Gracepoint Church Core Beliefs

WE BELIEVE IN THE INSPIRATION OF SCRIPTURES; THE BIBLE

WHILE THERE ARE MANY TRANSLATIONS, WE BELIEVE THE KING JAMES VERSION IS THE BEST TRANSLATION IN ENGLISH AVAILABLE. THIS IS BASED UPON MANUSCRIPTS USED TO TRANSLATE FROM AND ITS WORD-FOR-WORD METHOD USED. ALSO, THE USE OF ONE BIBLE AS A CHURCH HELPS US ALL TO BE ON THE SAME PAGE WITH LESS CONFUSION. WE KNOW OTHER CHURCHES USE OTHER TRANSLATIONS AND WE ARE NOT CRITICIZING THEM. WE JUST BELIEVE THE K.J.V. IS THE BEST ENGLISH TRANSLATION. (2 TIM. 3:16-17;2 PETER 1:20-21)

WE BELIEVE IN ONE GOD WHO HAS REVEALED AND MANIFESTED HIMSELF IN THE GODHEAD (TRINITY)

THERE'S GOD THE FATHER, GOD THE SON, AND GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT. THEY ARE ALL EQUALLY GOD, YET ONE GOD. (DeuT. 6:4; EPH. 4:4-6; 2 COR. 13:14; COL. 2:9; 1 PETER 1:2)

WE BELIEVE MAN IS SINFUL FROM HIS INHERITED SINFUL NATURE AND HIS PERSONAL ACTIONS OF SIN.

BEING SINNERS, ALL MANKIND IS UNDER GOD'S CONDEMNATION AND DESTINED FOR HELL. (EPH. 2:1-3; ROM. 3:9-12; ROM. 5:12; ROM. 6:23A; JOHN 3:18; REV. 20:14-15)

WE BELIEVE PERSONAL SALVATION IS BY GOD'S GRACE THROUGH FAITH IN THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS CHRIST, HIS DEATH, HIS BLOOD, AND HIS RESURRECTION FROM THE GRAVE.

TO BE SAVED, EACH INDIVIDUAL MUST PUT THEIR FAITH IN THE DEATH, BURIAL, AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST AS SATISFYING THE FATHER'S DEMAND OF JUSTICE FOR OUR SINS. IT IS FAITH IN THE DEATH, BURIAL, AND RESURRECTION OF CHRIST ALONE THAT SAVES. (ROM. 3:24-28, 5:1,9, 10:9; EPH. 2:8-9; 1 COR. 15:3-4; GAL. 3:24-26)

WE BELIEVE IN THE ETERNAL SONSHIP AND DEITY OF JESUS CHRIST.

HE WAS VIRGIN BORN, LIVED A SINLESS LIFE, DIED IN PLACE OF SINNERS ON A CROSS, ROSE FROM THE GRAVE VICTORIOUSLY, ASCENDED ON HIGH, SITS ON THE FATHER'S RIGHT HAND, AND IS THE BELIEVER'S MEDIATOR. (LUKE 1:35; ROM. 1:3-4 & 5:8; PHIL. 2:6-9; 1 TIM. 2:5; COL. 3:1; 2 COR. 5:21; 1 COR 15:3-4)

WE BELIEVE IN THE ETERNAL SECURITY OF THE BELIEVER.

SINCE SALVATION IS ALL OF GRACE FROM START TO FINISH, GOD IS THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH. HE HAS PROMISED TO FINISH WHAT HE HAS BEGUN; THUS WE ARE ONCE SAVED, ALWAYS SAVED. (ROM. 8:1, 8:29-34, 8:38-39; PHIL. 1:6; TITUS 1:2; EPH. 1:13-14; JOHN 10:27-29)

WE BELIEVE WHEN SAVED, WE ARE IMMEDIATELY SPIRITUALLY PLACED INTO THE BODY OF CHRIST MAKING US ONE IN UNITY WITH CHRIST AND EACH OTHER.

CHRIST IS THE HEAD OF THE BODY. (EPH. 1:22-23; 1 COR. 12:13; GAL. 3:27-28; ROM. 6:3-8)

WE BELIEVE IT IS THE BELIEVER'S PRIVILEGE, HIS OR HER EXPRESSION OF LOVE OF CHRIST'S WORK, TO LIVE A LIFE THAT REFLECTS CHRIST.

