Our doctrinal statement
Section 1. Articles of Faith
We believe in the Holy Scriptures and affirm belief in the historic Christian doctrines as expressed in the Apostles' Creed and declare these to be:
A. We believe in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, consisting of 66 books, as verbally inspired of God, infallible and inerrant in the original writing. The scriptures are the supreme, sole, and final authority in matters of faith, life, truth, morality and proper conduct of humanity. [2 Peter 1:21; 2 Timothy 3:16-17]
B. We believe in one God eternally existing in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. [Genesis 1:1; John 10:30; Matthew 28:19]
C. We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary and is true God and true man. [Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-23; Colossians 2:9]
D. We believe that man was created in the image of God, and that he sinned and thereby incurred not only physical death, but spiritual death which is separation from God, and that all human beings are born with a sinful nature. [Genesis 1:27; Romans 5:12; 3:23; 6:23; 1 Corinthians 15:22]
E. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice, and that all who believe in Him are justified on the ground of His shed blood alone, apart from any human effort, work or contribution. [Acts 13:38; Romans 4:4-25; Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:8-9]
F. We believe that God commands His regenerate children to grow in grace and surrender to the Lordship of Christ. Through the lifelong process of sanctification, God will conform His children into the likeness of His Son. [John 4:10; Romans 12:1-2; Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 3:18]
G. We believe in the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord, in His ascension into Heaven, and in His present life there for us as High-Priest, Intercessor and Advocate. [Luke 24:1-43; Acts 2:32; Hebrews 7:25; 1 John 2:1]
H. We believe in the blessed hope, and the personal, bodily, visible, pre-tribulational, pre-millenial and imminent return of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Following the tribulation, Jesus Christ will set up on earth a millennial kingdom in which He shall reign in righteousness and peace. [1 Thessalonians 1:9-10; 4:13-18; 5:1-11; Matthew 24:29; Jude 14-15; Revelation 19:11-21]
I. We believe that all who receive by faith the Lord Jesus Christ, are born again of the Holy Spirit and thereby become children of God, sealed by the Holy Spirit, and preserved unto the day of redemption. [John 3:5; 10:28; 1 Peter 1:23; Romans 8:35-39]
J. We believe Jesus Christ instituted two ordinances, that of believer's baptism and the Lord's Supper. We believe that for the believer, baptism is an ordinance, wherein the washing with water, in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, signifies our engrafting into Christ. We believe Jesus Christ instituted the Lord's Supper to commemorate His death until He comes again. [Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38-39; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; Romans 6: 1-14]
K. We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just and the unjust, the everlasting blessedness of the saved and in the conscious everlasting punishment for the lost. [John 5:28; Revelation 20:4-5]
L. We believe that all the saved are called into a life of separation from all worldly and sinful practices, and are under obligation to all the world by life and word to the truth and proclamation of the Gospel. [Romans 12:1; 2 Corinthians 5:14-18; Acts 1:8]
M. We believe in the reality and personality of Satan. [Job 1:8-9; John 8:21-45]
N. We believe that the church in its invisible form is universal, the true body and bride of Christ. The church began at Pentecost and is completely distinct from Israel. All who are born again are members of the body of Christ regardless of organizational affiliation. [Ephesians 1:22-23; 5:21-23; Matthew 28:19]
O. We believe that divine, enabling gifts for service are bestowed by the Spirit upon all who are saved. The gifts of tongues, prophecy, and healing were given to the early New Testament church and are not in evidence in the church today. [Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-14:40; Ephesians 4:11]
Section 2.
In subscribing to these Articles of Faith, we by no means set aside, or undervalue, any of the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, all of which we believe to be God's own written word, given us by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The knowledge and belief of the truth as stated in our Articles of Faith we deem necessary to sound doctrine, and therefore requisite for Christian fellowship.
Section 3.
We believe that all human life is sacred and created by God in His image. Human life is of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, the aged, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition from the moment of conception. We are therefore called to defend, protect, and value all human life from the moment of conception through natural death. [Genesis 1:26-27, Psalm 8:4-5; 139:13-14, Jeremiah 1:4-5, Matthew 6:26, 1 Corinthians 3:16-17]
Section 4.
We believe God has established marriage as an institution. Because God has established marriage and defined it as a covenant relationship with a man, a woman, and Himself, Grace Church of Harmony will only recognize marriages between one biological man and one biological woman. [Genesis 1:26-28, Genesis 2:18-24, Matt 19:4-6]
Section 4.
We believe that all children are a blessing of God. Scripture teaches that parent(s) are to bring children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord and to discipline them in love and truth. Scripture strongly urges parents to compassionately instruct and train their children without provoking them to become rebellious. Parents are encouraged to publicly dedicate themselves to following these Biblical principles by presenting their children to the pastor and congregation in a ceremony of commitment and dedication. When parent(s) elect to take this public step they are also seeking the assistance of the church body to encourage them in parenting principles, supportive prayer and to act as allies in exposing the gospel to their children and training them in all Biblical truth. [Deuteronomy 6:4-7, Proverbs 13:24; 22:6; 29:17, Ecclesiastes 12:1, Ephesians 6:4, 2 Timothy 3:15]
Section 6.
We believe in the autonomy of the local Church to determine its own doctrinal position and in its responsibility to uphold these doctrines and practices. As a result, the elders of consistory, in conjunction with our pastors, have final interpretive authority on the Bible's meaning and application in matters of faith, doctrine, practice, policy, and discipline. [Acts 2:42, Ephesians 4:11-16, 1 Corinthians 12:12-27]
Section 7.
The provisions of Article III shall be considered as fundamental, the basis upon which the Church is founded.