DOCTRINAL STATEMENT

6. Salvation. We believe that God justifies ungodly 11. The Church. We believe that all in this dispensation
The following statement of faith is the theological
position of the Grace Gospel Fellowship. sinners solely by His grace upon the grounds of the who are saved by faith in Jesus Christ are united
sacrificial blood of Jesus Christ and His Resurrection. together in the one true Church, the Body of Christ,
1. The Bible. We believe that the Bible, both Old and This complete salvation is given as the free gift of God of which He is the Head. God’s specific truth of and
NewTestaments, is verbally inspired by God, without through faith, apart from our works. Only those who for this Church was first revealed through the Apostle
error in the original writings, and is the supreme and trust in Jesus Christ are born of the Spirit and become Paul. This Church began historically with Paul before
final authority for every aspect of faith and life children of God (John 1:11-13; 3:16; Rom. 3:24-28; the writing of his first epistle (1 Cor. 12:13, 27; Eph.
(Rom.15:4; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:21). 10:9-13; 1 Cor. 15:1-4; 2 Cor. 5:21; Eph. 1:7; 2:8-9). 1:22-23; 3:1-11; Col. 1:18, 24-25).

2. The Godhead. We believe there is one God, Creator 7. Eternal Security. We believe that all believers are 12. Spiritual Gifts. We believe that God has given
of all things and eternally existing in three Persons: eternally saved through Christ and are sealed by the believers spiritual gifts with which to serve the Lord
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each is a Person distinct Holy Spirit until the day of redemption (John 10:28-29; for the building up of the Body of Christ (Rom.12:3-
from the others, but inseparable, coequal, coeternal, Rom. 8:1; 8:28-39; Eph. 1:13-14; 4:30; Col. 3:1-4; 8; 1 Cor. 12:1-31; Eph. 4:7-16). Some of the spiritual
unlimited and unchanging in power, presence and 2 Thess. 2:13-14; 1 John 5:11-13). gifts that operated in the Church were temporary in
knowledge. All are worthy of the same worship and nature and were intended for its infancy, including
obedience (Gen. 1:26; Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19; Acts 8. Sanctity of Life. We recognize all human beings are the official offices of apostle and prophet. Other
5:3-4; Rom. 11:33-36; 1 Cor. 8:6; 2 Cor. 13:14; Eph. made in the image of God and created as male and gifts, such as miraculous powers, the gift of healing,
4:4-6; Col. 1:16-17; 1 Tim. 2:5; Heb. 1:8-10). female; thus every human being has been granted tongues and the interpretation of tongues, revelations
by God the right to life from conception, or the and visions ceased (Rom. 11:11-36; 1 Cor. 1:22; 13:8-
3. The Person of Christ. We believe in the full humanity functional equivalent thereof until his or her natural 13; 2 Cor. 12:12; Eph. 2:20; Phil. 2:25-26; 1 Tim. 5:23;
and full deity of our Lord Jesus Christ; His virgin birth, death. Therefore, the intentional killing of an 2 Tim. 4:20). We do believe that God is sovereign and
His sinless life, His miracles, His substitutionary death, innocent human being violates God’s lasting able to operate in miraculous ways as He desires
His bodily resurrection, His ascension to the right commandment, “You shall not murder” (Gen. 1:26, Eph. 3:20).
hand of the Father, and His personal return in power 9:6; Ex. 20:13; Psa. 139:13-14).
and glory (Luke 1: 35; Rom. 1: 3-4; 1 Cor. 15:1-8; Phil. 13. The Believer’s Walk. We believe that, as a result of
2:6-11). 9. Sanctity of Marriage. We recognize that marriage Christ’s victory over sin and the indwelling Holy Spirit,
is between one man and one woman for life and that all of the saved may and should experience
4. The Person of the Holy Spirit. We believe that the God has designed sexual relations to be enjoyed only deliverance from the power of sin in their daily lives.
Holy Spirit is a divine Person, coequal with the Father within the God-ordained marriage relationship This comes through constant submission to the
and the Son. It is the Holy Spirit who convicts (Gen. 2:24; Matt. 19:4-6; Eph. 5:22-23; Heb. 13:4). Holy Spirit and obedience to God’s Word. Since
unbelievers of their sin and condemnation before sinless perfection is not a possibility in this life, we
God, and regenerates the hearts of believing sinners. 10. Dispensations. We believe that the Holy Scriptures must consciously work in harmony with the Holy
He baptizes the believer into the Body of Christ. He are best understood through the framework of Spirit (Ps. 119:9-11; Rom. 6:6-14; 1 Cor. 10:12-13; 2
also seals, indwells, enlightens, equips for service, Dispensational Theology. The Bible is clear that God Cor. 2:14; 10:2-5; Gal. 5:16-25; Phil. 2:12-13).
and empowers the believer to live a godly life (John deals in different ways, at different times with
16:7-8; Acts 5:3-4; 1 Cor. 2:10-12; 6:19; 12:13; 2 Cor. different people. These changes in the outworking 14. The Lord’s Supper. We believe that the Lord’s Supper
3:18; Gal. 5:16-26; Eph. 1:13-14; 4:4-6; Tit. 3:5). of God’s plan are referred to as “dispensations.” (i.e., Communion or the Lord’s Table) is a memorial
We recognize several distinct dispensations, or of the broken body and shed blood of Christ on the
5. Humanity and sin. We believe that God created the administrations, in Scripture. Each is marked by Cross. We believe the elements are only symbolic,
first man and woman in His own spiritual image and revelation from God specific only to that dispensation. serving as a sacred reminder and proclamation of
likeness. They disobeyed God, died spiritually and The current dispensation, God’s plan for the Church, Christ’s death until He comes again. Participation
became subject to physical death. As their the Body of Christ, “the mystery” revealed to the in the Lord’s Supper is open to every believer who is
descendants, we are all sinners both by nature and by Apostle Paul, is distinct from God’s plan for the nation in fellowship with Christ (1 Cor. 10:14-22; 11:17-34).
choice, and are totally unable of ourselves to do of Israel. We find in Paul’s writings alone the
anything pleasing to God (Gen. 1:26-27; Isa. 64:6-7; revelation, position and destiny of the Church (Rom.
John 15:5; Rom. 3:9-23; 5:12; 8:5-8; Eph. 2:1-3; Tit. 16:25-27; 1 Cor. 15:51-54; Gal. 1:11-12; Eph. 3:1-12;
3:5). Col. 1:24-29; 2 Tim. 2:15).
15.

