The Bible
We believe that the entire Bible is inspired of God, is without error, and is our final authority.
2nd Timothy 3:16 KJV “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:”
2nd Peter 1:21 KJV “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”
We believe that the Bible has been preserved and exists today for English speaking people in the Authorized Version, commonly called the King James Version.
2nd Timothy 3:15 KJV “And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”
Psalms 12:6-7 KJV “The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. 7 Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.”
Psalms 119:89 KJV “For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.”
Matthew 5:18 KJV “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”
The Godhead
We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost
Deuteronomy 6:4 KJV “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:”
Matthew 28:19 KJV “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:”
2nd Corinthians 13:14 KJV “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.”
Ephesians 4:4-6 KJV “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”
1st John 5:7 KJV “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.”
Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth
The Apostle Paul wrote this to Timothy – and for our understanding.
2nd Timothy 2:15 KJV ‘Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
2nd Timothy 3:16 KJV “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:”
The Bible can prove “profitable” to us only as we “rightly divide” truth from truth. All Scripture is true, but we must rightly divide the Word of truth for the simple reason that if we do not, we can pervert the truth and change it into error. Through the centuries God has periodically altered His dealings with mankind. Many religious rites which were commanded in Old Testament times are positively forbidden in this present dispensation of Grace. For example, in Israel’s program animal sacrifices were required for acceptance with God. Another example, with Peter’s “little flock” Kingdom church, water baptism was required.
Acts 2:38 KJV “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”
After the death of Christ, Apostle Paul was sent forth “not to baptize” with “the preaching of the cross” and he declared that: “we have redemption through Christ’s blood,”
1st Corinthians 1:17 KJV “For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.”
Ephesians 1:7 KJV “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;”
The Word of God, itself provides us with the key to its own proper understanding and right division.
TIME PAST
Ephesians 2:11-12 KJV “Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; 12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:”
BUT NOW
Ephesians 2:13 KJV “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh [near] by the blood of Christ.”
THE AGES TO COME
Ephesians 2:7 KJV “That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.”
Salvation
We believe that man is saved by grace through faith alone. Man is depraved, utterly sinful and his efforts, regardless of how well intended, cannot earn salvation. Salvation is a “free gift” that is available in this Gospel of the Grace of God to both Jew and Gentile alike by “believing and trusting” that Jesus Christ paid for your sins on the cross that He was Buried and Rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures.
1st Corinthians 15:1-4 KJV “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
2nd Corinthians 5:21 KJV “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
Romans 4:5-6 KJV “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. 6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,”
Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
Romans 3:9-12 KJV “What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; 10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.”
Romans 3:24-28 KJV “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. 27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.”
Eternal Security
We believe in the eternal security of the believer. The moment we trust and believe that Jesus died on the cross, was buried and rose again on the third day we are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise which is our earnest [down payment] of our inheritance in Heaven.
Ephesians 1:13-14 KJV “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.”
Philippians 1:6 KJV “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”
Nahum 1:7 KJV “The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.”
Romans 5:1-2 KJV “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”
Romans 8:38-39 KJV “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Eternal Damnation
We believe in the eternal damnation of the lost.
Ephesians 5:6 KJV “Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.”
2nd Thessalonians 1:7-9 KJV “And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;”
Matthew 25:41 KJV “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:”
Revelation 20:11-15 KJV “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
Revelation 21:8 KJV “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, andmurderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
The Church – the Body of Christ
We believe that the Grace church of this dispensation is the Body of Christ.
Ephesians 1:22-23 KJV “And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.”
Ephesians 3:1-6 KJV “For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, 2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: 3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, 4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) 5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; 6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:”
The Apostle Paul’s (Grace) is different from (the prophesied, earthly kingdom to Israel) preached by both Jesus Christ and the 12 Apostles. The Body of Christ and the Dispensation of the Grace of God had its historical beginning with the salvation and commissioning of the Apostle Paul in Acts Chapter 9, by the Risen Lord Jesus Christ. Saul was a blasphemer who was persecuting the “little flock” Peter’s infant church. Saul could never have been saved under Israel’s Kingdom program because he was a blasphemer. But Paul was the first one to be saved into the body of Christ, by the “Grace of Christ” when God chose to save His “exceedingly mad enemy” showing us that there is no sin that He cannot save in this present Gospel of Grace. Where this “exceedingly mad enemy of Christ” became Paul our beloved Apostle to the Gentiles.
Acts 9:15 KJV “But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:”
1st Timothy 1:15-16 KJV “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. 16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.”
Ephesians 3:7-9 KJV “Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. 8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; 9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:”
Colossians 1:25-26 KJV “Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; 26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:”
Rapture of the Church
We believe that the church, the Body of Christ, will be taken out of this world (Raptured) by Jesus Christ, when He descends from heaven according to the Scriptures:
1st Thessalonians 4:16-18 KJV “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”
This event was kept a secret (a mystery) hid in God since before the world began and is a distinctive part of the new and special revelation of Grace given to the Apostle Paul.
1st Corinthians 15:51-53 KJV “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.”
For us as members of Christ’s body, we acknowledge that this blessed hope Is found only in Paul’s epistles and concerns only the Grace church, which is His body. This “calling up” precedes the tribulation and the second coming of Christ to the earth to put away His enemies under His feet and to set up His earthly Millennial Kingdom. Where He will rule and reign with His chosen people the Nation of Israel.
Titus 2:13-14 KJV “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”
Romans 5:9 KJV “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.”
1st Thessalonians 5:9 KJV “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
Baptized with the Holy Spirit
All “Grace” Believer’s are Baptized with the Holy Spirit into the Body of Christ the moment they believe.
1st Corinthians 12:13 KJV “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.”
Ephesians 1:13 KJV “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,”
By this one baptism every member of the Body of Christ is identified with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection.
Ephesians 4:5 KJV “One Lord, one faith, one baptism,”
Colossians 2:12 KJV “Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.” 1st Corinthians 1:17 KJV “For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.”
Concerning water baptism: that “Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel.” This evidence, along with other Scriptures, confirms the fact that water baptism, in Paul’s early Acts ministry, was practiced temporarily during the transition period from the kingdom program to the Grace program, but eventually ceased along with certain other signs and miracles. We affirm that water baptism is not needed for salvation and has no place in God’s spiritual program in this present dispensation of Grace.
Our Mission
We believe the mission and commission of the Body of Christ is to proclaim the message of reconciliation and to preach Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery. The “Gospel of the Grace of God” referred to as “my gospel” by Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles.
2nd Corinthians 5:17-18 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
2nd Corinthians 5:19 KJV “To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.”
Romans 16:25 KJV “Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my [Paul’s] gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,”
We acknowledge that the above articles of faith do not exhaust the content of our faith, which is the entire Word of God; however, the belief on this list provides our main basic truths of the Glory of God.