Statement of Belief

What We Believe

The history of the Church of Jesus Christ is replete with creeds and statements of faith that define certain eras, theologies and denominational beliefs. This website offers abundant evidence of our theology and faith at GCA. We promote and adhere to the historic Pauline doctrine, which characterized and defined the early Church. But, some folk have requested a succinct statement of our beliefs. So, in general terms, these are the fundamentals of what we believe.

We, Grace Christian Assembly, are convinced by Scripture according to sound doctrine that these things are most assuredly true:

1) We believe in God, the Father Almighty, the Maker of Heaven and Earth. He is eminently holy, unchanging, all knowing, all seeing and all present. We believe in the Sovereignty of God. By that we mean that God is active in His creation, accomplishing His will and advancing His own purposes according to His predetermined will and good pleasure. He is all-powerful and all knowing; therefore His will supersedes the will and desire of every man. (Genesis 17:1, Psalm 115:3, Daniel 4:34-35, Isaiah 46:9-10, Revelation 1:8)

2) We believe in the Trinity of God. By that we mean that God represents Himself in Scripture as three persons – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – though they are one in purpose, one in character, and equally God. (Deuteronomy 6:4, John 6:46, 10:30, 14:9, 14:16-18, Colossians 2:9)

3) We believe that Jesus of Nazareth was born to a virgin and is the only-begotten Son of God. In Him dwells the fullness of the Godhead bodily. (Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:18, Luke 1:27-31, Col. 2:9).

4) We believe in salvation by grace through faith. By that we mean that there are no works of the flesh adequate to induce, require or obligate God to save any particular person. God did, of His own accord and for His own purposes, elect some people to eternal life and write their names in the Lamb’s Book of Life before the foundation of the world. (John 15:16, Acts 2:47, Romans 3:11-12, 9:11, 11:5, 2 Thessalonians 2:13, Ephesians 2:8-9, 1 Thessalonians 1:4, Philippians 4:3, Revelation 13:8)

5) We believe in the all-sufficiency of Christ’s vicarious atonement. By that we mean that Christ fully accomplished everything necessary for the salvation of every elect individual, paying the price of our ransom, satisfying the wrath of God, perfecting us forever and guaranteeing our eternal destiny. He died to atone for our sins and offences, and rose again from the dead for our justification. (Isaiah 53:10-11, John 10:27-28, Romans 4:25, 1 Timothy 2:5-6, 1 Thessalonians 5:9, Hebrews 10:14)

6) We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells God’s chosen people, drawing them to the Father, convincing men of sin, bringing them to repentance, producing faith in their hearts, and sealing them for eternity. Spirituality is simply the expression of the Spirit being Himself through His people. We do not promote ecstatic utterances or manifestations such as those found in many Pentecostal and Charismatic churches. (John 14:16-17, 26, 16:7-11, 2 Corinthians 1:21-22, Ephesians 1:13-14, 4:30, 1 Corinthians 14:19)

7) We believe and promote the historic Doctrines of Grace. * To wit:

  • Men are fallen creatures, depraved in mind and heart, incapable of saving themselves or performing meritorious works that would warrant God’s attention.
  • God has, for His own purposes, unconditionally determined the salvation of some sinners, as an act of grace and loving kindness.
  • The death of Christ satisfied God’s righteous judgment against those elected sinners, removing their guilt and condemnation.
  • Those individuals for whom Christ suffered will be indwelt by the Holy Spirit, turning them from themselves and drawing them irresistibly to God.
  • Having been chosen from the foundation of the world, bought with the price of Christ’s blood, and indwelt by the Spirit of God, those elect saints will most certainly and assuredly persevere in the faith until their ultimate salvation and glorification.

8) We are historically Baptistic, believing in water baptism by immersion, in keeping with the design and practice commanded by our Lord. (Matthew 3:16, 28:19, Mark 1:9, 16:16, Luke 3:21, John 3:22-23, Acts 2:38, 41, 8:12)

9) We are Premillennial in our eschatology, expecting the imminent catching away of the Church prior to the Great Tribulation, the restoration of national Israel and the physical, actual return of our Lord to planet Earth, where He will reign for 1,000 years. (Matthew 24:21, 29-30, Mark 13:24-27, 1 Corinthians 15:51-57, 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18, 2 Thessalonians 2:1 Revelation 20: 2-6)

10) We believe in the reality of Heaven and Hell, as spoken of by our Lord. As such, we believe in the existence of the devil, named Lucifer and Satan, who fell from his heavenly estate and is the author of evil and sin in the creation. Though he is our adversary, he is under the hand of God’s authority and dominion, serving God’s purpose. He will be defeated and ultimately destroyed. (Job 1:6-7, Isaiah 14:12-15, Ezekiel 28:13-19, Matthew 4:1, 10, Romans 16:20, 2 Corinthians 11:14-15, 1 Peter 5:8, Revelation 19:20, 20:10)

11) We believe that the Scriptures, the Old and New Testaments, are the final authority in all issues of the Christian faith and practice. We believe that the Scriptures contained in the Bible, written by His chosen prophets and apostles, are inspired by God and infallible. We read and understand the Scriptures in a literal fashion, not subscribing to Spiritualized or Allegorical methods of interpretation. (Romans 15:4, 2 Timothy 3:15-17, 2 Peter 1:19-21)

12) We believe that the Church is a people, not a building. God’s out-called people, chosen in Christ, accepted in the Beloved, indwelt and drawn by His Spirit, make up the body of Christ, the Church on Earth. We recognize that understanding the things of God is a process and we welcome sinners into our assembly, where sheep gather to hear about the Good Shepherd and God’s people feast on the meat of the Word. (Matthew 16:18, Mark 12:37, Romans 12:5, Ephesians 1:6, Hebrews 5:12-14)

These things we affirm and hold as true foundations of the Christian faith, once delivered to the saints.

* For a fuller exposition of the Doctrines of Grace, please refer to the book By Grace Alone, by our pastor, Jim McClarty.