Statement of Faith

THE BIBLE
The Word of God, the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, verbally inspired in all parts, and therefore wholly without error as originally given of God (2 Timothy 3:162 Peter 1:21).


THE ONE TRUE GOD
Existing eternally as three persons – the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit (Luke 3:22; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14).


THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
His pre-existence and deity (John 1:1-3), incarnation by virgin birth (John 1:14Matthew 1:18-23), sinless life (Hebrews 4:15), substitutionary death (2 Corinthians 5:21), bodily resurrection (Luke 24:36-43), ascension into heaven and present ministry (Hebrews 4:14-16), and coming again (Acts 1:11).


THE HOLY SPIRIT
His personality (John 16:7-15), and deity (Acts 5:3-4), and His work in each believer: baptism and indwelling at the moment of regeneration (1 Corinthians 12:13Romans 8:9), and filling (Ephesians 5:18), to empower for Christian life and service (Ephesians 3:16Acts 1:8Galatians 5:22-23).


MAN
His direct creation in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-28), his subsequent fall into sin resulting in spiritual death (Genesis 3:1-24Romans 5:12), and the necessity of the new birth for his salvation (John 3:3-5).


SALVATION
A complete and eternal salvation by God’s grace alone, received as the gift of God through personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work (Ephesians 2:8-9Titus 3:5-71 Peter 1:18-19).


THE CHURCH
One true church, the body and bride of Christ (Ephesians 1:22-235:25-32), composed of all true believers of the present age (1 Corinthians 12:12-13), and the organization of its members in local churches for edification of believers, and for worldwide gospel witness, each local church being autonomous but cooperating in the fellowship and work (Ephesians 4:11-16).


CHRISTIAN LIFE
A life of righteousness, good works, and separation unto God from the evil ways of the world (Romans 12:1-2), manifested by speaking the truth (James 5:12), maintaining the sanctity of the home (Ephesians 5:22-6:4), settling difference between Christians in accordance with the Word of God (1 Corinthians 6:1-8), not engaging in carnal strife but showing a Christ-like attitude toward all men (Romans 12:17-21), exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), and maintaining a life of prayer (Ephesians 6:18Philippians 4:6), including the privilege, when sick, of calling for the elders of the church to pray and to anoint with oil in the name of the Lord (James 5:13-18).


ORDINANCES
The Christian should observe the ordinances of our Lord Jesus Christ, which are (1) baptism of believers by triune immersion (Matthew 28:19) and (2) the threefold communion service consisting of the washing of the saints’ feet (John 13:1-17), the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:20-2233-34Jude 1:12), and the communion of the bread and the cup (1 Corinthians 11:23-26).


SATAN
His existence and personality as the great adversary of God and His people (Revelation 12:1-10), his judgment (John 12:31), and final doom (Revelation 20:10).


SECOND COMING
The personal, visible, and imminent return of Christ to remove His Church from the earth (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17) before the tribulation (1 Thessalonians 1:10; Revelation 3:10), and afterward to descend with the Church to establish His millennial kingdom upon the earth (Revelation 19:11-20:6).


FUTURE LIFE
The conscious existence of the dead (Philippians 1:21-23Luke 16:19-31), the resurrection of the body (John 5:28-29), the judgment and reward of believers (Romans 14:10-122 Corinthians 5:10), the judgment and condemnation of unbelievers (Revelation 20:11-15), the eternal life of the saved (John 3:16), and the eternal punishment of the lost (Matthew 25:46Revelation 20:15).



MGBC is a member of the Charis Fellowship.