GRACE CHURCH OF RICHMOND

Beliefs

We at Grace Church of Richmond hold the following statements to be true and are essential to who we are.

BIBLE —The Bible is God’s unique revelation to man. It is the inspired, infallible Word of God, vested with supreme and final authority. No other writings are vested with such divine authority.
- 2 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 4:12; 1 Peter 1:23
GOD —There is only one God, sovereign over all, yet intimately involved in the affairs of men, creator of heaven and earth, who exists eternally as three persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each fully God yet each personally distinct from the other.
- Matthew 5:45; Galatians 4:6; Matthew 28:19;
  John 17:20-21; Luke 3:21-23
JESUS —Jesus Christ was begotten of the Father, conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary and is true God and true man. He died for our sins, according to the Scriptures and all who believe in Him are justified on the grounds of His shed blood. He was bodily raised from the dead and ascended to the right hand of the Father, where He performs the ministry of intercession. He will come again, personally and visibly, to complete His saving work and to consummate the eternal plan of God.
- John 1:1; Galatians 4:4-5; John 3:16; 1 Cor. 15:1-9; John 1:1-5; 1 Peter 1:13
HOLY SPIRIT —The Holy Spirit lives in us and makes clear to us the heart and mind of Jesus Christ in the course of everyday life. Every follower of Jesus Christ needs to be baptized in and continually filled with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit empowers and equips us for service. He gives supernatural gifts to those follow the Lord Jesus Christ.
- John 14:26; John 14:17; Ephesians 5:18;
  1 Cor. 12:7; Galatians 5:16; Acts 1:8; Luke 3:16
MAN —God created man in His own image as male and female to live in relationship with Himself and to rule over all creation. Man sinned against God which resulted in his relationship with God being broken and his authority to rule over creation being taken away. Because of this original sin, everyone now is born with a sinful nature and in desperate need of the gospel of salvation . God’s desire is that all men would be saved. Those who are saved will be kept faithful by God’s grace forever.
- Genesis 1:26-27; Romans 3:23, 5: 6-8,12, 6:23;
  Isaiah 48:8; John 3:1-8, 15:26
JUSTIFICATION —Justification is a judicial act of God pardoning sinful man, accepting him as just, and so putting permanently right his previously estranged relationship with Himself.
- Colossians 2:6-7; Romans 8:29-30;
  Philippians 1:6; 2:13 ; Romans 12:1-2;
  1 Corinthians 6:19
SANCTIFICATION-Sanctification is an ongoing process whereby a born again follower of Jesus Christ takes on the nature and character of Jesus Christ. It begins the moment a man or woman surrenders their life to Jesus Christ and will be finished when that same man or woman stands before Jesus Christ face to face in heaven.
- Romans 1:16; Romans 6:1-11; Romans 10:9-10;
  1 Thessalonians 1:5; 1 Peter 4:6
THE GOSPEL The Gospel is the good news concerning God’s plan to reconcile man to Himself and to set him free to live out his unique call and pre-ordained purpose. The plan called for Jesus, the Son of God, to come to earth, face every temptation known to man without sinning, die for every sin committed by man, and then be raised from the dead as one who has overwhelmingly conquered both sin and death. This plan, which Jesus fulfilled in its entirety, has now opened the way for many to follow Him into a life of freedom and authority. All who hear the gospel, believe in their heart and confess with their mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord are set free from the bondage of sin and are free to glorify God by enjoying Him forever.
- Luke 22:19-20; Matthew 28:19;
  1 Corinthians 11:23-26; Acts 2:38
BAPTISM & COMMUNION —The Lord Jesus Christ appointed two sacraments – Baptism in Water and Communion – both to be observed as acts of obedience and as perpetual witnesses to the central facts of the Christian faith. Baptism is the immersion of the believer in water as a confession of identification with Christ in burial and resurrection. Communion is the eating of bread and the drinking of wine which are symbolic of the Savior’s broken body and shed blood. We do this in remembrance of His sacrificial death, until He comes back.
- Hebrews 12:23; Ephesians 5:23; Acts 9:31;
  Colossians 1:18; Mathew 16:18; Acts 20:28;
  1 Co. 12 & 14.
THE CHURCH —The one true Church consists of all those who have been redeemed by Jesus Christ and who have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit. The church is the primary means for extending the kingdom of God . Elders carry the responsibility to lead and pastor the local church which is responsible for planting and establishing other local churches.