We Believe

We believe in the plenary, verbal inspiration of the canon of Scripture as it has been handed down to us. We believe that the Bible is the infallible rule of faith and practice, inerrant in all it professes. It is the inspired Word of God and our standard for faith and practice. We believe it is the standard by which all subsequent revelation is to be evaluated.

We believe in the one triune God revealed in the Bible - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He is Creator, Redeemer, and the Sovereign Ruler of creation. He is the Author of truth, love and faith.

We believe that humanity was created in the image of God. Through rebellion and disobedience humankind is separated from God, and without God, he is without hope and under the judgment of God.

We believe humanity's salvation and reconciliation with God is experienced through renouncing his own proud self-determination, taking responsibility for his sinful disobedience, turning from his sin and seeking forgiveness from God.

Further, we believe such a penitent person must put a personal faith in Jesus Christ--whom we believe to be the incarnate son of God, the Messiah, born of a virgin, filled with the Holy Spirit and power, crucified, died for humanity's transgressions, raised from the dead on the third day, and ascended back to the Father where He is now seated and ready to return. We also believe that Jesus Christ is thereby humanity's only Savior, Redeemer, Healer, Deliverer and in fact, Lord of all. He is also the appointed Judge of the living and the dead.

Finally, we believe that this salvation of humanity is wholly a work of God's free grace and is not the result of human works or goodness or religious ceremony. God provides his righteousness to those who put their faith in Jesus Christ alone for their salvation.

The scriptural evidence that one has repented and put faith in Jesus Christ includes public confession, baptism in water, and living in the ways of God.

We believe God is a covenant-making and covenant-keeping God. He has made promises to those who are under the new covenant, by faith in Jesus Christ. His promise of forgiveness and eternal life are activated the moment one commits himself to Him. He is the source of life and all necessary provision to the one believing. This provision, including both spiritual and natural resources, is available in abundance.

We believe those who accept His lordship should commit themselves to His will for their lives, to His appointed pastoral care for them, and to love and build up the Church as He does. Thus, all those who are in covenant with God are also in covenant with one another.

God made this New Covenant in the blood of Jesus Christ. When one submits to Jesus as Lord, he pledges his life also to the will of God. The Holy Spirit then abides in the one believing, thus sealing and guaranteeing the covenant, and writing it in the person's heart. We believe that all who so confess Jesus Christ as Lord and King are part of His kingdom and should live in covenant loyalty with one another. This means laying down their lives for one another, if necessary. On a daily basis, it means learning to love one another in practical ways, forgiving one another, serving one another, and correcting one another in a loving attitude when necessary.

We believe the very nature and purpose of God is revealed in His Church. Jesus came and established it as His Body in the earth. We believe the Church Universal consists of all who confess and live under Jesus' lordship, while the Church Local is a body of believing people, joined together, practicing the New Covenant. Since the Church is one, as God is one, the Church Local must seek to walk in harmony with the Church Universal.

We believe that Jesus Christ, who is Lord and Head of the Church, has established government and ministry in the Church on earth. Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers are set in the Church by the Lord to mature it and inspire it to do His work in the earth.

We believe the scriptural norm calls for each local Church to have a presbytery of elders with one elder presiding. We recognize, however, the validity for variety in Church governments as the Lord may allow other Christian groups. We believe the Lord sets His people in churches, under personal pastoral care for the maturing of character and development of their ministry. For our church, much of this care is done within the context of the home group.

We believe the Church should be supported by the tithes and offerings of those committed to its mission. We believe that the tithe is 10% of the gross income given in its entirety to the local church and that offerings are funds given over and above the tithe. We further believe that when people serve God with a free spirit there is financial abundance to accomplish God's purpose.

We believe there are many experiences which are valid encounters with God, the Holy Spirit. "Baptism with the Holy Spirit," "Filled with the Holy Spirit," "Anointed with the Holy Spirit," are among those scriptural terms used to describe such encounters with the Holy Spirit. These experiences should produce greater commitment to God's will, greater realization of His power, greater edification of His Church, and increased ability to give witness to the resurrection.

We believe that as all those who commit themselves to Jesus Christ receive the Holy Spirit for guidance, inspiration and conviction. So too is there a Baptism in or with the Holy Spirit. This baptism in the Holy Spirit is a separate experience in the life of the believer from the salvation experience. This experience is for the purpose of empowering the believer for greater witness, love and service of God and is available to each saint who will ask and believe. The baptism in the Holy Spirit is an encounter with the Holy Spirit which is clearly obvious to each who has experienced it and along with it comes the ability to pray, worship and intercede in a "heavenly language", an "unknown tongue" or "spiritual" language as it may be called in the scripture. This prayer language is for private use and is to be distinguished from the gift of tongues as used in the assembly for edification of the entire body.

