We are a self-governing body of Bible believers who are not under any religious organization. Our beliefs are derived solely from the Bible, not from the doctrine of men or religious tradition (Romans 3:4, Colossians 2:8). Our purpose is straightforward: to see souls saved and saints edified while maintaining doctrinal purity (1 Timothy 2:4, Ephesians 4:12-16, 1 Thessalonians 5:11). This statement of faith is not exhaustive, in either doctrinal positions or depth of justification, nor is it meant to replace the authority of the Scriptures, but it succinctly recognizes specific doctrinal positions that we consider fundamental or that may differ from other organizations. Grounded in the plenary authority of the Bible, our statement of faith firmly establishes what we preach and teach in our assembly as a product of our Bible belief. For more in-depth detail on what we believe, head over to our Statement of Faith sermon series to see lessons on each of these topics!

The Godhead

We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son (Jesus Christ), and Holy Spirit. He is the timeless, immortal, omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent Spirit to which all creation is subject. It is through God alone that mankind can be saved (Genesis 1:26, Deuteronomy 6:4, Psalms 139:1-10, Psalms 147:5, Proverbs 15:3, Matthew 28:18, John 4:24, Romans 1:20, 2 Corinthians 13:14, Ephesians 1:19-23, Ephesians 4:4-6, Colossians 2:10, 1 Timothy 1:17, 1 Timothy 6:15-16, 1 John 3:20, 1 John 5:7).

The Father

• All things are of God the Father (1 Corinthians 6:8).

• He is above all and through all things (Ephesians 4:6).

• To Him all glory and honor is due, yet it pleases him that in His son, Jesus Christ, should all fullness dwell (Colossians 1:19)

The Lord Jesus Christ

• He has always been God and did not become God at His human birth through Mary or on the cross. Additionally, He did not lay aside any of His characteristics as God (deity attributes), even though He willingly subjected himself in a position under God the Father, taking the form of man (John 1:1-3, 1:14; Philippians 2:5-11, Hebrews 13:8).

• He is the fullness of the Godhead bodily: God manifest in the flesh (Colossians 2:9-10, 1 Timothy 3:16).

• He is and was without sin, but became man, was tempted as man, and did not succumb to sin. It is his sinless nature as God that allowed Him to take the place of sinful man on the cross in order to offer himself as a perfect Savior (2 Corinthians 5:20-21, Hebrews 4:15).

• Jesus was conceived of the Holy Ghost and born of the virgin Mary (Matthew 1:18-20).

• Jesus was a minister of the circumcision during his earthly ministry, and came to confirm the promises made unto the fathers of Israel. He is the promised Messiah to Israel and will fulfill that prophesied position in his future return (Daniel 9:24-27, John 4:25-26, Romans 15:8).

• Jesus Christ offered the promised kingdom to Israel, but he was rejected and crucified on the cross. He then was resurrected in bodily form on the third day after his death (Mark 1:14-15, 8:31).

• Through his death, burial, and resurrection Jesus has provided the sacrifice needed for all of mankind in order to receive salvation (Romans 3:20-26, 1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

• Jesus is the head of the church the Body of Christ (Ephesians 5:23, Colossians 1:18).

The Holy Spirit

• The Holy Spirit has always been active in the regeneration and anointing of mankind with the power of God (Acts 2:4, Titus 3:5-7, 2 Peter 1:21).

• The Holy Spirit seals those who trust the gospel of Christ unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 1:13-14, 4:30).

• He is active in regeneration and renewing at salvation (2 Corinthians 4:16, Titus 3:5-7).

• He baptizes us into the Body of Christ, identifying us with the death and life of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13, Romans 6:1-11).

The Bible

Inspiration – We believe that all of Scripture was given by inspiration of God as the Holy Ghost moved holy men to speak and record God’s exact words (2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:20-21).

Preservation – We believe that God has perfectly preserved the Bible without error and that his inerrant word for English speaking people exists today in the Authorized Version, commonly referred to as the King James Version (Psalms 12:6-7, Psalms 119:89, Matthew 5:18, 1 Peter 1:23-25).

