- Name
- Purpose
- Statement of Faith
- Holy Scriptures
- The One Triune God
- The Existence of Satan
- All Men Are By Nature and Choice Sinful and Lost
- Salvation by Grace Through Faith
- Righteous Living & Godly Works
- The Body of Christ as the One True Church
- Spiritual (NON-WATER) Baptism of Believers into the Body of Christ
- The Headship/Lordship of Jesus Christ
- The Eternal Security of the Believer
- The Ministry and Commission of the Church
- Importance of the Local Church
- Independence and Autonomy of the Local church
- The Separation of the Church and State
- The Lord’s Supper (Communion)
- The Rapture of the Church
- The Tribulation
- Christ’s Second Coming
- The Future Life, Bodily Resurrection and Judgment
- The Manifestation of Sign Gifts
- In Summary
CONSTITUTION for GRACE BIBLE CHURCH
1500 Groop Road
Springfield, Ohio 45504
(937) 322-3113
Originally Written – 1971
REVISED – 1989
ARTICLE I
NAME:
The name of this church shall be GRACE BIBLE CHURCH.
ARTICLE II
PURPOSE:
The purpose of Grace Bible Church shall be the teaching of the Word of God, the organized worship and fellowship of believers knit together in the love of Christ and one another, the growth and spiritual improvement of its members, bearing witness to the Lord Jesus Christ in our own community, and the spread of the Gospel of the Grace of God in all the earth.
WE BELIEVE:
1. In THE HOLY SCRIPTURES: accepting fully the Old and New Testaments as the very word of God (II Peter 1:19-21), verbally inspired in all parts (II Tim. 3:16) and therefore wholly without error as originally given of God (Matt. 5:18), altogether sufficient in themselves as our only infallible and authoritative rule of faith and practice (II Tim. 3:16-17). See also Rev. 22:18-19.
A. We further acknowledge that God’s Holy Word consists of revealed truths reflective of God’s character and by definition immutable (Mal. 3:6; Num. 23:19, Jas. 1:17). They are therefore current and applicable from age to age (Heb. 13:8, II Tim. 3:16-17).
B. However, God has related to man through various administrations or dispensations, each distinct from one another, for instance, the dispensation of Innocence (Gen. 1:28); of Conscience (Gen. 3:7); Human Government (Gen. 8:15); Promise (Gen. 12:1); of Law (Ex. 19:3-8); of Grace Through Faith (Rom. 4:5; Eph. 2:8-9); the Kingdom (Rev. 20:4) and in the future, the Fullness of Time (Eph. 1:10, Rev. 2:1-5).
C. The present Dispensation of the Grace of God is contained in the Apostle Paul’s writings (Romans through Philemon), and as the twelve disciples of Christ were the apostles to Israel for the Kingdom Dispensation, Paul is the apostle for the Church, the Body of Christ in this dispensation (Gal. 2:7-8). Thus, Paul’s writings constitute in particular the authority for the Church’s doctrine, position, walk and destiny as the Body of Christ (Rom 16:25-26; I Cor. 14:37; Gal. 1:8-12; Eph. 3:1-12; II Tim. 2:15). Believers today are responsible for applying to themselves all other truths or interdispensational principles found in Genesis through Revelation which clearly harmonize with the Pauline truths for this dispensation (I Cor. 10:11; II Tim. 2:15, 3:16-17).
2. In THE ONE TRIUNE GOD: (Deut. 6:4 with II Cor. 13:14; John 14:26; I Peter 1:2) who is personal (Ex. 20:2-3), spirit (John 4:23-24), sovereign (I Chron. 29:11), perfect (Matt. 5:48), Infinite (Isa. 57:15), and eternal (Deut. 33:27) in His being, holiness (Ex. 15:11; Isa. 6:3) and love (I Jn. 4:16), wisdom (Rom. 11:33) and power (Psa. 62:11; Rom. 13:1), absolutely separate and above the world as its Creator (Neh. 9:6; John 1:3; Eph. 3:9), yet everywhere present in the world (Psa. 139:7-13) as the upholder of all things (Heb. 1:3), self-existent (Gen. 1:1; John 1:1-2) and self-revealing in three distinct persons (II cor. 13:14; I Peter 1:2), the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, co-equal and co-eternal, each having a distinct ministry (II Cor. 13:14; I Peter 1:2) in God’s relation to His creation and people (Eph. 2:18 and 3:9, Col. 1:17).