We further believe the Holy Spirit imparts gifts or abilities greater than our own to accomplish God's will. These gifts include miraculous healings, words of knowledge and discernment, prophecies, etc. These gifts ought to be operative in the Church for the common good, supervised and judged by mature leaders, and ministered in love by Christians whose lives reflect faith and godly character.

We believe the Kingdom of God is the rule of God, (the age to come) which has invaded the kingdom of Satan (this present evil age) and is the arena in which spiritual warfare is being waged. Understanding about the Kingdom of God is fundamental to understanding the ministry of Jesus (i.e. the kingdom of Satan was His real enemy). Jesus was sent by God to shatter the strongholds of Satan, One of His key purposes was Satan's defeat and the redemption of His creation. Jesus accomplished this through His death, resurrection and ascension. This demonstrated the victory. However, Satan is not yet cast out completely and ultimately and will not be until Christ returns to establish His Kingdom forever. The Church is God's army in the continual fight which goes on with Satan in this time between Calvary and the return of Christ. The Church is commissioned, equipped, powered and authorized to extend the Kingdom of God and overcome the kingdom of darkness.

We believe in the priesthood of the believer. By the shedding of His blood, Jesus has become the believer's high priest and has made it possible for each Christian to have free access to the presence of the Father. In His presence, each one can know God and can receive from Him. Each Christian, likewise, is responsible to come to the Father in confidence and faith as a priest unto Him under the New Covenant and there to minister both the worship of his lips and the worship of his life sacrificially and freely presented to God.

We believe in freedom of conscience. One is responsible for his own choices and behavior. While God, has ordained both civil and spiritual government, we believe each person is still directly accountable to Him. Therefore, pastors can give strong direction, and the churches can make strong requirements, but all service must be rendered voluntarily, out of faith in Christ, joyfully and from a free conscience.

We see this reflected in the history of God's dealings with humanity. God has always given strong direction, but has accepted only voluntary sacrifice and service, His people we characterized by grace filled service, not legalistic servitude.

We believe in world evangelization. We accept the commission of Jesus Christ, who is Lord, to put forth the Gospel and to make disciples to Him in all nations, to baptize them and teach them to observe His commandments. We join with all those believing in Him to complete this divine mandate. We accept this as a personal commission, as well as a corporate Church commission.

We believe God is the author of all government and authority. He has ordained civil government for the establishment of order and peace in the nations. He has ordained government in His church to bring it to righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. We believe there should be mutual respect between civil and spiritual authority.

We believe it is the task of civil authority to maintain order and freedom among those responsible to it. We believe it is the task of the Church to speak prophetically to the nations and to their governments, both by its proclamations and its lifestyle. The Church must faithfully proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord. And, in the context of being a prophetic witness for the Lord, the Church is admonished to pray for, honor, and work toward good civil government so that the gospel might freely go forth.

We believe history shows that a church supported by the state tends to lose its ability to represent God's will to that nation, and Christians of other persuasions tend to lose their freedom to worship after the dictates of their own conscience.

We believe Jesus Christ will return to the earth and rule in a visible way. His purpose will be to manifest His government and peace in the earth. Christians are exhorted to be watchful and obedient until His appearing. While there are many view-points concerning His second coming, we believe Christians should expectantly look for His appearing, giving full attention to spiritual sensitivity and obedience while He tarries. We believe His appearing will occasion the resurrection of the righteous who have died and are now with Him.

We believe in a final judgment at the end of the age. We believe the righteous and the wicked shall stand before Him and be judged. Those who have a faith producing righteousness will be rewarded with the privilege of ruling with Him and enjoying His eternal friendship and blessings. Those who were rebellious and wicked in relationship to God will be eternally separated and punished.

In Conclusion...
These principles of our faith are foundations for God's ongoing leadership in our lives. We realize that our statement of faith does not relieve us of the responsibility to live relationally with God by faith. We gratefully acknowledge those who have served Him in ages past and bless them in their eternal state for their faithfulness. We acknowledge those who serve Jesus Christ now, whose doctrinal expressions and lifestyles are different from our own. We desire to walk in peace with them as brothers and sisters. Our statements are not to be construed as walls, but as doors through which others may communicate with us and we with them. In fact, we will do what we can to build bridges among our unique brothers and sisters in Christ.

We say 'Amen' to Christ's own prayer that His church be one as He and the Father are one.

Apostle's Creed

Nicene Creed

Staunton Grace Covenant Church ~ 410 West Beverley Street, Staunton, VA 24401
tel: 540-886-8076 ~ email: info@stauntongrace.org