Read Our Confession: The 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith

1. THE SCRIPTURES
The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were given by inspiration of God. They are the infallible, authoritative, and all-sufficient rule of all saving knowledge, faith, and obedience. All Scripture is (in its original autographs) the very Word of God, and it is therefore without error and utterly reliable with regard to fact and teaching. It has been graciously preserved with particular care and providence for our benefit today. The Scriptures are to be neither added to nor subtracted from. (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:19-21, 3:15-16; John 10:35; Deut. 4:1-2; Rev. 22:18-19; 1 Thess. 2:13; 1 John 5:9; Gal. 1:11-2:21; 1 Cor. 2:6-13)

2. DOCTRINE OF GOD
There is but one God, the Creator, Maker, Sustainer, and Ruler of all things, having in and of Himself all perfections and being infinite in them all. To Him all people owe the highest love, reverence, and obedience. (Col. 1:15-17; Deut. 6:4-5; 1 Cor. 8:4-6; Jer. 10:10; Rev. 5:12-14)

3. THE TRINITY
There are three persons in the Godhead: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are one God, the same in essence, equal in power and glory. (Matt. 28:19; John 1:14,18, 8:58, 14:9-11, 15:26; 2 Cor. 13:14; Ex. 3:14; Luke 3:22)

4. CREATION
God created all things from nothing. Adam and Eve were the first humans; they were created by God after His own image in perfect righteousness. The account of creation in Genesis 1 and 2 is historical, not mythical; hence evolution is a theory contrary to a scriptural understanding of creation. (Heb. 11:3; Ps. 33:6; Jer. 32:17)

5. PROVIDENCE
God from eternity decreed all things that come to pass, and He perpetually governs all creatures and events. We affirm the absolute sovereignty of God. However, God is in no way the author or approver of sin, nor does His sovereignty in any way diminish or violate the responsibility of men. (James 1:13-15; Luke 22:22; Eph. 1:11)

6. THE FALL OF MAN
Our first parents, Adam and Eve, by their disobedience, lost the righteousness in which they were created and became corrupt. The guilt of Adam’s first sin is imputed to all men, who, being his descendants, are born in a sinful state and condition called original sin. From this corrupt nature, all transgressions proceed because all men are wholly inclined to all evil continually and are opposed to all that is spiritually good in the sight of God. This is often referred to as man’s total depravity. Thus while man is unable of himself to repent of sin and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, he is completely responsible to do so. This is by no means to deny that a vast amount of virtue prevails through the common grace of God; yet man is unregenerate and essentially alienated from his Creator. (Gen. 2:16-17, 3:11-13, 6:5; Jer. 17:9; Rom. 3:10-18, 5:12-21, 8:6-8)

7. THE MEDIATOR
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, is the divinely appointed Mediator between God and man. Having taken to Himself a human nature, while maintaining His sinlessness, He perfectly fulfilled the law, suffered, and died upon the cross for the salvation of sinners. He was buried, rose again the third day, and ascended to the Father, at whose right hand He ever lives to make intercession for His people. He is the only Mediator, Prophet, Priest, and King of the Church, and the Sovereign and Lord of the universe. (Matt. 1:23; 1 Tim. 2:5,6; John 1:14; Phil. 2:7; Heb. 2:14, 4:15; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Cor. 15:3,4; 1 Tim. 3:16; Acts 1:9-11; Heb. 1:2-3; Rom. 8:34; Acts 3:22; Heb. 5:5-6; Ps. 2:7; Eph. 1:22)

8. ELECTION
Election is God’s eternal choice of some persons to eternal life— not because of foreseen merit or faith in them, but because of His mercy in Christ. Those who have been predestined to be saved are in due time called, justified, sanctified, and glorified. (Rom. 8:30; Eph. 1:4-5,11, 2:5; 2 Thess. 2:13; 2 Tim. 1:9; 1 Pet. 1:2)

9. EFFECTUAL CALLING AND REGENERATION
By His Holy Spirit and through His Word, God calls us into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ. By this divine work, He enlightens our minds, recreates us in and to newness of life, and renews our wills and affections by the Holy Spirit. (Jer. 31:31-34; John 3:3-8; 2 Cor. 5:17; 2 Thess. 2:14; 1 Pet. 1:3,23; Luke 24:27-32; Eph. 5:25-27;
Tit. 3:5; 1 John 1:3)

10. REPENTANCE
Repentance is a saving grace. The repentant person is convicted of the evil of his sin by the Holy Spirit. Repentance involves a humbling of oneself, self-abhorrence, exhibition of godly sorrow for and hatred of sin, and a purpose to walk before God so as to please Him in all things. Repentance is to continue through the whole course of the believer’s life. (Matt. 16:24-28; Luke 3:8-14, 13:3-9, 18:13-14; Acts 2:37-38, 5:31, 17:30; 1 Thess. 1:9; 2 Tim. 2:25; 2 Cor. 7:8-11)

