GraceFamily Church

Our Beliefs

Statement of Faith

The Scriptures

The Bible is the inspired Word of God, infallible, and authoritative in its writings and origin. It is the product of Holy men of old who spoke and wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21; 2 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 4:12).

The Godhead

There is one eternal God who is manifested in three persons: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, who are eternally self-existent, self revealed and functions as one entity. (Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14).

Man, His Fall and Redemption

Man is a created being, made in the likeness and image of God, but through Adam’s transgression and fall, sin came into the world. “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” “As it is written: There is none righteous, no, not one.” Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was manifested to undo the work of the devil and gave His life and shed His blood to redeem and restore man back to God (Romans 3:10, 23; 1 John 3:8).

Eternal Life and the New Birth

Salvation is the gift of God to man, separate from works and the law. Man’s first step toward salvation is Godly sorrow that worketh repentance. The New Birth is necessary to all men, made operative by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, and when experienced produces eternal life (2 Corinthians 7:10; John 3:3-5; Ephesians 2:8; Romans 10:9,10).

Water Baptism

Baptism in water is by immersion, is a direct commandment of our Lord, and is for believers only. The ordinance is a symbol of the Christian’s identification with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection (Matthew 28:19; Romans 6:4; Colossians 2:12; Acts 8:36-39).

The Lord’s Supper

“And when He had given thanks, He broke it, and said, ‘This is my body which is broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood; Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.’ Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.” (1 Corinthians 11:24-25, 28).  

The Church

The church is the body of Christ, the habitation of God through the Spirit, with divine appointments for the fulfillment of her great commission. Each believer, born of the Spirit, is an integral part of the general assembly and church of the first born, whose names are written in Heaven. (Ephesians 1:22-23; 2:19-22; Hebrews 12:23).

The Present Day Ministry of the Holy Spirit

The present day ministry of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer, by the infilling of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking with other tongues (Matthew 3:11; John 14:16, 17; Acts 1:8, 2:4, 38, 39 I Corinthians 12:1-11); the bestowal of the nine gifts of the Spirit: The Word of Wisdom, The Word of Knowledge, Faith, Gifts of Healings, Working of Miracles, Prophecy, Discerning of Spirits, Various kinds of Tongues and the Interpretation of Tongues in and through the life of the believer since the day of Pentecost, continuing to the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Sanctification

The Bible teaches that without holiness no man can see the Lord. We believe in the Doctrine of Sanctification as a definite, yet progressive work of grace, commencing at the time of regeneration and continuing until the consummation of salvation at Christ’s return (1 Thessalonians 5:23; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Philippians 3:12-14; 1 Corinthians 1:30).

Divine Healing

Healing is for the physical ills of the human body and is wrought by the power of God through the prayer of faith, and by the laying on of hands. It is provided for in the atonement of Christ, and is the privilege of every member of the Church today (Mark 16:18; James 5:14-16; 1 Peter 2:24; Isaiah 53:4, 5).

Marriage and Sexual Relations

The Church shall only sanction or conduct marriages between a man and a woman. God instituted marriage between male and female as the foundation of the family, the basic structure of human society (Genesis 2:24). God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged other than in the context of marriage between a man and a woman. (Genesis 19:5, 26:8-11; Leviticus 18:1-30; Romans 1:26-29: 1 Corinthians 5:1, 6:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:18; Hebrews 13:4).

Resurrection of the Just and the Return of our Lord

The angels said to Jesus’ disciples: “This same Jesus shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” His coming is imminent. When He comes,… the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air…” (Acts 1:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17). Following the Tribulation, He shall return to earth as King of kings, and Lord of lords, and together with His saints, who shall be kings and priests. He shall reign a thousand years (Revelations 20:6).

Hell and Eternal Retribution

The one who physically dies in his sins without accepting Christ is hopelessly and eternally lost in the Lake of Fire and, therefore, has not further opportunity of hearing the Gospel or repenting. The Lake of Fire is literal. The terms “eternal” and “everlasting,” used in describing the duration of the punishment of the damned in the Lake of Fire, carry the same thought and meaning of endless existence as used in denoting the duration of joy and ecstasy of saints in the presence of God (Hebrews 9:27; Revelations 10:20).