Final Authority – God has magnified His word above His name and will judge humanity according to His word. It is able to effectually work in us when we believe it and is able to throughly furnish us for every good work. God’s word divides asunder the soul and spirit, discerns the thoughts and intents of our hearts, and is our final authority in all things (Psalms 138:2, John 12:48, 1 Thessalonians 2:13, 2 Tim 3:16-17, Hebrews 4:12).

Satan

Satan was a created cherub named Lucifer, who, because of pride, tried to become like God and subsequently became the author of sin. As the god of this present evil world, he has now transformed himself into an angel of light in order to hide the gospel of grace and deceive humanity through perverting truth and propagating forms of works-based righteousness (Ezekiel 28:14-18, Isaiah 14:12-15, Acts 13:10, 2 Corinthians 4:3-4, 2 Corinthians 11:14-15).

Creation

We believe the universe was created by God in six literal 24-hour days as described in the book of Genesis. Creation was and continues to be cursed as a result of man’s sin. We reject evolution, the Gap Theory, the Day-Age Theory, and Theistic Evolution as unscriptural theories of origin as they deny the Bible’s creation account, Jesus’ perfect nature and literal interpretation of Genesis, and that death entered as a result of man’s sin (Genesis 1, Genesis 3:17, Exodus 20:11, Nehemiah 9:6, Jeremiah 10:12, Matthew 19:4-5, Matthew 23:35, Matthew 24:37-38, John 1:3, Acts 4:24, Acts 17:23-26, Romans 1:20, Romans 5:12, Colossians 1:16-17, Hebrews 11:3, Revelation 10:6).

Sin

Sin began as a rebellion and disobedience against God. All of humanity was born with an inherited sin nature received from our common ancestor, Adam. No one is good, for we are depraved and utterly sinful. Our efforts and good deeds, regardless of our intentions, cannot earn salvation. Being made in Adam’s own likeness and image, every individual is separated from God upon physical birth, condemned, and is destined for eternal damnation upon physical death. The only way to escape this imminent fate is through a gracious supernatural intervention from God (Genesis 5:3, Romans 3:9-23, Romans 5:12-21, Romans 6:23, 1 Corinthians 15:22, Galatians 3:22).

Salvation

God’s means of salvation is by grace through faith in every age, and that ultimately by the person, work, and blood of Christ.  Though in other ages the terms for salvation (i.e. the obedience of faith or gospel offered) differed, God's promises could only be given by grace to those having faith in what He had said, not what they had done. By the blood of Christ, God is able to justify sinners in every age by grace through the obedience of faith. Distinctly, in this dispensation of God's grace, the means of salvation (i.e. the person, work and blood of Christ) are also the terms (i.e. gospel) he offers man for salvation, which is referred to as the gospel of Christ, the preaching of the cross and the gospel of the grace of God (Acts 20:24, Romans 1:16, Romans 4:9-16, 1 Corinthians 1:18).

The Gospel of Grace that Saves Today – Salvation is by the grace of God through faith alone in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Though God's justice demands our blood and life to atone for our sin, in Christ, he gave his own on the cross for us dying the death we deserved; therefore, being just and the justifier for those that have faith in his finished cross-work. Through his resurrection he saves us from eternal damnation and gives the hope of redemption and a present possession of salvation. Faith in what Jesus has done on the cross for us to pay for our sin ensures our salvation today in the dispensation of grace, not any works of righteousness that we do. (1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Romans 3:20-26, Romans 4:4-5, Romans 4:24-25, Romans 5:1-11, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Ephesians 2:8-9, 2 Tim 1:9-10, Titus 3:4-7).