A. In GOD THE FATHER: As a member of the Triune God-head, who is the Father of all in the sense of creation (Gen. 1:27; Mal. 2:10; Acts 17:29), Father in particular of the Lord Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:3; John 17:5 & 24, 20:17) and Father of all those who are related to Him by virtue of their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior (Rom. 8:14-17; I Cor. 8:6; Gal. 4:6; Eph. 4:6; Col. 1:2).
B. In THE LORD JESUS CHRIST: as a member of the Triune Godhead (Matt. 28:18), the eternal Word (John 1:1-2) and Only Begotten Son (John 3:16); that without any change in His divine Person (John 10:30, 14:9, 15:24, 17: 21-22), He became man by the miracle of the Virgin Birth (Luke 1:31-35; Matt. 1:20), thus to continue forever as both true God and true man, one Person in two forms (Phil. 2:5-11); that as man, He was tempted in all points like as we are (Heb. 4:15), yet without sin; that as the perfect Lamb of God (John 1:29; Heb. 5:9), He gave himself in death upon the Cross (I Pet. 2:24), taking upon Himself there the sins of the world and suffering its full penalty of divine wrath in our stead (II Cor. 5:21; I Jn. 2:2 and 4:10); that He arose bodily from the grave (Matt. 16:21; Acts 2:23-24; I Cor. 15:4) and was glorified (Eph. 1:19-21; Phil. 2:9-11; Heb. 1:3, 8:1-2, 10:11-14); that as our great High Priest, He ascended into Heaven (Heb. 2:17, 3:1, 4:14), there to appear before the face of God as our Mediator (I Tim. 2:5), Advocate (I Jn. 2:1-2) and Intercessor (Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25).
C. In THE HOLY SPIRIT: as a member of the Triune Godhead (Matt. 28:19; Eph. 2:18), and the divine Agent in nature (Gen. I:1-2), inspiration (II Pet. 1:21) and regeneration (Thus 3:5); that He convicts the world concerning sin, righteousness and judgment (John 16:7-1 I); that He regenerates (Titus 3:5), indwells (Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 2:12, 3a6, 6:19-20), baptizes (I Cor. 12:13) and seals (Eph. 1:13-14) all who become children of God through Jesus Christ that He further empowers (Rom. 15a3; Eph. 3:i6. 4:11),leads (Rom. 8:14; Gal. 5:18) teaches (1 Cor. 2:9-I3), sanctifies(Rom. 15:16; I Cor. 6:l l; II Thess. 2:13) and fills (Eph. 5:18) believers who are surrendered to Him (Rom. 8:1, 2, 5); that I His chief end in the life of the believer is to conform him or her to the image of Christ (Rom. 6a-23, 8:29).
3. In THE EXISTENCE OF SATAN: who originally was created a holy and blameless being (Isa. 14:12; Ezek. 28:12-15), but through pride and wicked ambition rebelled against God (Isa. 14:13-15; Ezek. 28:17), thus becoming utterly depraved in character, the great adversary of God and His people (lob 1:10-12; I Pet. 5:8; Rev. 12:9-10), leader of all the fallen angels and spirits (Eph. 2:2; Rev. 13:4-8), the deceiver and god of this present world (John 14:30, 16:1 l; 11 Cor. 4:4; Rev. 12:9); that he is the prince of the power of the air; {Eph. 2:2); that Ids powers are vast, but strictly limited by the permissive will of God (Job 1:10-12; II Thess. 2:3-10) who overrules all his wicked devices for ultimate good (Gen. 50:20; Psa. 76:10; Rom. 8:28); that he was defeated and judged at the Cross (Col. 2:14-15; Heb. 2:14-15; I John 3:R) and therefore his final doom is certain (Rev. 20:10); that we are able to resist and overcome him only by virtue of our identification with the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross (Ram. 6:5-13 Col. 2:14-I7), through the power of the Holy Spirit and by putting on the whole armor of God (Eph. 6:I 1-I A); That he has his own false apostles and ministers who pose as apostles of Christ and ministers of righteousness and that he himself is transformed into an angel of light. (II Cor. 11: 13-I 4).
