What We Believe:
Sovereign Grace Bible Church accepts the Baptist Confession of Faith 1689 as a primary Confession of Faith, but do not claim that the document was issued as an authoritative rule of faith, we also do not claim that the document is inspired in any way, but it is an excellent expression of the teaching of the Holy Scriptures.
About the Scriptures:
We believe in the verbal, plenary inspiration of the Scriptures (both Old and New Testaments) and that "... all Scripture is given by inspiration of God" (2Tim 3:16, 17). We believe that the original autographs are without error because of the work of the Holy Spirit as He moved each man to record the words of God (2Pet 1:19-21).
We believe that the 66 books comprising the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament in their original writings are fully inspired by God and without error. We accept them alone as the full and final authority, sufficient for faith and life. (2Ti 3:15-17)
About God:
That there is only one true and living God, creator of all, eternal, unchanging, holy and sovereign, revealed in three distinct persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. They are one in substance, power and eternity; each having the whole divine essence, yet this essence is undivided.([1Ki 8:27; Ps 90:2; Mal 3:6; Mt 28:19; Lk 3:21-22; 2Co 13:14; 1Ti 1:17)
About Jesus Christ:
We believe that Jesus Christ is God (Jn 10:30; 20:31) and that He is eternal (Jn 1:1, 2). We believe that when Jesus Christ came to take on the form of man (Phil 2:6-8) that He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin (Isa 7:14; Mt 1:20-23). We believe that He lived a sinless life (2Cor 5:21) and that He provided the necessary atonement, vicariously, for our sins by the "sacrifice of Himself" (Isa 53:4-6; Heb 9:26; 1Cor 15:3). And most important, we believe that after He died and was buried that "He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures" (1Cor 15:4).
About the Holy Spirit:
We believe that the Holy Spirit is God and indwells every believer (1Cor 6:19; Rom 8:9). We believe that the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment (Jn 16:8); that He is active in the new birth; that He awakens man to his sinful and lost state, and his need of God. [Jn 16:8]; that He testifies of Christ; He comes to glorify Christ (Jn 15:26; Rom 1:4; 1Jn 4:2; 5:6); that He seals the believer unto the day of redemption (Eph 4:30) and that He makes intercession for believers (Rom 8:26). We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person and not merely an influence. (Acts 8:29; 13:2; 1Cor 12:11).
About Creation:
We believe in and accept by faith (Heb 11:3) the Genesis account of creation (Gen 1:1, 2). We believe that God created all things including man (Col 1:16). Our belief in creation discounts all hypotheses of evolution.
About Satan:
We believe in the reality and personality of Satan, the Devil; and that he was created by God as an angel but through pride and rebellion became the enemy of his creator; that he became the unholy god of this age, and the ruler of all the powers of darkness and is destined to the judgment of an eternal justice in the lake of fire (Mt 4:1-11; 2Cor 4:4; Rev 20:10).
About Hell:
We believe in a literal hell of everlasting fire (Mt 25:41), everlasting destruction (2Th 1:9) and everlasting punishment (Mt 25:46).
About Salvation:
We believe that salvation is of the Lord (Phil 1:6) on the merit of the shed blood of Jesus Christ (Rom 3:24, 26). Salvation is a free gift (Eph 2:8, 9; Rom 6:23) which excludes any possible merit on the basis of works (Eph 2:8, 9); 2Tim 1:9; Tit 3:5). We believe that the two essential elements of salvation are repentance toward God (Acts 2:38) and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 20:21; Rom 10:9, 10). We also believe that once a person has been saved that there is no chance of his ever going to hell and that he is eternally secure in Christ (Jn 3:16,36; 1Jn 5:11-13).
About the Church:
We believe that the local church is an organized assembly of baptized believers united to fulfill the Great Commission, i.e., evangelizing, baptizing, and teaching (Mt 28:19, 20).
About the Ordinances:
The Church has two ordinances: Baptism and the Lord's Supper.
1. Baptism
Christian baptism is the immersion in water of a believer in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost with the authority of the local church. It is a picture designed to show our identification with the crucified, buried and risen Savior, with its effect our death to sin and resurrection to a new life (Mt 28:18-20; Rom 6:4, 5).
2. The Lord's Supper
The Lord's Supper is that of a memorial table, picturing the broken body and the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Its observance points backward to the crucified Lord on Calvary and forward to the returning Lord in glory. In order to participate in the Lord's Supper, one must be saved, baptized, and a member of this local church. It should only be observed by those who are living for God and have judged themselves. It is an ordinance given to the local church and not to individuals; therefore, it should only be observed by that local church and not individuals (1Cor 11:23-29; Mt 26:26-29).