Eternal Security – We believe in the eternal security or full assurance of salvation of anyone who trusts the gospel of grace. As a Christian, you cannot lose your salvation because upon belief in the gospel of grace you are sealed with the Holy Spirit until your body is redeemed. Paul repeatedly teaches that it is not by our own works of righteousness that we are saved. If it were by our works then Christ died in vain! Since we are not saved by works of righteousness, we cannot lose our salvation based upon a lack of works either. Our old man is crucified with Christ and we are sealed with the Holy Spirit the moment we trust in the gospel until our bodies are redeemed which indicates we cannot lose what was freely given to us. The whole basis of our salvation is by faith in Christ’s full payment for all of our sins. Any claim that one’s own works can earn or take away salvation is diminishing the propitiatory sacrifice of Christ on the cross, and indicates a fundamental misunderstanding of the gospel of grace that saves. (Romans 5:1-2, Romans 5:11, Romans 5:20-6:11, Romans 8:29-39, Galatians 2:20-21, Galatians 3:3, Ephesians 1:13-14, Ephesians 2:8-10, Ephesians 4:30, Philippians 1:6, Colossians 2:13).

The Grace Commission – We believe the commission of the Body of Christ is to proclaim the message of reconciliation by preaching Jesus Christ according to the revelation and fellowship of the mystery. The reconciliation we preach by trusting the gospel of the grace of God is referred to as “my gospel” by Paul, the Apostle of the Gentiles. It is this gospel with which we are entrusted today (Romans 2:16, Romans 16:25; 2 Corinthians 5:14-21, Eph. 3:8-10, 1 Thessalonians 2:4).

Bible Study

God requires that we study to show ourselves approved unto Him as proper workmen. Bible study is what will perfect and transform His saints by renewing their minds and throughly furnishing them unto good works. We study the Bible literally in the light of Mid-Acts Pauline Dispensational Right Division (Romans 12:2, 2 Timothy 2:15, 2 Timothy 3:16-17).

Literal Interpretation – God’s words mean things. They have immense power to save and change us, but they only work effectually if one believes in what they say. To avoid holding the truth in unrighteousness and handling the Word of God deceitfully, Man should not understand Scripture through personal interpretation and imparting one’s own worldly beliefs onto the Bible. By comparing spiritual things with spiritual (Bible verses to each other) and viewing God’s words through the lens of the Bible itself, Man can come to an understanding of the truth. God will also judge humanity by His words, affirming the importance that His words have been perfectly preserved as He promised. In light of all of this, we believe the Bible is to be taken literally in all areas unless otherwise stated by way of allegory and figures of speech (John 12:48, Romans 1:18, Romans 2:16, 1 Corinthians 2:13, 2 Corinthians 4:2, 1 Thessalonians 2:13, 2 Peter 1:20).

Mid-Acts – After his ascension, the risen Lord Jesus Christ returned, converted and sent Saul of Tarsus (Paul) with a new apostleship and gospel – the revelation of the mystery of Christ – in the ninth chapter of the book of the Acts of the Apostles. Since he did not partake of nor was commissioned with the 12 kingdom apostles of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John; nor a part of their early Acts ministry to Israel, “Mid-Acts” is an appropriate term and recognizes where the beginning of the Body of Christ occurred in Scripture (Acts 9:15, Acts 20:24, Acts 26:16-17, Galatians 1:1, Galatians 1:11-12, Romans 16:25-26, 1 Timothy 1:11-16).

Pauline – The dispensation of the grace of God, given by Christ to Paul, contains the instructions for the church today. Paul details the instructions and information he received of Christ as being secret since the world began, hid in God, but now revealed to the church. Therefore, we find our pattern and doctrinal instructions in Paul’s thirteen epistles. Just as Moses was chosen to be the spokesperson for God to the nation of Israel, Paul was chosen to be the Apostle of the Gentiles and the spokesperson for God to the Body of Christ. We follow the Lord Jesus Christ by following the apostle Paul’s pattern in doctrine, manner of life, purpose, and faith as he followed Christ. (Acts 9:15, Acts 20:24, Acts 26:16-17, Romans 1:1, Romans 11:13, Romans 15:16, Romans 16:17, Romans 16:25-26, 1 Corinthians 1:1, 1 Corinthians 1:17-18, 1 Corinthians 2:6-8, 1 Corinthians 3:10, 1 Corinthians 4:16, 1 Corinthians 9:16-17, 1 Corinthians 11:1, 1 Corinthians 11:23, 1 Corinthians 14:37, 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, 1 Corinthians 15:8, 2 Corinthians 1:1, Galatians 1:1, Galatians 1:11-12, Galatians 1:15-16, Galatians 2:2, Galatians 2:6-9, Ephesians 1:1, Ephesians 3:1-9, Philippians 3:17, Philippians 4:9, Colossians 1:1, Colossians 1:26-29, 1 Timothy 1:11-16, 2 Timothy 1:1, 2 Timothy 1:11, 2 Timothy 2:7-8, Titus 1:1-3).

