​​​​​GRACE AND PEACE BIBLICAL COUNSELING
DOCTRINAL STATEMENT OF FAITH

1) The Bible – We believe that the Bible was uniquely and fully inspired by the Holy Spirit and that it was written without error in the original manuscripts. We see that the Bible has been proven inerrant historically, archeologically, scientifically, prophetically, and personally through the changed lives of millions of people who study it contextually and live by its pages. We accept the Bible in its entirety, the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, as the sufficient and final authority for guiding people to faith in God which leads them to walk in victory as they live in the forgiveness of Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Luke 24:25-27, 44-47; Proverbs 30:5-6; 1 Peter 1:25; Romans 10:17; examples of scientific evidence - Isaiah 40:22a; Job 26:7)

2) The Godhead – We believe that there is one true God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each of these Persons possesses equally all the attributes of Deity and thus the characteristics of personality. (Genesis 1:26; John 1:1-5, 14; Philippians 2:5-8; John 4:23-24; Acts 5:3-4; 2 Corinthians 13:14)

3) God the Father – We believe that God the Father, Creator of heaven and earth, is the functional head of the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). (Genesis 1:1-26; 1 Corinthians 11:3; John 14:26)

4) Jesus Christ – We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is eternal Son of God, creator of everything, who became fully man without ceasing to be fully God. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful man. He lived a sinless life and voluntarily atoned for the sins of men by dying on the cross as their substitute. He rose from the dead in the same body, though glorified, in which He had lived and died. He ascended bodily into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God the Father, as the Advocate of those who trust Him for salvation. We believe that Jesus Christ will come again to the earth, personally, visibly, and bodily to consummate history and the eternal plan of God. (Colossians 1:15-17; Matthew 1:16, 20, 23; Luke 1:34-35; Hebrews 4:15; 1 John 2:1-2; Luke 22:69; Acts 1:10-11; John 14:3; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Revelation 22:20)

5) The Holy Spirit – We believe that God the Holy Spirit has come into the world to reveal and glorify Christ and to apply the saving work of Christ to mankind. He convicts and draws sinners to Christ. From the moment of spiritual birth He imparts new life to believers and seals them until the day of redemption. He is the source and power for all acceptable worship and imparts a diversity of enabling gifts for service. He enlightens us to understand the infallible Word and seeks to occupy us with Christ alone. (Titus 3:5-6; John 16:7-8, 13; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22; Galatians 5:22-23; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11)

6) Fallen Man – We believe that man was originally created in the image of God but because of Adam’s sin mankind inherited a sinful nature and became alienated from God. The Old Testament law and the prophets reveal our sinful nature. Jesus stated that the law and the prophets are summed up by two commands. The first is to love God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength, and the second is to love others as ourselves. We all fall short of these commandments and stand guilty in our sin before Him. The penalty for sin is death and the wrath of God will come upon all those who are not justified by His forgiveness. In the Old Testament, God forgave sins through the blood sacrifice of animals which was a shadow of the coming Messiah. In the New Testament, we are justified through the blood of Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:12; 1 Corinthians 15:21-22; Romans 3:9-10, 19-23; James 2:10; Matthew 22:36-40; Romans 5:8-9; Hebrews 9:11-14)

7) Salvation of Man – We believe that the salvation of man is the gift of God by His grace. We receive salvation by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ whose precious blood was shed on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins. There is no law, good work, or religious ceremony we can do to earn His free gift of salvation. God credits righteousness to us through our faith as we believe in Christ who justifies the ungodly. As a believer humbly and lovingly responds to the forgiveness of Christ he or she will no longer desire to walk in darkness, fearing that their evil deeds will be exposed. Instead, they will be blessed that their lawless deeds have been forgiven! As we believe in Christ’s love for us we learn to love others which naturally fulfills the law. The fruit of the Spirit’s work in our life will be love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (John 3:16-21; Ephesians 2:4-9; Romans 4:1-8; Isaiah 29:13; Romans 13:10; Galatians 5:18-24)

8) The Church – We believe that the Church, the Body of Christ, is composed of all persons living and dead who have been joined to Christ through faith in His atonement. Every true believer is baptized by the Holy Spirit into the Body of Christ. This relates believers to one another spiritually, regardless of church or denominational distinction. We believe the Scriptures affirm that the local church is a God-ordained instrument for worship, discipline, spiritual edification, and encouragement. The assembling together for these purposes should not be forsaken by Christians. (1 Corinthians 12:12-13; Romans 12:4-5; Ephesians 2:19-22, 4:1-6; Colossians 1:18; Hebrews 10:24-25)

9) The Family – We believe that the family is designed by God and that marriage is a beautiful illustration of Christ and the church. We believe that God created male and female and designed sex to be enjoyed between one man and one woman in a covenant marriage for the pleasure of the other and the procreation of children. Any other sexual activity outside of the biblical marriage union is sinful. Children are a gift of God to be raised in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. (Genesis 1:27; Matthew 19:4-6; Ephesians 5:22-6:4; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, 7:2-5; Hebrews 13:4; Romans 1:26-27; Leviticus 18; Psalms 127:3-5)

10) The Eternal State – We believe that the believer, upon physical death, enters immediately into conscious fellowship with the Lord, and awaits the resurrection of his body to everlasting glory and blessing. We believe that the unbeliever, upon physical death, enters immediately into eternal, conscious separation from God and awaits the resurrection of his body to everlasting judgment and condemnation. (John 11:25-26; 1 Corinthians 15; Philippians 1:23-24; Matthew 25:31-46; John 5:28-29; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 2 Thessalonians 1:8-10; Revelation 20:11-15)

11) Satan – We believe that the highest of the created angels, Lucifer, aspiring to displace God, fell from heaven, became Satan (also known as the devil), and tempted man who fell into sin thus introducing sin into the entire human race. His objective today is to thwart the plan of God, deceive the whole world, accuse believers, and create confusion. We believe that through the sacrifice of Christ, Satan is a defeated enemy who will be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire. (Isaiah 14:12-17; Matthew 25:41; Ephesians 6:11-12; 1 Peter 5:8; Revelation 12:9-10, 20:10, 21:8)

12) The Great Commission – We believe that all believers are commanded by the Lord Jesus Christ to proclaim the Gospel of repentance for the forgiveness of sins throughout the world and to disciple people from every nation. (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16; Luke 24:46-48)

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