What we believe

Grace Memorial  Baptist Church is an independent, fundamental, pre-millennial, sovereign grace, missionary church.  An abbreviated doctrinal statement follows:

God – We believe in the one and only true God, an infinite intelligent Spirit, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of Heaven and Earth.  Inexpressibly glorious in holiness and worthy of all possible honor, confidence and love.  That in the unity of the God-head there are three persons; the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption. Exodus 20:2-3; I Corinthians 8:6; Revelation 4:11; I John 5:7; John 10:30; II Corinthians 13:14.

The Scriptures – We believe that the Holy Bible, as originally written, was verbally inspired, being the product of Spirit controlled men, and is therefore, truth without any admixture of error for its matter.  We further believe the Bible to be the true center of Christian union and supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds and opinions should be tried.  II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:19-21; Isaiah 8:20

The Virgin Birth Of Christ – We believe that Jesus Christ was, and is, the supernaturally begotten Son of God, that He was conceived in the womb of a virgin by the Holy Spirit.  We further believe that there was never a birth like it, no, nor shall there ever be one like it.  He is the God of the very God, and very man of man, yet without sin, and without a sinful nature, or the slightest capacity for sin.  Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:35; John 1:14.

Salvation – We believe that salvation is in the person of Jesus Christ.  John 10:9; John 14:6; Acts 4:12, and is wholly of grace, Ephesians 2:8; Titus 3:5.

Repentance and Faith – We believe that repentance and faith are both gifts of God, Philippians 1:29; Ephesians 2:8; Galatians 5:22; Romans 12:3-6; Acts 11:18; Acts 5:31; II Timothy 2:25.  We further believe that repentance and faith are the effects of regeneration and not the cause, I John 5:1.

The Church – We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ established His Church during His personal ministry, Matthew 4:18-22; Luke 6; I Corinthians 12:28; Matthew 16:16-18, that it is a local body of scripturally baptized believers.  We reject the universal invisible church theory.  We further believe the Church to be a local, self-governing and independent body recognizing no one but Christ as the Head, Ephesians 1:21-22; Colossians 1:18-20.

Security, or The Preservation Of The Saints – We believe that all who are truly born again are kept by the power of God for Christ Jesus.  Jude 1:1; John 10:27-30; Romans 8:35-39; Philippians 1:6.

The Pre-Millennial Return Of Our Lord – We believe in the pre-millennial return of our Lord, first to resurrect His saints and to translate the living saints, and then to return with them to rule the world in righteousness for one thousand years.  I Thessalonians 4:14-18; Revelation 20:4; Luke 1:32; Zechariah 14:4-9.