Dispensational – God progressively revealed his instructions for man’s obedience throughout history. Dispensation is a word found in Scripture to describe a distinct program of instructions and responsibilities given to man from God. For example, the instructions given to Israel through the Law differ from the instructions given for the Body of Christ today. We study God’s word in light of his distinct dispensations. We believe that the Bible describes at least five distinct dispensations or administrations: Promise, Law (Old Testament), Grace, Kingdom (New Testament), and the Fullness of Times (Jeremiah 31, Romans 6:14, Galatians 3:16-23, Ephesians 1:10, Ephesians 3:1-10, Colossians 2:16-17, Hebrew 1:1, Hebrews 2:8, Hebrews 8, Revelation 12:10).

Right Division – All Scripture is given by inspiration of God.  Indeed, it is all for us, but it is not all written to us. From Paul, we receive the command to study and rightly divide the word of truth.  Different information held differing instructions for various people: all required God’s grace and man’s faith. Even when instructions from God written to various groups are completely contradictory, we can allow the words to mean what they say and fully believe every word when we understand its proper context considering: Who is speaking and to whom? What are they speaking about? When are they speaking about it? Why are they speaking about it? Right division of the Scripture allows us to answer these questions and discerns between God’s prophetic purpose through the nation of Israel and his mystery purpose for the Body of Christ. God revealed the Scripture progressively, therefore, proper study requires us to respect the order of those revelations. We believe through rightly dividing God’s Word that the authority, instruction, and purpose of the church today is found in Paul’s epistles as revealed by Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 2:15, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Hebrews 1:1).

The Church of This Dispensation, The Body of Christ

We believe that the church of this dispensation is the Body of Christ. Upon trusting in the gospel of grace for salvation, every saved person today is a member of the Body of Christ and is a temple of the Holy Spirit regardless of denominational or organizational affiliation. The Church is not a building, but rather, is each member of Christ’s Body individually and collectively. This collective of believers is to be distinguished from the prophesied nation of Israel which will inherit the prophesied Kingdom of Heaven. Problems and spiritual instability arise when we, the Body of Christ, attempt to claim the promises and covenants given exclusively to Israel. The Body of Christ has its historical beginning with the salvation and commissioning of the Apostle Paul in the ninth chapter of the book of Acts. The purpose of the Church today is to glorify God by preaching salvation to the lost, edifying itself in truth, and raising faithful saints to continue in the ministry. (1 Corinthians 3:16, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, 1 Corinthians 12:12-27, Ephesians 1:12-14, Ephesians 1:22-23, Ephesians 3:1-9, Ephesians 4:12-16, Colossians 1:25-28, 1 Thessalonians 5:11, 1 Timothy 1:15-16, 1 Timothy 2:4, 2 Timothy 2:1-2)

Jesus’ Return

We believe that Jesus will return to Earth in the future for both the Body of Christ and to establish Israel’s kingdom.

For the Body of Christ – The many prophecies concerning the day of the Lord and the return of Christ to reign on earth pertain specifically to God’s program with Israel and the Earth. God has revealed a distinctly different program for the Body of Christ today through the Apostle Paul. At the end of this current dispensation of grace at the fullness of the Gentiles, Jesus will descend from Heaven, where he currently sits at the right hand of God, and the Body of Christ will meet him in the air to ever be with the Lord. This event, commonly called the rapture, signifies the end of our ambassadorship on Earth and our subsequent occupation of our appointed positions in heavenly places (Romans 11:25-28, 1 Corinthians 15:49-54, Ephesians 1:3, Ephesians 1:17-23, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, 1 Peter 3:22).

