What We Believe…
We worship one holy God who is the creator and sustainer of all things. This perfect God exists eternally in three persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. These three persons are equal in power and authority, united in purpose, intimate in relationship.[1]
God created the first human beings, Adam and Eve, to enjoy a close relationship with Himself and with one another. God made them in His own image, to share his character and love.[2] However, allowed to choose for themselves, they disobeyed God.[3] This sin resulted in separation from God, not only for them but also for the entire human race.[4]
As a result all human beings are born spiritually separated from God.[5] Though still bearing His image, we have a sinful, selfish nature. Our natural bent is to live for self, distant from God.[6]
Even before creation, God already loved us so much that He planned a way to bring us back into right relationship with Himself.[7] At just the right time, He sent His Son Jesus to earth.[8]
Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin, Mary. Remaining fully God, He became fully human.[9] While on earth, Christ was tempted in every way that human beings are tempted; yet He remained sinless.[10] His life and teachings reveal perfectly God’s character to us.[11]
Christ came to express God’s love for us by dying in our place for our sins.[12] He died on the cross not merely as a martyr or a good moral example of selfless sacrifice, but as our substitute sin-bearer. As He was crucified, He personally suffered in our place, taking on himself all the wrath of His holy Father, the just punishment for the sin and selfishness of all human beings.[13]
Three days later, He arose bodily from the grave.[14] After physically appearing to more than five hundred of His followers [15] Christ ascended to heaven, where He remains as our sympathetic representative before God.[16]
Since Jesus so perfectly expressed God’s love and so fully satisfied His justice, God freely offers full forgiveness and a totally new life, eternal life, to all who come to Him for forgiveness. [17]
Everyone who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ receives forgiveness of sins, new spiritual life, a restored relationship with God, and adoption into His family.[18]
This new relationship is a gift from God that could never be earned by good works.[19] This relationship is also secure, guaranteed by God’s promise and protection.[20] Believers can never lose their salvation. They are accountable to God, however, for persevering in faith and loving obedience to Him.[21]
This good news of saving grace is recorded in God’s written Word, comprised of the 39 books of the Old Testament and 27 books of the New Testament. God enabled the human authors of these books to record His truth without error. These writings, faithfully passed down to us, are our final written authority for faith and life.[22]
Believers in Christ throughout the ages are members together of His Church, the body of Christ.[23] The Church exists to bring glory to God by worshipping Him and communicating His love and truth to a spiritually lost world. Every believer is gifted by God for service, contributing to the ministry of His Church.[24]
Christ has entrusted to His Church two sacred acts of obedience: baptism and communion. Through water baptism, believers openly identify with Christ’s death and resurrection.(A) Through communion (B), believers remember Christ’s sacrifice as they partake of the symbols of His body and blood, the bread and cup.[25]
Before ascending to heaven, Christ promised to return and take believers home to live with Him. Expecting His soon return, believers should live obedient, hopeful lives. The Holy Spirit lives within the hearts of believers, helping them understand God’s truth, experience His presence and demonstrate His character to others.[26]
All human beings will experience bodily resurrection. Those who have believed in Christ will experience everlasting joy in the presence of God. Those who have not believed will experience everlasting punishment and separation from God. [27] Given these final realities, the Church is responsible for spreading the good news of God’s offer of forgiveness until He comes.[28] Ultimately God will redeem and rebuild His creation [29].
(A) There are baptism services for believers in Jesus four times a year at GNBC, or more often as needed.
(B) Communion (The Lord’s Supper, The Eucharist) is weekly in both services, 9am and 10:45am, for followers of Jesus at GNBC.
[1] Matthew 28:18-19; Mark 12:29; John 1:14; Acts 5:3-4; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Hebrews 1:1-3; Revelation 1:4-6
[2] Genesis 1:26, 27
[3] Genesis 2:17; 6:5
[4] Psalm 14:1-3; 51:5; Isaiah 59:2; Jeremiah 17:9; John 3:6; 5:40; 6:35; Romans 3:10-19; 8:6-7; 1 Timothy 5:6; 1 John 3:8
[5] Ephesians 2:1-3; Colossians 2:13
[6] Isaiah 53:6; Romans 3:23; 6:23
[7] Matthew 25:34; Ephesians 1:4,5
[8] Galatians 4:4
[9] Luke 1:30-35; John 1:18; 3:16; Hebrews 4:15
[10] Luke 2:40; John 1:1-2; Philippians 2:5-8
[11] Colossians 1: 15, 19; Hebrews 1:3
[12] John 1:11; Acts 2:22-24; 1 Tim. 2:6
[13] John 1:29; Romans 3:25-26; 2 Corinthians 5:14; Hebrews 10:5-14; 1 Peter 3:18
[14] John 20:20; Philippians 3:20-21
[15] 1 Corinthians 15:6
[16] Acts 1: 9-11; Ephesians 1:22-23; Hebrews 7:25; 1 John 2:1
[17] Leviticus 17:11; Isaiah 64:6; Matthew 26:28; John 3:7-18; Romans 5:6-9; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Gal. 3:13; 6:15; Ephesians 1:7; Philippians 3:4-9; Titus 3:5; James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:18-19, 23
[18] John 1:12; 3:16, 18, 36; 5:24; 6:29; Acts 13:39; 16:31; Rom. 1:16-17; 3:22, 26; 4:5; 10:4; Gal. 3:22
[19] Romans 3:28; Ephesians 2:8-10; 2 Timothy 1:9
[20] Rom. 8:29
[21] John 5:24; 10:28; 13:1; 14:16-17; 17:11; 1 Cor. 6:19; Heb. 7:25; 1 John 2:1-2; 5:13; Jude 24
[22] Mark 12:26, 36; 13:11; Luke 24:27, 44; John 5:39; Acts 1:16; 17:2-3; 18:28; 26:22-23; 28:23; Rom. 15:4; 1 Cor. 2:13; 10:11; 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:21
[23] 1 Corinthians 12:12-27
[24] Matthew 16:16-18; Acts 2:42-47; Romans 12:5; Ephesians 1:20-23; 4:3-10; Colossians 3:14-15
[25] Matthew 28:19; Luke 22:19-20; Acts 10:47-48; 16:32-33; 18:7-8; 1 Corinthians 11:26
[26] Romans 6:11-13; 8:2, 4, 12-13; Galatians 5:16-23; Ephesians 4:22-24; Col. 2:1-10; 1 Peter 1:14-16; 1 John 1:4-7; 3:5-9
[27] Luke 16:19-26; 23:42; 2 Corinthians 5:8; Phil. 1:23; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9; Jude 6-7; Revelation 20:11-15
[28] Matt. 28:18-19; Mark 16:15; John 17:18; Acts 1:8; 2 Corinthians 5:18-20; 1 Peter 1:17; 2:11
[29] Isaiah 65:17; 66:22; 2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1.