11. FAITH
Faith is a saving grace. By faith, we receive and rest upon Jesus Christ alone for salvation as He is freely offered to us in the gospel. Faith is also a grace by which we believe the Word of God to be true and seek to apply its teachings to ourselves. (John 5:44, 8:24; Eph. 2:8; Rom. 10:9 -10,17; Rom. 4:3; Heb. 11:1-2, 6, 13-16; Acts 17:30, 18:27; 2 Thess. 2:10)

12. JUSTIFICATION
Justification is an act of God’s free grace whereby He pardons our sins and accounts us righteous in His sight. Justification is based not on anything we have done but only on Christ’s righteousness as imputed to us and received by faith alone. Thus justification is a declarative and forensic act of imputed righteousness, not a process wherein we acquire righteousness before God due to our own sanctification. Justification is by faith in Christ’s work alone, not faith in Christ’s work plus something the believer does. By no means is justification conferred in baptism. (Rom. 3:20-30, 4:5, 8:33; 1 Cor. 1:30; 2 Cor. 5:21; Luke 18:13-14)

13. ADOPTION
For the sake of His only Son, Jesus Christ, God has been pleased to make all justified persons sharers in the grace of adoption. Adoption is the means by which believers are numbered with, and enjoy the liberties and privileges of, the children of God. (John 1:12; Eph. 1:5; Rom. 8:15-17; 1 John 3:1; Ps. 103:13; 2 Cor. 6:18; Gal. 4:4-
6; Eph. 2:18; Heb. 1:14, 6:12, 12:6; 1 Pet. 5:7)

14. SANCTIFICATION
Those who are united to Jesus Christ are, by regeneration, renewed in their whole nature after the image of God, and are set apart by God to share in His holiness. This is definitive sanctification. Because of the remaining effects of the former corrupt nature, there is also a progressive aspect to sanctification whereby the Holy Spirit, by virtue of indwelling the believer, promotes true holiness of life. Sin’s power over the believer is broken, the evil desires to which sin gives birth are increasingly weakened, and the Christian more and more lives according to the Word of God. This is the holiness without which no man will see the Lord. (2 Cor. 5:17; 1 Cor. 1:2, 6:11; 2 Cor. 3:18; Gal. 5:16-18,24; 1 Thess. 5:21-23; Phil. 2:12-13; John 17:17; 1 Pet. 1:2; Acts 20:32; Rom. 6:5,6,14; 2 Cor. 7:1; Eph. 3:16-19; Col. 1:11; Heb. 12:14)

15. PERSEVERANCE
Those whom God has accepted in the Beloved, effectually called and sanctified by His Spirit, and to whom He has given the precious faith of His elect, can neither totally nor finally fall from the state of grace. On the contrary, they will certainly persevere in the state of grace to the end of their lives and thus be eternally saved. This outcome is certain because God will never repent of having called them and made gifts to them. Furthermore, God continues to work in His chosen ones faith, repentance, love, joy, hope, and all the graces of the Holy Spirit that lead to immortality. Many storms and floods may arise and beat against the elect, but they will never be removed from that foundation and rock that they stand upon by faith. Nevertheless, through unbelief, temptations, allurements of the world, and indwelling sin, the sight of God’s love may be temporarily hidden from them and they may fall into dreadful sins. God, however, is still the same, and they shall surely to be kept by the power of God unto salvation. Then they will enjoy their purchased possession, because they have been engraved upon the palm of His hand, and because their names have been written in the Book of Life from all eternity. (Rom. 8:30; John 10:27-29; 2 John 9; Heb. 10:39; Rom. 11:29; Phil. 1:6; Psalm 34:19; Prov. 24:16; Mal. 3:6; Jude 24)

16. THE CHURCH
The Lord Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church, which is composed of God’s elect in every age. According to His commandment, Christians are to gather in local churches. To each local church He has given authority and responsibility for administering order, discipline, and worship. The officers of a church are elders and deacons. The church administers the public means of grace, which is the spiritual food that God has provided whereby Christians mature. The means of grace whereby Christ communicates to us the benefits of redemption are His ordinances, especially the proclamation and explanation of the Word of God, the administration of baptism and the Lord’s Supper, and prayer. (1 Tim. 3:1-13; Heb. 10:25; Eph. 1:22-23, 3:8-10, 4:11-12, 5:25-32; Matt. 16:15-19, 18:17-20, 28:18-20)

