GODWe believe in one God, Who exists eternally in three Persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. We believe that Jesus Christ, Who was God from eternity, was begotten by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary and thus is true man and true God. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 1:20-23; 28:18,19; Mark 12:29; Luke 1:26-38; 2:7; John 1:14; Acts 5:3,4; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Hebrews 1:1-3; Revelation 1:4-6)
We believe that the Holy Scriptures, consisting of the Old and New Testaments, are inspired by God and without error in their original writings and are therefore our final authority in faith and life. (Luke 24:27, 44; John 5:39; Acts 1:16; 28:25; 1 Cor. 2:13; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21; Revelation 22:18,19).
We believe that Adam was created without sin, but through his transgression fell from his original innocence. Descendants of Adam are born in sin and are subject to death and judgment, apart from divine grace. (Genesis 1:26, 31; 2:17; 3:6; 6:5; Psalms 14:1-3; 51:5; 58:3; Jeremiah 17:9; John 3:3-6; Romans 3:10-19; 5:12; 6:23; 8:6,7; Ephesians 2:1-3).
We believe that Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose bodily from the grave. We believe in His bodily ascension, in His present work for believers as High Priest and Advocate in heaven and in the "blessed hope" of His personal, bodily return to receive saints unto Himself and establish His millennial reign on earth. (Luke 23:46-49; 24:1-53; John 1:29; 14:2,3; Acts 1:9- 11; Romans 3:23-26; 5:8; 1 Corinthians 15:1-24, 51-58; 2 Corinthians 5:14-21; Ephesians 1:20-23; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1:3-7, 25; 1 Peter 3:18; 1 John 2:1; Revelation 1:5; 19:11-20:15).
We believe that any person can have salvation from sin and come into possession of eternal life; by realizing that they are sinners, believing that the Lord Jesus Christ loves them, and has provided salvation through His death and resurrection, and placing their faith in Christ as personal Savior and Sin-bearer. Salvation is entirely a free gift of God which cannot possibly be achieved by man's works. (John 3:14-18, 36; 5:24; 6:47; Acts 4:12; Romans 1:16,17; 3:20- 26; Romans 5:1; Romans 8:1; Ephesians 2:8,9; Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:18, 19; Revelation 1:5).
We believe that at death the souls of the saved enter immediately into the presence of God to spend eternity with Him. At death the unsaved go immediately into eternal conscious punishment. We believe in the future bodily resurrection of all the dead, both the saved and unsaved. (Daniel 12:2,3; Luke 16:19-31; 23:43; John 5:28, 29; I Corinthians 15:22, 51-54; II Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:23; I Thessalonians 4:16; Revelation 20:4-6, 10-15).
We believe that the Holy Spirit convicts sinners of their need for Christ as Savior and regenerates those who place their faith in Christ. The Holy Spirit indwells all true believers. As a believer yields to His control He enables him/her to obey the will of God, and to lead a Godly life, separate from the sins of the world. (John 7:37-39; 14:16-17; 16:7-15; Acts 2:38; Romans 8:1-17; 1 Corinthians 6:10, 20; Galatians 5:16; Eph. 5:18).
We believe in the spiritual unity of all true believers in Christ and that all believers in the world are members of Christ's Church. The church is Christ's body and He is the Head of the worldwide church. (1 Corinthians 12:13-27; Ephesians 1:22, 23; Ephesians 2:13-22; 5:23-32; Romans 12:3-8).
We believe that all Christians are called and commissioned by the Lord Jesus Christ to live to the glory of God and to win others to Christ. (Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-48; John 15:16; 1 Corinthians 10:31; Acts 1:8; 2 Corinthians 5:20; Philippians 1:20, 21).
We believe to partake of the Lord's Supper, that only those joined with Christ through a living faith, though it may yet be weak, have the right to celebrate this remembrance of Christ's love for us and His sacrifice for our sin. The decision as to whether a young person should partake of the Lord's Supper is left up to the parent or guardian, or in their absence, an elder of the Church. (1 Cor 11:23-34; Luke 22:19, 20).
We believe that a believer's baptism is an act of obedience to Scripture and a testimony to others of a person, personally placing his/her faith in Christ as his/her personal Savior from sin by His death on the cross and His resurrection. Baptism does not save a person, rather a person is baptized because he/she has been saved. (Matthew 28:19, 20; Mark 1:4; 16:15,16; Acts 2:38; Romans 6:4; Ephesians 4:1-6).
Parents shall be given a choice of infant dedication or infant baptism. The church has a tradition of both ceremonies. Should the residing pastor decline to perform the chosen ceremony, it is the parent's responsibility to secure appropriate clergy. (These church traditions are without direct scriptural support.)
Whether dedicated or baptized, the child's association with the church will not be complete, however, until he/she confesses his/her personal faith in Christ as his/her Savior and accepts this "Statement of Faith" before the whole church.
The Holy Scriptures are the primary teaching tool and everything else is supplementary. This church accepts the Calvinist Confession of Faith and the Heidelberg catechism as additional teaching tools. All members of the church board should accept this confession and teach according to it.
The Christian creed of Calvinism is defined as follows: a. God is absolute sovereign in His creation. b. God as sovereign foreordains and foreknows all things, including man's destiny. c. Originally man was pure and made in the image of God, but has fallen from this state through his own voluntary act. d. Man can be saved only through the unmerited grace of God, as mediated to him through Christ. Man can do nothing to earn his own salvation, and no amount of good works can further it. e. Those predestined to salvation will be saved.
The Heidelberg Catechism is a summary of basic Bible teachings are arranged in a question and answer format. It is called "Heidelberg" after the city of Heidelberg, Germany, where it was formulated and approved by church authorities in 1563. Primarily based on the Letter to the Romans, the Heidelberg Catechism covers such topics as: a. Human Sin and Guilt - The Law of God. b. Human Redemption and Freedom - The Grace of God in Jesus Christ. c. Human Gratitude and Obedience - New Life through the Holy Spirit.
The marriage policy of Grace Bible Church of Silver Lake, MN is, has always been, and shall remain, consistent with biblical teaching. We believe that marriage is a sacred union of one man and one woman (Genesis 2:24-25), and that marriage serves as a picture of the relationship between Christ and His bride, the Church (Ephesians 5:31-33). The Lord Jesus Christ quoting from the Old Testament made it clear that marriage is between a male and a female (Matthew 19:4-6). The position of the Grace Bible Church of Silver Lake is that sexual activity outside of marriage between one man and one woman is contrary to the teaching of the Old and New Testaments. The Bible teaches that adultery, fornication, incest, homosexuality, and bestiality are contrary to the clear teaching of the Bible and to be avoided (Leviticus 18:6-18, 20, 22-23; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Galatians 5:19-21; Hebrews 13:4). Furthermore, all who claim to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ should abstain from sexual sins (1 Corinthians 5:9-13; 1 Corinthians 6:15-18; 2 Corinthians 12:21; Ephesians 5:3-6; Colossians 3:5-6). See also the Heidelberg Catechism – Lord’s Day 41: Questions 108 and 109. Only weddings between one man and one woman who profess personal faith in Jesus Christ shall take place in the church building or on its property. Any and all current and future pastors of Grace Bible Church of Silver Lake, as well as anyone who may hold credentials to perform marriages through the church, shall only perform marriages consistent with the biblical principles and teachings outlined in this marriage policy whether conducted on or off the premises.