What We Believe

Grace Table Church confesses the Christian faith, in accordance with Scripture, as an expression of beliefs for our covenanted membership. While we use a confession of faith as a guide, we submit all such statements to Scripture as our final rule of correct belief and faithful practice. To that end, the following reflect a Biblical understanding of these topics.

We believe that the Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is a perfect treasure of heavenly instruction. It has God for its divine author, human salvation through Christ for its purpose, and truth without any mixture of error for its content. It reveals the principles by which God will judge us. Therefore, it is and shall remain to the end of the world the true center of Christian union and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions should be tried.

We believe that there is one, and only one, living and true God. He is an infinite, intelligent Spirit, whose name is the LORD, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth. He is inexpressibly glorious in holiness and worthy of all possible honor, confidence, and love. In the unity of the Godhead there are three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. They are equal in every divine perfection, yet carry out distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption.

We believe that humanity is the special creation of God, made in his own image. God created them male and female as the crowning work of his creation. The gift of gender is thus part of God’s creation. It is unchanging. The gift of marriage consists of the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime, and it models the way God relates to his people. Humanity was created in holiness, under the law of his Maker. By voluntary transgression, however, humanity fell from that holy and good state. As a result, all mankind is now laden with sin, not by constraint, but by choice. Being by nature utterly void of that holiness required by the law of God, they are now naturally inclined to evil. Therefore, mankind stands under just condemnation to eternal ruin, without defense or excuse.

We believe that the salvation of sinners is entirely of grace, through the mediatorial offices of the Son of God, Jesus Christ our Lord. By the appointment of the Father, he freely took upon himself our nature, yet without sin. He honored the divine law by his personal obedience, and by his substitutionary death made a full atonement for our sins. He rose from the dead and is now enthroned in heaven. Jesus unites in his wonderful person the tenderest sympathies with divine perfections and, as such, is qualified in every way to be a suitable, a compassionate, and all-sufficient Savior.

We believe that a great gospel blessing which Christ secures to those who believe in him is Justification. Justification includes both the pardon of sin and the promise of eternal life. It is not given in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done but only through faith in the Redeemer’s blood. By virtue of this faith, his perfect righteousness is freely imputed to us by God. Justification brings us, immediately at the time of salvation, into a state of most blessed peace and favor with God, and secures every other blessing necessary for time and eternity.

We believe that the blessings of salvation are made free to all by the gospel. It is the immediate duty of all to accept these blessings by a heartfelt, repentant, and obedient faith. Nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner on earth, but his own inherent depravity and voluntary rejection of the gospel, which only magnifies his condemnation.

We believe sinners must be regenerated, or born again, to be saved. Regeneration consists in the giving of a new and holy disposition to an otherwise rebellious sinner. It is accomplished in a way that is above our comprehension by the power of the Holy Spirit and in connection with divine truth, thus securing our voluntary obedience to the gospel. The proper evidence of regeneration consists in the holy fruits of repentance, faith, and newness of life.

We believe that repentance is not just the way into salvation, it is the way of salvation. Repentance and faith are sacred duties and inseparable graces that are wrought in our souls by the regenerating Spirit of God. He convinces us of our guilt, danger, helplessness, and of the way of salvation by Christ, causing us to turn to God with true sorrow, confession, and pleas for mercy, while at the same time receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as our Prophet, Priest and King, and relying on him alone as the only and all sufficient Savior.

We believe that election is the eternal purpose of God, according to which he graciously regenerates, sanctifies, and saves sinners. Being perfectly consistent with man’s moral culpability, election includes all the means in connection with the end of salvation. It is a most glorious display of God’s sovereign goodness, being infinitely free, wise, holy, and unchangeable. It entirely obliterates boasting and promotes humility, love, prayer, praise, trust, and an active imitation of God’s free mercy. It encourages the greatest possible exercise of human responsibility. It may be discovered by its effects in all who truly believe the gospel. Election is the foundation of Christian assurance, and confirming our election deserves the utmost diligence.

We believe that sanctification is the process by which, according to the will of God, we are made partakers of his holiness. It is a progressive work. It begins in regeneration and is carried on in the hearts of believers by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit—the Sealer and Comforter—by the continual use of God’s appointed means, especially including the word of God, self-examination, self-denial, watchfulness, prayer, and the oversight and fellowship of a local church.

We believe that all true believers endure to the end. Their persevering attachment to Christ and to his people is the grand distinguishing mark that separates them from false professors. A special providential grace watches over their welfare, and they are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.

We believe that a visible church of Christ is a congregation of baptized believers, joined together by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel. A visible church observes the sacraments of Christ, is governed by his laws, and exercises the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by his Word. The only scriptural officers of the church are Elders (also called Pastors/Overseers) and Deacons whose qualifications and duties are defined in the Epistles to Timothy and Titus.

