7; Acts 4:12).God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God. (Gen 1:26-27.) Rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person. Greater Grace Church believes that the term “marriage” has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture. (Gen 2:18-25.) We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other. (1 Cor 6:18; 7:2-5; Heb 13:4.) We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman. Greater Grace Church believes that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography) is sinful,harmful to man and offensive to God. (Matt 15:18-20; 1 Cor 6:9-10.)
About Salvation
Salvation is the gift of God. Salvation is provided solely by His grace through faith in Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:8-9; Rom. 5:1; Acts 16:31) and His death, burial, and resurrection (Rom. 3:25; 1 Cor. 15:1-2, Heb. 9:12 and 10:19; Rev. 1:5). Recognizing his need for a Savior and looking to Christ and His vicarious atonement for sin, man is born anew unto eternal life by the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38; Titus 3:4-7; Acts 3:19-21). There is absolutely no other name except Jesus Christ by which man may be saved (Acts 4:12). Through His great redemptive act, there is forgiveness of sin, liberation from bondage to the world, and freedom in His Spirit (Eph. 1:17; Gal. 6:14-15).
About the Baptism
The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is granted to all who believe in Jesus Christ. This occurs in each believer at the moment of salvation. Every believer is baptized into the body of Christ (the Church) when he or she is regenerated (1 Cor. 12:13).
About The Great Commission
The fulfillment of the Great Commission is the responsibility of all believers. Believers are to pray to the Lord of the Harvest that He would send forth laborers into the world to preach the Gospel and to plant churches (Matt. 28:18-20).
About The Church
The Church, which is the body and future bride of Christ, is dedicated to the worship and service of God, the observance of the sacraments / ordinances of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, as well as the practice of good works (Rom. 12:4-5; 1 Cor. 12:27; Eph. 2:22; 5:23, 26,27; 1 Peter 2:5, 9- 10; Eph. 2:10; Titus 2:14). The primary task of the Church in all ages is to teach all nations and to make disciples, bringing the Gospel into every aspect of life and thought. The ultimate mission of the Church is the redemption of souls, through the obedience to the great commission (Matt. 28:19-20; 2 Cor. 10:4-5).
About Satan
Satan was created a perfect angelic being (Ezekiel 28:15). He rebelled against God (Ezekiel 28:15-18; Isaiah 14: 12-17). As a result, he became completely depraved and the leader of the host of angels who fell with him, and the adversary of God and God’s people (Revelation 12:4, 10-17; Revelation 13:7; 2 Corinthians 11:13-15). Satan has been defeated and judged at the Cross. He now awaits his ultimate doom at the second advent of Jesus Christ (John 16:11; Revelation 20:1-2, 7-10).
About Final Events
Jesus Christ will return to rapture His church. Immediately following this event will be the seven-year tribulation period. At the conclusion of this period Christ will return to the earth and establish His 1,000 year reign. At the end of Christ’s 1,000-year reign, Satan will be cast into the Lake of Fire. The next event will be the Great White Throne judgment of the unsaved. Christ will then establish new heavens and a new earth. This will be the consummation of all things.
The consummation of all things include the following events: the rapture of the Church, period of tribulation on the earth; the second advent of Jesus with His 1000 year reign on the earth from Jerusalem; the white throne judgment of the unsaved (1 Thess. 4:13-17; 1 Cor. 15:50-54; 2 Cor. 5:10; 1 Cor. 3: 11-15; Matt. 24:30; Acts 1:11; Rev. 1:7; Zech 12:10 and 14:3-11; Rev 20:11-15). Satan with his hosts, and all humanity outside of Christ will be separated eternally from the presence of God, enduring eternal punishment in a literal hell (Matt. 25:41; Mark 9:47-48; 2 Thess. 1:7-10). All who have been redeemed by Christ from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light will be present with Christ in the New Jerusalem with the new heaven and new earth forever (Rev. 21:1-4).