4. That ALL MEN ARE BY NATURE AND CHOICE SINFUL AND LOST: that the first man, Adam, was the direct creation of God, made in His image and likeness (Gen. 1:26-27, 2:7; Matt. 19:4; Mark 10:6); that by his personal disobedience to the revealed will of God (Gen. 2:8 -9, 15-17, 3:1-19 and 23-24) Adam became an inherently sinful creature (Psa. 14:1-3; Rom. 3:9-19, 5:12 end 19), the father of a fallen race which is universally sinful in nature, choice and practice (Ram. 3:9-23, Rom. 5:12; Jas. I:13- 15), thus alienated from the life and family of God (Eph. 2:12; Col. 1:21), under the righteous judgment and wrath of God (John 3:1 R; Rom. I :I R, 2:1- 5), and that no member of this fallen race has within himself any possible means of salvation. (Rom. 3:20, 7:18 & 24-25; Gal. 2:16; Eph. 2:R-9; Titus 3:5).
5. In SALVATION BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH: In the crucified, buried, risen and ascended Lord Jesus Christ; that salvation is the free gift of God, neither merited nor secured in part or in whole by any virtue or work of man (Rom. 3:20, 4:5, 7:18; Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 3:5), but it is received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 3:25-26, 10:9-10 in whom all true believers have as a present possession, the gift of eternal life (Ram. 5:20-21, 6:23; Titus 3:5-7), a perfect righteousness (I Cor. 1:30; II Cor. 5:21), sonship in the family of God (Ram. 8:14-17; Gal. 4:5-7). deliverance and security from all condemnation (Ram. 8:1), every spiritual resource needed for life and godliness (Eph. 5:30; Col. 2:9-(0) and the divine guarantee that they shall never perish (Ram. 8:38-39; 1 Cor. 15:20-23; Eph. 4:30; Phil. I:6); that this salvation effects the whale man (1 Thess. 5:23); that apart from Christ there is no possible salvation (Jn. 14:6; Acts 4:12; I Cor. 3:1 I; I Tim. 2:5).
6. In RIGHTEOUS LIVING AND GODLY WORKS: that a man, although spiritually regenerated, remains a child of Adam after the flesh, retaining his fallen, sinful nature until physical death; that at the moment of salvation man becomes a child of God and thus possesses a new nature consistent with the divine nature and that as an obedient believer be is enjoined to yield mind, heart and will to this new nature (Rom. 6:1-23, 7:1-25): that righteous living and godly works are not a means of salvation in any sense, but is its proper evidence and fruit (Gal. 5:22-23; Eph. 2:8-10, 4:1, 5:1; Titus 2:14), and therefore as Christians, we should obey the Word of the Lord (I Cor. 7:19, 14:37; II Tim. 2:15), seek those things which are above (Col. 3:1), walk in the Spirit (Gal. 5:16, 25-26; Eph. 4:1- 3) having the same attitude as Christ (Phil. 2: 5-8), remembering that a victorious and fruitful Christian life is possible only to those who are presenting themselves wholly unto Christ (Rom. 12:1-2), who are reckoning themselves dead indeed unto sin and alive unto God through the Lord Jesus Christ (Root. 6:11-13).