17. BAPTISM
Baptism is an ordinance of Jesus Christ obligatory for every believer. The proper mode of baptism is by immersion in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is a symbol of the believer’s union with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. It signifies the washing away of sins and is a prerequisite to church membership. (Matt. 3:16, 28:18-20; John 3:23; Acts 8:38; Rom. 6:3-5; Col. 2:12; Gal. 3:27)

18. THE LORD’S SUPPER
The Lord’s Supper is an ordinance of Jesus Christ and is to be observed by His church until He returns. It is to be administered with the elements of bread and the fruit of the vine. It is in no sense a re-sacrifice of Christ. Its purpose is to commemorate Christ’s death, confirm the everlasting covenant in Christ’s blood, and strengthen union with Christ in His love as well as union and communion with other believers. Unforgiveness between members and unconfessed sin should be dealt with before coming to the Lord’s Table. (Acts 2:42; 1 Cor. 10:14-22, 11:23-34; Luke 22:19-20)

19. EVANGELISM AND MISSIONS
It is the duty of every church and every Christian to extend the gospel to all men everywhere. As faith comes by hearing the Word of God, we are to seek by all methods sanctioned in Scripture to persuade men to seek Jesus Christ and His salvation. (Matt. 28:18-20; Rom. 10:14-17; 1 Cor. 9:22)

20. THE LAW OF GOD
God has commanded us to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. This is the summary of God’s Law (Luke 10:25-27). The Ten Commandments (as given to Moses in Ex. 20:1-21) especially articulate the moral law of God. This moral law, which is expressed in the precepts of Scripture as a whole, provides the Christian with a guide for life. We affirm the perpetuity of the moral law, including the continuing validity of the Fourth Commandment. A man is not justified by the works of the Law, but only through faith in Christ Jesus (Gal. 2:16); even so, we reject antinomianism or any other teaching which claims that God’s moral laws are not binding upon believers today (Matt. 5:17-19). The Old Testament ceremonial laws, having been fulfilled in Jesus Christ, do not bind the consciences of believers today. Principles embodied in Old Testament civil laws are timeless, but their specific applications were to the covenanted nation of Israel. (Mark 12:30-31; Rom. 13:8-10; Matt. 5:17-20, 19:16-22; Ex. 20:1-17; Col. 2:16-17; Heb. 10:1; Rom. 3:31, 6:14, 7:6, 8:3-4; 1 Tim. 1:8-11; James 2:8-12; 1 Cor. 9:21; Ps. 119:4-6)

21. WORSHIP
The light of nature shows that there is a God, who has lord- ship and sovereignty over all; is just, good and does good unto all; and is therefore to be feared, loved, praised, called upon, trusted in, and served, with all the heart and all the soul, and with all one’s might. However, the acceptable way of worshiping the true God is instituted by Himself and so limited by His own revealed will that He may not be worshiped according to the imagination and devices of men, nor the suggestions of Satan, under any visible representations, or any other way not prescribed in the Holy Scriptures. (Jer. 10:7; Mark 12:29-33; Deut. 4:2, 12:29-32, 17:3; Ex. 20:4-6; Matt. 15:3,8-9,13; 2 Kings 16:10-18; Lev. 10:1-3; 2 Tim. 3:15-17; John 4:23-24)

22. THE STATE
Civil government is ordained of God. It is the duty of Christians to obey those who have rule over them in all matters consistent with the teaching of Scripture. Christians are also to pray for their rulers. (Rom. 13:1-7; 1 Pet. 2:17; 1 Tim. 2:1-2)

23. THE RETURN OF CHRIST
We believe in the visible, personal, and bodily return of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Matt. 24:27-30; Acts 1:11; 1 Thess. 4:16; Rev. 1:7)

24. RESURRECTION
The bodies of men after death return to dust but their spirits return immediately to God— the righteous to rest with Him, the wicked to be reserved under darkness until the judgment. The bodies of all the dead, both just and unjust, will be raised. (Gen. 3:19; Eccles. 12:7; Luke 23:43; 2 Cor. 5:1-10; Phil. 1:23; 1 Cor. 15:35-54; 1 Thess.
4:13-17)

25. THE JUDGMENT
God has appointed a day in which He will judge the world by Jesus Christ, when everyone shall receive according to his deeds. The wicked will go into everlasting punishment in Hell with the devil and his angels. The righteous, with glorified bodies, will live and reign with Christ forever. (Acts 17:31; Heb. 9:27; Rom. 14:10-12; 2 Cor. 5:10; Matt. 25:31-46; Mark 9:47-48; 2 Thess. 1:7-10; Rev. 20:10-15, 22:3-5)

At Grace Baptist Church (GBC), we ordinarily celebrate the Lord’s Supper together every week at the close of the sermon, so if you’re visiting or just passing through you might be wondering, “Is it OK for me to partake?” That’s a good question.   