We believe that Christian Baptism is the immersion in water of a believer, into the name of the Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit. This demonstrates, in a solemn and beautiful emblem, our faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Savior, with its effect in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life. Baptism is pre-requisite to the privileges of church membership and holy communion. We likewise believe that the Lord’s Supper is a symbolic act whereby the members of the church, following earnest self-examination, use bread and the cup to commemorate together the dying love of Christ. These two sacraments belong to the gathered church, serving to mark off believers from unbelievers and to make the church visible on earth.

We believe the first day of the week is the Lord’s Day. It is a Christian institution for regular observance. It commemorates the resurrection of Christ from the dead and points to the rest that awaits the people of God. It should include exercises of worship and spiritual devotion, both public and private. Activities on the Lord’s Day should correspond with the Christian’s conscience under the lordship of Jesus Christ.

We believe civil government exists by divine appointment for the benefit and good order of human society. Government officials are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored, and obeyed. The principle exception is for matters contrary to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the only Lord of the conscience, and the Prince of the kings of the earth.

We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the unrighteous. Only those who by grace through faith are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and sanctified by the Spirit of our God, are truly righteous in his esteem. In contrast, all those who continue in rebellion and unbelief are unrighteous in his sight, and under his curse. This distinction holds both in and after death.

We believe that the end of the world is approaching. At the last day Christ will descend from heaven and raise the dead from the grave to final retribution. Then a solemn separation will take place, as the wicked will be sentenced to endless punishment, and the righteous to endless joy. This just judgment will fix forever the final state of men in heaven or hell.

*Adapted for use from the New Hampshire Confession of Faith

Apostles Creed (5th Century)
Athanasian Creed (5th Century)
Nicene Creed (325)
The Canons of Dort (1619)
The Second London Confession of Faith (1689) New Hampshire Confession (1853)
Lausanne Covenant (1974)
Danvers Statement (1988)
Nashville Statement (2017)

These statements contain deeper reflections on many of the basic beliefs as well as what might distinguish us from other churches that would affirm the same basic doctrines. We do not expect all members to embrace all aspect of these distinctives. However, the distinctives are indeed Biblical positions and thus shape the way we are led and how ministry environments are guided throughout Grace Table as we travel through the Scriptures.

In both practice and conviction, we affirm exegetical preaching (verse-by-verse through the Scriptures) as the wisest mode of teaching the Bible. We do so (a) to avoid heresy (b) to avoid hobby horse topics (c) to avoid feeding our own passions (d) to grow in Biblical literacy and (e) to saturate ourselves with what God chose to graciously give us for edification. (2 Tim. 4:1-5).

We do not see in Scripture that Spiritual gifts ended with the close of the New Testament or the death of the last apostle (1 Cor. 12:1-11). As such, the gifts we see on display in the New Testament may still be used by God, to fulfill His will within the life of the church (1 Cor. 12-14) and will not be allowed to distract from the Gospel message nor bring glory to mankind in our gatherings (1 Cor. 14:40).

In Scripture, we see men and women are absolutely equal in essence, dignity and value as well as distinct by divine design. As part of God’s good created order, men and women are to have different yet complementary roles and responsibilities in the home and church. As it relates to the church, men and women are both expected to lead; however, the office of elder is reserved for qualified men (1 Tim. 3, Tit. 1). Therefore, Grace Table functions from a complementarian perspective.

The Scriptures illustrate the early church taking communion sometimes daily, sometimes weekly, sometime periodically (Act. 2:46-47; 20:7, Luk. 22:19, 1 Cor. 11:26). We choose to do so weekly during our response time each Sunday as we gather to share in teaching and music that celebrates the Gospel.

The Scriptures declare salvation as fundamentally the work of God and no man will enter heaven boasting in anything we've done. Before the foundation of the world, God elected His people, setting His affection and grace upon them (Rom. 8:29-30). In love, God predestined His people for adoption (Eph. 1:4-6). Faith is a gift of grace that is given by the mercy and pleasure of God, so that no one may boast. Apart from the drawing of God, humanity cannot choose of his own accord to worship God and pursue righteousness (Jhn. 6:44, Rom. 3; Eph. 2:1-3). God’s sovereignty in salvation is comprehensive: from first to last, all of salvation is the work of God. Therefore, as we search Christ's teachings and the rest of the Scriptures we find ourselves situated in the reformed tradition. Again, simultaneously it is mankind's responsibility to personally call upon the name of the Lord in repentance, surrender, and obedience unto salvation (Jhn. 3:16, Rom. 10:13). Humans are morally culpable.