7. In THE BODY OF CHRIST AS THE ONE TRUE CHURCH (Eph. 1:22-23) for this Dispensation of Grace (Eph. 3:2); that it is a Spiritual Body with Christ as its Head (Eph. 5:23); that it is an invisible, universal Church made up of all believers in the Age of Grace who have been saved by the Lord Jesus Christ (Gal. 3:28; 1 Thess. 4:13-18) and that it is a living Organism for Christ its Head is alive (Gal. 2:20; Col. 1:18).
8. That THE SPIRITUAL (NON-WATER) BAPTISM OF BELIEVERS INTO THE BODY OP CHRIST: which occurs at the moment of salvation (Gal. 3:26-27) is the only valid baptism for this Dispensation of Grace (1 Cor. 12:13); that by that one baptism (Eph. 4:5) every member of the Body of Christ is fully identified with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection (Rom. 6:3-6; I Cor. 1:14-17; Col. 2:12, 2:20-23). (Compare Heb. 6: I-2).
9. In THE HEADSHIP/LORDSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST: that He alone is the Bead of the Body of Christ (Eph. 1:22-23; 5:23-24: I Cor. 11:3: Col. 1:18) and as such He is the Lord of the Church (Gal. 1:3; Eph. I :2- 3); that one becomes a member of this Body Church only by the baptism of the Holy Spirit at the time of his salvation (1 Cor. 12:13 and 27; Rom. 6:3; Gal. 3:27; Eph. 4:5; Col. 2:12).
10. In THE ETERNAL SECURITY OF THE BELIEVER: that all the redeemed are eternally secure in the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 8:1, 29-34, 38- 39; II Cor. 1:21-22; Eph. 1:13-14, 4:30; Phil. 1:6; Col. 3:2; Heb. 7:25; Jude 24-25).
11. That THE MINISTRY AND COMMISSION OF THE CHURCH: corporately and individually, is to promote the edification of the Body of Christ via teaching, fellowship, training, discipline and other biblical experiences to the end That corporate and individual spiritual growth occurs (II Pet. 3:18; Eph. 4:15-16); that it is then to proclaim the message of reconciliation (II Cor. 5:14-21), the unsearchable riches of Christ (Eph. 3:8) and the dispensation (fellowship) of the mystery (Eph. 3:9); that our pattern for this ministry is the Apostle Paul as he followed the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 4:16, I 1:1 Eph. 3:17; I Tim. 1:11-16; 11 Tim. 2:2). Love is to be the guiding principle by which this glorious message is to be shared among ourselves and with others (II Cor. 5:14, 12:15; Eph. 4:15).
12. In THE IMPORTANCE OF THE LOCAL CHURCH: that it is to be a Christ centered assembly of individuals who are trusting in the finished work of Christ alone for their salvation (Rom. 4:5; Gal. 2:16), whose primary responsibility is to honor and glorify God (Rom. 15:6 and 9; I Cor. 6:20; II Cor. 9:13); that such is to be accomplished through regular meetings for the study of the Scripture (II Tim. 2:15, II Tim. 3:15-17) and mutual edification as members of the Body of Christ ((Eph. 4a I-16) in order that the assimilation and application of spiritual truth can result in the manifestation of the life of Christ in the believer (11 Pet. 3:18).
13. In THE INDEPENDENCE AND AUTONOMY OF THE LOCAL CHRUCH that each local assembly is free to govern itself without ecclesiastical interference, and should co-operate with other assemblies of like faith as the Holy Spirit leads (I Cor. 16:1-3; Col. 4:15-16).
14. In THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE: that each has definite, separate and distinct spheres of responsibility (Matt. 22:17-21; Rom. 13:1-7; I Tim. 2:1-3); that our primary duty is to obey applicable scriptural injunctions; that our secondary duty is to obey all civil rules and regulations that are not in conflict with those found in scripture (Acts 5:29; Dan. 1:8).
