What We Believe

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Here at Grace Commons Church we proudly hold on to the faith that has been handed down to us by the men and women who went before us.  The essentials of our faith can be traced back nearly two thousand years and have been cherished by Christians all across the world.  These beliefs have proven resilient in the face of persecution and a source of great comfort in times of trouble.

Our beliefs are drawn from Scripture and are summarized in the historic professions of faith known as the Apostle's Creed and the Nicene Creed.

There is one holy, eternal, and sovereign God, who created the heavens and the earth and everything that lives in them.  God is perfect in goodness, wisdom, power, and justice.  He is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in love and faithfulness.  Although there is only one God, He exists from all eternity as the loving fellowship of three persons, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  This belief, known as the doctrine of the Trinity, expresses a profound mystery and serves as the foundation of our understanding of who God is.  He is not one God expressing Himself in three different ways, nor do we believe there are three different gods.  Rather, each member of the Godhead is eternally united with the others in nature yet remains distinct in personhood.  

We believe that Jesus is the Son of God, the second person of the Trinity who is also known as the Word of God.  It was through the Son that the Father created heaven and earth, and it is through the Son that the Father continues to uphold all of creation.  Scripture declares that He is the image of the invisible God and the exact representation of the Father.  

We believe that the Word of God took on flesh and blood and became a man.  In doing so, He did not cease to be God.  Instead, His divinity was brought together with our humanity so that we might say He is fully God and fully man.  

Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born to the virgin Mary.  Through the power of the Spirit He declared the Kingdom of God.  He was crucified under Pontius Pilate, was dead and buried.  On the third day He rose from the dead.  His followers and many other witnesses spoke and ate with Him and passed their testimony on to the Church.  He was taken into heaven and now sits at the right hand of the Father.  One day He will return in glory and establish the Kingdom of God on earth.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity who, along with the Father and Son, created the heavens and the earth and is worthy of honor and worship.  The Spirit is known as our comforter and counselor.  It was by the Holy Spirit that the word of God was preached to people in the past.  The Spirit spoke through the prophets to declare the coming of Jesus.  Through the Holy Spirit, Jesus went about His mission on earth by performing signs and miracles.  After Jesus was taken to heaven, the Holy Spirit was sent to live in the heart of everyone who puts their faith in Jesus.  The Spirit is the abiding presence of God in the Church, bringing hearts back to life by leading disciples away from sin and into a life of holy love.  The Spirit empowers the Church to live out the life of Christ in word and deed as a testimony to the world.  

We believe that all people are created in the image of God.  This is a profound truth, because it means that everyone shares in God's character in some way and is capable of having a relationship with God.  We also believe that humanity was given a purpose.  We were called to represent God on earth, using our gifts to serve and care for creation as a testimony to God's goodness.

We believe that although God's creation was very good, humanity was led astray.  We disobeyed God, and as a result sin and death entered the picture.  Sin fractured human nature so that, left to ourselves, we can no longer relate properly to God, to one another, or to creation.  This means that although all people are made in the image of God, they are also born with a sinful nature.  Each of us turns away from God and His righteousness.  We seek out our own selfish desires and pleasures.  The end result of sin is death and eternal separation from God.

But there is good news.

Jesus Christ came to save us from sin and death.  By His death and through His blood, Jesus paid the penalty for sin.  By His resurrection, Jesus won eternal life and opened a way for humanity to once again enjoy a relationship with God.  In His name all people are invited to come and be forgiven of their sins.

We believe that this salvation is a gift of God's grace.  You cannot earn it; Jesus freely gives it.  We receive God's grace through faith, which means putting our trust in Jesus and in His saving work on the cross.  Scripture declares that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.  Everyone who believes in Jesus receives the Holy Spirit and the promise of eternal life.

The good news is not the end, but rather the beginning.  Everyone who puts their faith in Jesus is justified before God, forgiven of their sins, and given a pure, regenerate heart.  This begins a life filled with the power and presence of the Holy Spirit, which we call discipleship.

A disciple is a believer who loves and follows Jesus.  Through discipleship, believers are conformed to the likeness of Jesus by maturing in faith, hope, and love.  We put off sin and learn to love God and other people.  This process is called sanctification, and it is the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives leading us to obey Christ and to testify to His grace to the world.  

As a Christian, you are not alone.  You belong to a community of faith which stretches across time and space.  This community of faith is what we call the Church, and it is the fellowship of all people, men and women alike, who have put their faith in Jesus and follow Him as their Lord.  

The Church is not just a local gathering and it is definitely not a building.  Rather, the Church is called the "Body of Christ".  Every Christian is filled with God's Holy Spirit and becomes a member of the Body.  Empowered by the Spirit, we use our gifts to serve one another in love, to minister to the world, and to grow in righteousness.

Wherever people gather in faith under the Lordship of Jesus Christ to proclaim the Word of God and receive the sacraments, there you will find the Church. 

We believe that God in His grace will preserve the Church until the end of time so that it may continue the ministry of worshiping Him in spirit and truth, of faithfully preaching the Word, offering the holy sacraments, edifying and growing disciples, and serving the world in love.

We believe that the Bible, both the Old and New Testaments, is inspired by God and is without error in all it affirms.  The Scriptures contain everything necessary for salvation and are the only infallible authority for faith and practice.

The Holy Spirit preserves God's word in the Church today and by it speaks God's truth to people of every age.  It is therefore useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness so that disciples may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

We believe that if something is not revealed in or established by Scripture, it should not be taught as an essential belief or as something necessary for salvation. 

The promise of the Gospel is eternal life to everyone who believes.  We believe that just as Christ ascended to heaven after His resurrection, one day He will likewise return in glory to dismantle the powers and structures of sin and darkness.  He will establish the New Heavens and the New Earth, where there will be no more suffering, sorrow, or death.  The dead will join in Christ's resurrection, and we will be transformed.

Scripture declares that Jesus Christ Himself will judge the living and the dead in righteousness.  Before Him, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that "Jesus is Lord."  On that day, everyone who refused the grace of God will be sent away to eternal punishment.  But everyone who accepted the gospel of God's grace will be raised to new life and will inherit the Kingdom of God.

We believe that eternal life is not simply a matter of time, but also of the quality of life we are given.  Jesus said that eternal life consists of knowing the One true God and Jesus Christ, whom He sent.  Eternal life, therefore, is a matter of entering into the loving fellowship of the Trinity where we will know God fully and be fully known.