To Israel – God’s covenants with Israel will be fulfilled literally according to the plain and necessary interpretation of Scripture and the fulfillment of prophecy. Included is the return of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, in order to set up and establish his kingdom on earth through the nation Israel and to rule as its King forever. Upon his return, Christ will reclaim authority over the dominion of the earth from its current ruler, Satan. We believe this will occur, as prophecy suggests, after Daniel’s 70th week, the tribulation (Isaiah 9:6-7, Isaiah 60, Daniel 2:44, Daniel 7, Daniel 8:23-25, Daniel 9:24-27, Amos 9, Obadiah 1).

God’s Intervention

God’s intervention, His direct impact on people’s lives, is a Biblical subject matter that has changed along with different dispensational instructions throughout God’s dealings with man. Today, in the dispensation of grace, God intervenes by freely saving lost souls through the gospel of grace and by conforming those that believe into the image of Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit working in them. He accomplishes these things through His Word, the living, life-giving Holy Scriptures, which work in those who believe them. God the Holy Spirit uses the Bible that we study and believe to transform our inner man: comforting us, empowering us, and causing His power to work in us to do the work of the ministry in order to see souls saved and saints edified. In this dispensation of grace, we walk by faith not by sight. The Holy God that loves us and saves us intervenes in accordance with His will for today in the spiritual dimension, where we cannot see (Romans 5:1-11, Romans 8:26-34, Romans 12:1-2, 1 Corinthians 2:9-14, 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, 2 Corinthians 5:7, 5:17-21, 2 Corinthians 12:7-12, Galatians 5:16-23, Ephesians 3:14-21, Ephesians 4:14-32, Philippians 4:6-13, Colossians 3:10, 1 Thessalonians 2:13, 1 Timothy 2:4, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Titus 2:11-12, Titus 3:4-7, Hebrews 11:1).

Hell and the Lake of Fire

God is a loving God who sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for our sins. God is also perfectly righteous and perfectly just. Christ’s propitiatory sacrifice on the cross lovingly and graciously offers those that trust the gospel of grace today atonement for all of their sins, while simultaneously maintaining the justice and righteousness of God. Those that choose not to trust the gospel of grace will be eternally damned to Hell. Hell is the real, eternal inhabitance of all unsaved man who are found guilty before God. Ultimately, Hell itself, along with Satan and his fallen angels, the Anti-Christ, and the False Prophet will all be cast into the Lake of Fire to suffer for all of eternity. (Isaiah 66:24, Mark 9:43-50, Luke 16:19-31, Romans 3:19-28, Romans 5:8, 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9, Revelation 19:20, Revelation 20:6-20).

Baptism

There are multiple baptisms in the Bible including baptisms of water, of fire, and of the Holy Ghost to name a few. Paul writes in Ephesians that, “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism…” for us in the Body of Christ. This one baptism is identified by Paul in 1 Corinthians 12:13: “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.” Paul also references this baptism by the Spirit in other passages that are listed below which identifies us with the death and resurrection of Christ. In this dispensation of God’s grace, anyone that trusts Jesus Christ’s finished work on Calvary’s cross as payment for their sins and his resurrection for their eternal life is then supernaturally baptized (without water) by the Holy Spirit into Christ’s body and sealed eternally. Just as God does the work to save, He also baptizes and places you into his Body. Water baptism has no saving value or spiritual value, nor is our pattern of ministry for today as it was for Israel’s program. (Matthew 3:11, Romans 6:3-5, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:27, Ephesians 1:12-13, Ephesians 4:5, Colossians 2:12)

Sabbaths and Holy Days

Under the law, the keeping of the sabbath was required and the punishment for not keeping it was death. The law also contained various holy days, feasts, and rituals to be observed, which were important as they were shadows of things to come in their future kingdom. Additionally, modern religious “holidays” aren’t mandated in the Bible and aren’t scriptural. Most stem from pagan traditions while hiding the simplicity of the gospel and turning the focus away from esteeming Christ’s finished work every single day. Being made free from the bondage of the law under grace, the esteeming of days or celebrating holidays is contrary to our complete position in Christ. (Exodus 31:13-16, Leviticus 23, Numbers 15:32-26, Numbers 28, 1 Chronicles 23:31-32, 2 Chronicles 8:12-13, Isaiah 66:22-23, Romans 14:1-13, Galatians 4:9-11, Galatians 5:1-3, Colossians 2:8-17)

