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STATEMENT OF FAITH
We hold fast to the historic doctrine of the Christian faith. The members of Bethel Grace are united in the following tenets of biblical teaching:
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1. The Bible
We believe that the Bible is the verbally inspired, infallible Word of God; that the Old and New Testaments are inerrant in the original writings; and that they are the final, supreme authority in matters of faith and practice. (Matthew 5:18; II Timothy 3:16, 17; II Peter 1:19-21)
2. The Trinity
We believe in One God, eternally existing in Three Persons: God the Father; God the Son, Jesus Christ; and God the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19, 20; John 4:24, 10:30, 14:26)
3. God the Father
We believe in God the Father, creator of heaven and earth, perfect in holiness and love, infinite in wisdom, and measureless in power. We rejoice that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves and keeps all who trust His Son. (Genesis 1:1; Psalms 18:30, 139:1-16, 147:5; Genesis 18:14; Jeremiah 32: 17, 27; Isaiah 6:3; I John 4:8; Exodus 6:3; Luke 1:37; Revelation 19:6; Matthew 28:19, 20; Ephesians 2:4, 5; 1 Peter 1:3-5; I John 5:14,15; John 3:16-18, 5:24)
4. Jesus Christ
We believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, and sinless in His life. We believe He died for our sins as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice, and all who believe in Him are justified by His shed Blood. We believe in His bodily resurrection; His High Priestly intercession for His people; and in His personal, visible, pre-millennial return to this world in power and glory. (Luke 1:26-35; II Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15; I John 3:5; Romans 5:8, 9; Matthew 28:5, 6; Hebrews 7:24-26; Matthew 24:29-31; Acts 1:11; Revelation 20:6)
5. The Holy Spirit
We believe in the Holy Spirit who was sent by the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgment; to regenerate, sanctify, empower, and seal forever all who believe in Christ; and to be our abiding helper, comforter, teacher, and guide. (John 16:7-11; John 3:3-7; Titus 3:5; Romans 15:16; Acts 1:8, Ephesians 1:13; John 16:13-15)
6. Man
We believe that man was uniquely created by God in the image and likeness of God. God created male and female to complement one another in marriage. God made man and woman to be marital partners as one flesh, thus no homosexual union should be recognized as marriage. At the creation, man was made in the image and likeness of God and pronounced good. However, man disobeyed the single prohibition given by God and thus fell from his innocent condition into sin and death. (Genesis 1:26-27; Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7)
7. Salvation
We believe that all men are sinners by nature and by choice and have thereby earned not only physical death but spiritual death, which is separation from God. We believe that all who put their faith and trust in the finished work of Jesus Christ have been born again by the quickening, renewing, cleansing work of the Holy Spirit through the instrumentality of the Word of God and are saved forever. (Romans 3:23; Romans 5:12; John 3:16-19, 5:24-29; Ephesians 2:1-10; I Peter 1:23; James 1:18)
8. Resurrection and Eternity
We believe all believers will be bodily resurrected at the second coming of Christ unto eternal happiness in His presence and love. We believe all who reject Christ as Savior and Lord will be bodily resurrected and forever separated from the presence and love of God, in the lake of fire, the place of endless suffering. (John 5:24-29; Romans 8:38, 39; John 11:25-27; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; I Corinthians 15:35-58; Matthew 10:28; 1 Thessalonians 1:7-9; Revelation 20:4-15)
9. 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 united together for the purposes of worshipping God, edifying and maintaining the fellowship of believers, and proclaiming the Gospel of Christ throughout the whole world. (Matthew 16:16-18; 28:19, 20; I Peter 2:5; Ephesians 1:22,23; Colossians 1:18; Romans 12:4,5; Acts 2:41-47)
10. Ordinances
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ committed two symbolic ordinances to the local church: baptism and the Lord’s Supper (Communion). We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Water baptism is not essential to salvation but is an act of obedience to God. We believe that the Lord’s Supper was instituted by Christ for the commemoration of His death until He returns. (Matthew 28:19, 20; 26:26-28; I Corinthians 11:23-26; Mark 14:22-24; Luke 22:19, 20; I Peter 3:21)
11. Religious Liberty
We believe that every human being is responsible to God alone in all matters of faith; that all believers are priests before God; 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 from the other, until the Lord returns and sets up His kingdom on earth. (Romans 14:12; Matthew 16:13-15; Revelation 1:5, 6; Acts 4:19-20)
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CHURCH COVENANT
Having been led by the Holy Spirit to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as Our Savior, having publicly confessed our faith in Him, and having been baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, we do now, in the presence of God and this assembly, most solemnly and joyfully covenant with one another, as one body in Christ, to lead a life worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him.
We purpose, therefore, by the aid of the Holy Spirit, to turn from sin and walk together in Christian Love; to strive for the advancement of this church in knowledge, holiness, and comfort; to promote its prosperity and spirituality; to attend its services regularly; to sustain its worship, ordinances, discipline, and doctrines; to give it a sacred preeminence over all institutions of human origin; to give faithfully of time and talent in its activities; to contribute cheerfully and regularly, as God has prospered us, to the support of the ministry, the expenses of the church, the relief of the poor, and the spread of the gospel throughout all nations.
We also purpose to maintain family and private devotions; to train our children according to the Word of God; to seek the salvation of our kindred and acquaintances; to walk circumspectly in the world; to be just in our dealings, faithful in our engagements, and exemplary in our conduct; to avoid all gossip, backbiting, and unrighteous anger; to abstain from all forms of activity which dishonor our Lord Jesus Christ, or which defile the mind or body, or which cause a fellow believer to stumble, or which hinder the winning of a soul to Christ; to be zealous in our efforts to advance the cause of Christ, our Savior; and to give Him preeminence in all things.
We further purpose to encourage one another in the blessed hope of our Lord’s return; to watch over one another in brotherly love; to remember each other in prayer; to aid each other in sickness and distress; to give and receive admonition with meekness and affection; to be slow to take offense, but always ready for reconciliation, and, mindful of the rules of our Savior, to seek it without delay.
We moreover purpose that when we remove from this place we will as soon as possible unite with some other church of like faith and practice where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God’s Word.
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