Grace Bible Church of Gatesville

Statement of Faith

Note: This statement represents what one must believe and affirm in order to become a member at GBC.

Of the Holy Scripture

Although the light of nature and the works of creation and providence do reveal the nature and power of God, these means of revelation are only sufficient to leave humanity inexcusable in sin before God (Rom 1:20). Therefore, it has pleased the Lord to commit his purpose, will and nature to humanity in writing. The product of which is the Holy Scripture. The Holy Scripture exists in sixty-six books (i.e. the Protestant Old and New Testaments) and is the only infallible rule of faith and life for the Christian (2 Tim 3:16-17). As such, Scripture alone possesses authority under which all who profess the name of Christ must submit.
Though all Scripture is not equally clear, a person may attain sufficient understanding for life and godliness through the use of ordinary means to interpret Scripture. As the Westminster Confession states, “All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all: yet those things which are necessary to be known, believed, and observed for salvation, are so clearly propounded, and opened in some place of Scripture or other, that not only the learned, but the unlearned, in a due use of ordinary means, may attain unto a sufficient understanding of them” (1.7).

The Holy Spirit so superintended the human authors of Scripture that through the human authors’ respective personalities and styles (2 Pet 1:20-21), the product was precisely the Word of God and therefore without error in the whole or in the part (Matt 5:18; 2 Tim 3:16). Further, the Holy Spirit so communicated God’s revelation by means of human authors that though culturally and historically contextualized, the Holy Scripture is applicable to all people in all generations when rightly interpreted and applied.

Of the Triune God

There is but one God (Deut 6:4; Is 41:4; 43:10-13; 44:6-8) who is an infinite, all knowing, and all-powerful spirit (John 4:24). God created all things in heaven and on earth, things visible and invisible for his own purpose, pleasure and glory (Gen 1-2; Eph 3:9). God eternally exists in three persons, namely the Father, Son and Spirit (Matt 28:19; 2 Cor 13:14; 1 Pet 1:2). The Father is not the Son. The Son is not the Spirit. The Spirit is not the Father (Matt 3:16-17). The Father, Son and Spirit are equally and fully God and therefore possess all of the attributes of deity (cf. 1 Cor 8:6, 15:24, Gal 1:1, Eph 5:20, 1 Tim 1:2 with reference to the Father; cf. Mark 2:1-12, John 1:1, 14, 18, 8:58-59, 10:30-31, Titus 2:13, 2 Pet 1:1 with reference to the Son; cf. Acts 5:3-4, Matt 28:19, 2 Cor 13:14 with reference to the Spirit).

The Son of God became incarnate approximately 2000 years ago, grew “in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man” (Luke 2:52) all the while living and dying wholly obedient to the will of his Father and therefore, without sin (Heb 4:15; 1 Pet 2:22). This incarnation consisted in adding humanity and deity in one person. As a result of the incarnation, the Son of God became and remains, one person who exists in two natures, full deity and full humanity. None of the attributes of deity or humanity were erased, given over, inoperative, or forfeited in this union.

The Son of God was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary (Luke 1:35). He suffered under Pontius Pilate and was crucified. As a result of his crucifixion and the predetermined plan of God, the God-Man died a substitutionary death for his people in the most absolute sense, the just for the unjust (2 Cor 5:15). Further, he was buried and on the third day, rose bodily from the dead and appeared to many of his disciples (1 Cor 15:1-8). He ascended into heaven, where he sits at the right hand of God the Father (Acts 1:9).
As a result of his accomplished work, he became the head over all things to the church, which is his body. Further, he does not cease to intercede and advocate for his people while seated at the right hand of the Father on high (Eph 1:22-23; Rom 8:34; Heb 7:25).

Of the Nature and Fall of Humanity

Humanity, both male and female was created “in the image of God according to His likeness” (Gen 1:26-27). As such, humanity existed without sin and therefore in unhindered relationship with God his Maker; however, humanity became corrupted in every part as a result of disobedience to God’s prohibition not to eat the forbidden fruit (Gen 3:1-13) thereby incurring the penalty of spiritual and physical death. “By this sin they fell from their original righteousness and communion with God, and so became dead in sin, and wholly defiled in all the parts and faculties of soul and body” (Westminster Confession 6.2). As a result of this original sin, all of the posterity of Adam and Eve, Christ being the only exception, inherits a corrupt nature and therefore a guilty status before God (Rom 5:18). Even further, humanity is now entirely disposed to all evil and utterly indisposed to and incapable of any good (Gen 6:5; Rom 3:9-18).

Of Salvation

Because all of humanity is utterly indisposed to and incapable of any good, the salvation of humanity is wholly by the grace of God alone through the redemptive work of Christ alone (John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Eph 2:8-9). Salvation cannot be obtained through any effort of humanity but may be appropriated solely by faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

A person is justified, that is declared righteous by God, on the basis of God’s grace through faith in Christ. This justification takes place as a result of Christ’s righteousness being transferred to the account of the individual and the individual’s sins being transferred to the account of Christ when he bore sin on the cross (Rom 4:1-8). Because of this divine exchange, God can be both just, in that he condemned sin in his Son and the justifier, in that he justifies those who believe in his Son (Rom 3:26).
God does not leave justified man in the estate in which he found him but begins to sanctify him, that is make him holy, really, wholly and progressively (Phil 1:9-10; 2 Pet 3:18). Though this sanctification is effectual, it is not complete in this life and therefore, the experience of the believer is always one of real struggle against sin (Rom 7:14-25; Gal 5:16-24; 1 John 1:8).

Salvation is not complete until Christ returns and the believer, body and soul is fully and finally reunited with the Savior in perfect intimacy and purity (1 John 3:2).

Of the Church

The church, namely the institution established by God through Christ for the purpose of assembling people for his glory exists both visibly and invisibly. The invisible church “consists of the whole number of the elect that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one, under Christ” (Westminster Confession 15.1). God alone knows those who makeup the invisible church (2 Tim 2:19).

The visible church includes all those who profess and practice true Christianity. All Christians are instructed by God in his word to be committed to the visible church and therefore, the local assembly (Heb 10:25).
The church has received two sacraments from the Lord, namely baptism and the Lord’s Supper, which are to be observed throughout the duration of this age by those who profess the name of Christ.

Of the End Times

Christ will at the end of this age, return bodily to judge the living and the dead and consummate his kingdom (Matt 25:31-33; Acts 1:11 2 Tim 4:1). At that time, he will eternally condemn all those who have not trusted in him for salvation and therefore are not his (Matt 25:41; Rev 20:11-15). These will be cast from the favorable presence of God forever (2 Thess 1:9). Further, Christ will welcome all those who have truly trusted in him for salvation into eternal bliss and pleasure where they will live forever in the presence of God (Matt 25:21, 23, 46; 1 Thess 4:13-5:11).