15. That THE LORD’S SUPPER (COMMUNION): as revealed through the Apostle Paul is a memorial service, not an obligatory ordinance; observable at anytime, anywhere, with no explicit procedures as to how it should be conducted (I Cor. 11:23-26); that it is to show forth the death of the. Lord Jesus Christ until He comes (1 Cor. 11:26) and it is not to be made a basis for Christian fellowship. Thus, the Lord’s Table is open to all members of the Body of Christ who have examined themselves according to Scripture (I Cor. 11:28).
16. In THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH: the blessed hope (Titus 2:13), as the next event on God’s prophesied calendar of events, when Christ will come in the air to receive the Church, His body, unto Himself (I Cor. 15:51-52; Phil. 3:20-21; I Thess. 4:13-18); that at this time the Body church will be forever united with the Lord Jesus Christ, its Head (Eph. I :22-23; Col. 1:18, 3:4; I Thess 4:17; II Thess. 2:1-7), and with the Church having been removed, the dispensation of the Age of Grace will come to an end.
17. In THE TRIBULATION: that is, the seventieth week of Daniel (Dan. 9:24-27), the time of Jacob’s trouble (Jer. 30:7; Matt. 24:1-25), an event which will follow very soon after the Rapture of the church.
18. In CHRIST’S SECOND COMING: to the earth at which time He will establish His Millennial Kingdom (Dan. 2:44; Matt. 6:10, 25:34), the Kingdom promised to His father David (II Sam. 7:12-16; Isa. 9:6-7; Jer. 23:5-6 Luke 1:32-33); that this Second Coming will be personal, visible (John 14:3; Acts I:10-I h; Rev. 1:7) and glorious (Rev. 19:11-16), the time being unrevealed (Matt. 24:36; Acts 1:7); that it will involve the pouring out of the righteous judgments of God upon the unbelieving world (Matt. 25:46; Jude 14-I5; Rev. 20:12-15), after which Israel will function as God’s representative nation here on earth in a position of religious leadership and judgment (Zech. 8:20-23; Matt. 28:19-20; Rev. 20:1-6) while the Body church will fill a similar position of leadership and judgment over the heavens and their system (I Cor. 6:2-4) for one thousand years (Rev. 20:1-7), this period to be followed by the dispensation of the fullness of times (Eph. 1:10; Rev. 22:1- 5).
19. In THE FUTURE LIFE BODILY RESURRECTION AND JUDGMENT:
A. Of THE BODY OF CHRIST: that the spirits of the saved at death go immediately to be with Christ in Heaven (11 Cor. 5:8); that their works shall be brought before the Judgment Seat of Christ (Rom. 2:16; 11 Cor. 5:10) for determination of rewards (t Cor. 3:10-15 which will take place after the time when Christ comes in the Rapture for His own Body, the Church (1 Cor. 9:25; II Tim. 4:8);
B. Of THE OLD TESTAMENT AND TRIBULATION SAINTS: that their works will also be judged and that they will live and reign with Christ here on earth for one thousand years (Matt. 8:11; Rev. I I: I B, 20:4-6), this first resurrection of prophecy being commonly known as the resurrection of the just (Luke 14:14; Jn. 5:29; Dan. 12:2);
C. Of THE UNSAVED DEAD OF ALL AGES: that their works shall be judged before the Great While Throne; that these works will be the basis of their indictment and the basis on which they will be cast into the Lake of Fire (Matt. 25:41-46; Jn. 5:29; Rev. 14:10-11, 20:10-I5).
20. That THE MANIFESTATION OF THE SIGN GIFTS: was necessary during the Acts Period, because the Word of God, the Bible, was not yet complete end also as a witness to the people of Israel. Upon the temporary setting aside of Israel the sign gigs such as speaking in tongues, miraculous healings, raising of the dead and prophecies passed away (l Cor. f 3:8-I 1).
21. That IN SUMMARY: these are the basic doctrines of the Word of God for this Dispensation of the Grace of God, but they by no means exhaust the many truths contained therein.