Our general policy is this: you don’t have to be a member of GBC to take communion with us, but you do need to be a baptized believer in Jesus who is a member in good standing of an evangelical, Protestant church. So if you’re not a member of GBC, ask yourself three questions before partaking in communion:

1. Have I been baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit?
2. Am I currently a member in good standing of some other evangelical church?
3. Ιf not, am I seeking to join myself to one?

If you can’t answer yes to the first question, consider it a red light and don’t partake. If you can’t answer yes to the second two, consider it a yellow light and hold off for now. But in either case, please come and talk to one (or more) of the elders. We would love to get to know you and the specifics of your situation.  

To help make these guidelines clearer, let’s apply them to some common scenarios. See if you find yourself in any of these examples.  

• “I’m a baptized believer who is a member of an evangelical Protestant church, but am visiting because I’m traveling and found your church online.”
  A: Green light: please feel free to partake. We believe in the communion of saints. 
• “I just moved to the area and am looking for a church. But I was a baptized member of an evangelical Protestant church where I came from.”
  A: Green light: please feel free to partake. We will gladly accept your former church’s vote of confidence by welcoming you to the table. We do, however, believe that regular communion at Grace Baptist Church is primarily for members. So if you like GBC well enough to keep attending and communing with us regularly (let’s say for six months), then you should strongly consider applying for membership. Please read our Constitution (especially Section IV, p. 11) and consider talking to one of the elders about becoming a member. 
• “I believe in Jesus, but I’ve never been baptized.”
  A: Red light: please don’t partake yet. Here’s why: Jesus gave his church two sacraments (or ordinances). Baptism is the sacrament received by all Christians once for all at the beginning of their Christian life (Matthew 28:19–20; Acts 2:41, 16:30–34). The Lord’s Supper is the ongoing sacrament that Christians participate in repeatedly and often (1 Corinthians 11:26). The New Testament writers (like Paul) assumed that all the Christians in their churches had been baptized—even those Christians whose churches they’d never visited (see Romans 1:13; 6:1–4). This means they would’ve had no category for a non-baptized person partaking of the Lord’s Supper, because in their minds the Lord’s Supper was for Christians, and Christians are baptized. Pretty much every church in the history of Christianity has believed that baptism comes before communion—GBC is no exception. So first things first. If you’re not baptized, then we’d love to talk to you about that, since it provides an excellent opportunity for us to talk about Jesus and the gospel and all that baptism means. Any of the pastors would love to discuss this with you. 
• “I was baptized as a kid, but I haven’t been to church in several years.”
  A: Yellow light: please don’t partake just yet. The Bible warns about the dangers of partaking unworthily and without understanding (1 Corinthians 11:27–32). And if you haven’t been to church in several years, we imagine there’s a story behind that. So please come and talk to one of the pastors. We’d love to hear your story and help you start following the Lord again. 
• “I’m a Roman Catholic.”
  A: Red light: please don’t partake. If you’re a faithful Roman Catholic, then your own church would discourage it. If you’re a lapsed Roman Catholic, then let’s talk more about your understanding of the gospel before coming to the Lord’s Table. As important as baptism is for holy communion, understanding the gospel is even more important. 
• “I’m not a Christian. I’m not even sure I believe in God. But I’m trying to keep an open mind. I’m visiting because someone invited me.”
  A: We’re so glad you’re here! The Lord’s Supper is reserved for baptized Christians, so that’s a definite red light. But please do listen to the sermon, sing the songs, and stay with us for lunch afterward. We’d love to discuss any questions you may have about Jesus, Christianity, the Bible, and whatever else you may want to talk about.
• “I was excommunicated from my last church.”
  A: Red light: please don’t partake. We know your last church wasn’t infallible, but we seek to respect the disciplinary decisions of other churches as far as possible—which means we’re going to start by giving your former church the benefit of the doubt. Please feel free to talk to the pastors here—we’d be glad to hear your side of the story, as long as you’re OK with us hearing your former church’s side as well.  
• “I’ve been attending for a while now, but I’m not a member and I’m not sure I want to become one.”
  A: Yellow light: it’s time to press pause on regular communion and have conversation with one of the pastors. At GBC we believe in and practice church membership, and we believe that regular communion at any local church is mainly for members of that local church. We’d like to hear your story and get your thoughts on what’s holding you back from pursuing membership, because long term we want you to be at a church where you can be all-in. In the meantime, ask yourself “Why am I OK communing with people whom I’m not willing to formally commit myself to?” 

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