OUR GOAL IS TO PLEASE GOD; TO BE WHAT HE WANTS US TO BE; AND TO BRING HIS GLORY. (2 COR. 5:7; EPH. 5:11; EPH. 4:22-24; ROM. 6:13; ROM. 12:1-2) WE ARE NOT LEGALISTS, OR RELIGIONISTS, OR TRADITIONALISTS - BUT WE ARE BIBLICISTS. WE BELIEVE AND ACT ACCORDING TO GOD'S WORD. (ACTS 17:11; 2 COR. 5:14)

WE BELIEVE THE SIGN GIFTS, WHICH WERE MAINLY FOR ISRAEL AND TO THE EARLY CHURCH BODY DURING THE TRANSITION FROM LAW, KINGDOM CHURCH, TO BE THE BODY CHURCH, HAVE CEASED.

THEY WERE OF TEMPORARY NATURE. (1 COR. 1:22, 13:8-13) BUT LET IT BE KNOWN THAT MANY OF US KNOW AND LOVE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE CHARiSMATIC IN BELIEF. WE ARE NOT HERE TO BASH THEM. WE SIMPLY DISAGREE SCRIPTURALLY CONCERNING SIGN GIFTS AND BELIEVE THEY WERE MAINLY FOR ISRAEL. SINCE ISRAEL HAS BEEN TEMPORARILY SET ASIDE, SO HAVE THE OUTWARD MANIFESTATIONS OF THE SIGN GIFTS - TONGUES, VISIONS, WORD OF KNOWLEDGE, AND EXPERIENCE OVER GOD'S WORD.

WE BELIEVE IN A PRE-TRIBULATION RAPTURE OF THE BODY CHURCH.

(1 THESS. 4:13-18; 1 COR. 15:51-53; TITUS 2:13-14; PHIL. 3:20-21)

WE BELIEVE IN THE SEVEN-YEAR TRIBULATION ON EARTH,

AS DANIEL CALLED IT THE 70TH WEEK.

THIS IS WHEN GOD WILL POUR OUR HIS WRATH UPON MANKIND'S UNBELIEF. BUT ALSO IT IS DURING THIS TIME GOD WILL BEGIN WORKING WITH ISRAEL AGAIN, AND BEGINNING AT MID-TRIB, ISRAEL WILL BELIEVE IN THE MESSIAH. AT ITS END, ANTI-CHRIST WILL BE DEFEATED AS CHRIST RETURNs TO EARTH TO JUDGE AND SET UP HIS KINGDOM OF HEAVEN ON EARTH. AFTER CHRIST'S 1000 YEAR REIGN, SATAN IS LOOSED FOR A LITTLE WHILE BUT IS QUICKLY DEFEATED BY CHRIST. SATAN, ALONG WITH ALL THE UNSAVED OF ALL HISTORY WILL BE JUDGED AND CAST INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE. (ZECH. 14:4,9; REV. 19:11-16; REV. 20:4-6; 2 THESS. 1:9; REV. 14:11; REV. 20:14-15)

WE BELIEVE IN THE MYSTERY "HID IN GOD" WAS GOD'S DIVINE PURPOSE TO MAKE OF JEW AND GENTILE A WHOLE NEW THING - THAT IS, THE CHURCH WHICH IS CHRIST'S BODY.

THE REVELATION OF THE MYSTERY WAS COMMITTED TO PAUL; AND THOUGH ALL SCRIPTURE IS PROFITABLE AND APPLICABLE, IT IS IN PAUL'S WRITINGS THAT WE FIND OUR DOCTRINE, POSITION, AND DESTINY OF THE CHURCH BODY. (GAL. 1:11-12; EPH. 3:1-9; COL. 1:24-27; ROM. 16:25-26)

WE BELIEVE TO INTERPRET SCRIPTURE CORRECTLY,

YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO CONSIDER ITS CONTEXT.

WHO? WHEN? WHY? WHAT? AND THE DISPENSATION IT IS IN. ALL SCRIPTURE IS FOR US, BUT NOT ALL SCRIPTURE IS DIRECTLY TO US.

THUS WE BELIEVE THAT THE LORD'S SUPPER, COMMUNION, AS REVEALED TO PAUL IS TO THE CHURCH BODY "UNTIL HE COME"

(1 COR. 11:23-26)

BECAUSE WE RIGHTLY DIVIDE GOD'S WORD, DISPENSATIONALLY, WE BELIEVE ALL BELIEVERS ARE MADE MEMBERS OF THE BODY OF CHRIST BY ONE SPIRIT BAPTISM.

THIS ONE BAPTISM IDENTIFIES US WITH CHRIST IN HIS DEATH, BURIAL, AND RESURRECTION. (ROM. 6:3-4)