Giving

Under the Mosaic Law, Jews were required to tithe: it was a mandated obligation. This tithe, which did not always involve money, was essentially a tax given in order to support the priesthood, for they had no inheritance or land. In the Body of Christ, we are not under the Mosaic Law and giving is not a requirement of membership or legality in this Dispensation of Grace. Today, we are to give to the laborers and ministers of the church as we purpose in our hearts and not out of requirement under the law. Pastors and teachers today are not Levitical priests or replacements for those priests as set up in the Mosaic Law, for Christ is the only mediator. Instead, Pastors and teachers are simply men like every other saved member of the Body of Christ, and so they do not require a tithe as did the Levitical priests. The Apostle Paul never mentions the word tithe in any of his instructions to the church and there is no required frequency, amount, or percentage that is mandated. God wants believers to give willingly, eagerly, and excitedly in order to support the propagation of the gospel of grace and of His truth.  Because of these Biblical truths, Sufficient Grace Bible Fellowship gladly accepts any charitable contributions, but does not mandate giving in any capacity. Furthermore, no members of this assembly personally profit from nor take any salary from any charitable contributions in order not to hinder the gospel of Christ (Leviticus 27:30-34, Numbers 18:21-32, Nehemiah 10:37-39, Nehemiah 12:44, Nehemiah 13:5, Amos 4:4-5, 1 Corinthians 9:12, 2 Corinthians 9:7, 1 Timothy 2:5).

Institutions, Authorities, and Governments

The Church –The church is subject to Christ as He is the head of the Body and our assembly. Every man is also subject to Christ. All individuals saved by grace through faith in the gospel of Christ are made spiritually equal members of the church and are given subordinate positions as ambassadors and ministers of reconciliation. This church is not an establishment of the State and therefore not under its jurisdiction in matters of doctrine, authority, or purpose. It is from our position in Christ we derive our freedom, liberty, and knowledge of the truth (Romans 12:5, 1 Corinthians 11:3, 2 Corinthians 5:17-21, Galatians 3:28, Ephesians 5:22-24, Colossians 3:11).

The Family – God has instituted the family to provide an order for the education and dissemination of knowledge from generation to generation. The relationship of Christ to the church is the pattern for the family order. Each role is patterned after our relationship to Christ and is accountable to him as our head. The husband is to love his wife as Christ loves the church, as he is the responsible head of his wife as Christ is to the church. The husband is also responsible for leading the family, in order to raise children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. The wife is the glory of man and is to submit herself to the Scriptural leadership of her husband as the church submits to the headship of Christ. Children are a heritage from the Lord and should obey their parents and honor their father and mother in the Lord (Psalms 127:3-5, 1 Corinthians 11:7, 11:11-12, Ephesians 5:20-33, Ephesians 6:1-4, Colossians 3:18-24).

Government – Governments, not the individuals in those offices, are ordained by God as his ministers to bear the sword: to execute justice and judgment among those who would do evil. We are to be subject to our magistrates and higher powers ordained of God for the purpose of protecting those that do good. It is the responsibility of the church to maintain moral order in the governmental affairs of men without which governments become corrupt and rebellious to their God-ordained function. We do not believe in the unlimited submission to government, or to the superior authority of any government over Christ’s church (Romans 13:1-7, Colossians 1:16, 1 Timothy 2:1-2, Titus 3:1).

• Not Anti-Government – We are not an antigovernment organization and do not promote antigovernment ideas, as government is an institution established by God for the necessary judgment of those that would do evil. Freedom requires a moral society and in an evil world government is needed.

• Taxes – We do not teach or endorse tax evasion or not paying due taxes.

More coming soon!