Baptism. We believe that the Holy Spirit places all
believers into the Body of Christ at the moment of
19.

Mission. We believe our mission is to bring glory to
God as we proclaim the message of reconciliation to
What We Believe . . .
salvation by one spiritual baptism. Through this work all the unsaved; as we equip and train the saved for
of the Holy Spirit, we are identified with Christ in His the spiritual and physical growth of the Body of Christ;
death, burial and resurrection. The Bible also speaks and as we serve all people through acts of grace and
of other baptisms, some are spiritual in nature and compassion. In this way we make plain to everyone
others were ritualistic and played a key part in God’s the unsearchable riches of Christ according to the
program with Israel. While those baptisms all had dispensation of the mystery (Rom. 12:9-21; 16:25-27;
importance in the past, Scripture speaks of this divine 1 Cor. 10:31-11:1; 2 Cor. 5:14-21; Gal. 2:10; 6:10; Eph.
baptism as the one and only baptism that is operative 3:8-9; 4:11-16; Phil. 2:1-8; Col. 4:3-6; 1 Tim. 2:3-7).
today. Therefore, we practice no other baptism. We

Doctrinal Statement
emphasize this spiritual baptism as foundational to
the unity of all believers (Rom. 6:3-4; 1 Cor. 1:17;
12:12-13; Gal. 3:26-27; Eph. 4:3-6; Col. 2:9-12; Heb.
9:9-10).

16. Resurrection. We believe in the physical resurrection

of the dead. Jesus Christ was resurrected bodily, and
therefore everyone will have a bodily resurrection.
The saved will be raised to eternal glory and the

(Rev. 2017)
unsaved to eternal punishment (Luke 24:39-43; John
5:28-29; Acts 24:15; 1 Cor. 15:12-24; Phil. 3:21;
2 Thess. 1:7-9; Rev. 20:4-6, 11-15).

17. The Return of Christ. We believe the Lord Jesus

Christ will personally come to take His Church to
heaven, commonly referred to as “the Rapture of the
Church.” All members of the Body of Christ, both
living and dead, will be caught up together to meet
the Lord in the air. This event is imminent and will
take place prior to the Tribulation that will come
upon the earth (1 Cor. 15:51-53; Phil. 3:20-21;
1 Thess. 4:13-18; Titus 2:13-14). After the seven-
year Tribulation period, Jesus Christ will return in
power to establish His Kingdom upon the earth (Jer.
30:7; Dan. 9:20-27; Zech. 14:4, 9; Matt. 24:15-41; Rev.
19:11-16; 20:1-4).
1011 Aldon Street SW
18. The State of the Dead. We believe that immediately PO Box 9432
after death all people exist in a state of consciousness Grand Rapids MI 49509
that will last forever. The believer of this dispensation
passes directly into the presence of Christ in Heaven. P 616.245.0100
All of the unsaved dead enter a state of conscious Email: [email protected]
eternal suffering without any hope of salvation (Luke www.ggfusa.org
16:23-28; John 3:36; 2 Cor. 5:6-8; Phil. 1:23; 2 Thess.
1:7-9; Heb. 9:27; Rev. 14:11; 20:10-15).