The Bible: The Bible is God’s Word to us today. It was written by human authors under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The Bible is inerrant and infallible, and is the guide for all faith and practice. Where the Bible is clear, we will be emphatic. Where the Bible is silent, we must allow people freedom.
(II Timothy 3:14-17; II Peter 1:19-21, Romans 14:1-4)
God: God is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. He is not a force or an influence, but is a personal Supreme Being, who eternally exists in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He is all powerful, everywhere present at all times, and knows everything from beginning to end. He is the only true God.
(Genesis 1:1-31; Psalm 90:2; Isaiah 45:5,18;)
Jesus Christ: Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is both God and man - no less man because he is God, yet no less God because he is man. He lived a sinless life and died on the cross as a sacrifice for the sins of all people. Three days later Jesus arose from the dead and later ascended back to heaven. He will return to earth someday to reign as King of kings and Lord of lords.
(Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 1:21-23; John 1:1-14; I Corinthians 15:1-4;)
The Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit seals and indwells all believers upon their true conversion to faith in Christ. He illuminates God’s Word in our minds, directs our lives, comforts us in sorrow, encourages us with joy, convicts us of sin, and reinforces the teachings of Jesus. The Holy Spirit’s power and influence is necessary to enable any and all effective ministry of the local church.
(John 15, 16; Ephesians 1:13-14)
Salvation: Those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ are delivered from sin in three different ways. We are delivered from the PENALTY of sin, the POWER of sin, and one day the PRESENCE of sin. Salvation is received by simple faith in Jesus Christ and His work on the cross. It is God’s free gift to us and cannot be earned or maintained through any efforts of our own. Eternal life begins the moment we receive Christ as Savior.
(John 14:6; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2; I John 5:11-13)
The Church: The true church consists of all who have trusted Christ as their only Savior, regardless of denomination, time or place. The church began on the day of Pentecost and will be consummated at the rapture of the church, when Jesus returns for His Bride. The emphasis in the New Testament is on the local church as a place to carry out the Great Commission and further the Kingdom of God. Jesus Christ is the head of the church, and is its supreme authority. The motivation for the ministry of the church is the glory of God.
(Matthew 16:18; Acts 2:1-47; Ephesians 5:25-27, Colossians 1:18)
The Future: The future is in the hands of God, not the hands of man. God’s plan for the future includes the second coming of Christ, His one thousand year reign on earth, and a final judgment. Believers will spend eternity in heaven with God and all others who have been redeemed through the ages. Unbelievers will spend eternity in the torments of hell. Both heaven and hell are literal and eternal.
(Mark 9:43-48; Eph. 1:9-11; Revelation 19, 20)
The Baptist Faith and Message
As a church affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, Grace Point Fellowship also affirms the Convention’s doctrinal statement, known as the Baptist Faith and Message, as adopted in the year 2000. For more information about the Baptist Faith and Message, visit the Southern Baptist Convention’s website at www.sbc.net.