What We Believe

The Bible is the Word of God. We believe that the Bible is the complete Word of God; that the sixty-six books, as originally written, made up of the Old and New Testaments, were verbally inspired by the Spirit of God and therefore entirely free from error. We believe that the Bible is the final authority in all matters of faith and practice and the true basis of Christian union.  (Ps. 19:7; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:20-21).

We believe in one God (Deut. 6:4), Creator of all (Gen. 1:1; Col. 1:16), Holy (Lev. 19:2), Sovereign (Dan. 4:25, 35), Eternal (Heb. 9:14, Psalm 90:1-2), existing in three equal Persons (Matt. 28:19) – the Father (Isa. 63:16; 64:8), the Son (John 1:1; Phil. 2:6; Col. 1:15), and the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3-4).

We believe in the absolute and essential deity of Jesus Christ (Col. 2:9), in His eternal existence with the Father in pre-incarnate glory (John 17:5), in His virgin birth (Matt. 1:20,23), His sinless life (1 Peter 2:22; Heb. 4:15), His substitutionary death (Rom. 8:3-4), His bodily resurrection (Luke 24:6-7), His  triumphant ascension (Luke 24:51; Acts 1:9), His ministry as intercessor between God and man (Rom. 8:34) and His personal return (John 14:3; Acts 1:11).

We believe in God the Holy Spirit – the third person of the Trinity. We believe in the essential deity of the Holy Spirit, who glorifies the Father and the Son, convicts people of sin, brings spiritual life to believing sinners, indwells, guides, instructs, gives spiritual gifts and empowers the believers for holy living and service. (John 14:15-17; Romans 8:26-27; Acts 1:8)

We believe that Satan exists as an evil personality (Isa 14:12-15; 2 Peter 2:4), as the originator of sin (John 8:44), and as the arch-enemy of God and man (Gen 3:15; 1 Peter 5:8).

God originally created Man in His own image, and free from sin; but, through the temptation of Satan, Adam disobeyed the command of God, and fell from his original holiness and righteousness. Therefore his descendants, inherit a corrupt nature that is wholly opposed to God and His law. As a result they are under condemnation, and as soon as they are capable of moral action, become actual sinners (Gen 1:26-27; 3:1-7; Rom 5:12-19; Eph 2:1-3).

Election is God’s eternal choice of some individuals into everlasting life with the Lord—not because of foreseen merit or foreseen faith in them, but of His mere mercy in Christ—and subsequently they are called, justified and glorified (Rom 8:28-30; 1 Cor 1:27-29; Eph. 1:4, 11).

Regeneration is a change of heart, through the work of the Holy Spirit, who gives life to those dead in trespasses and sins, enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the word of God, and renewing their whole nature, so that they love and practice holiness. It is a work of God’s free and special grace alone, so that the ultimate cause of regeneration is God’s grace, not man’s free will (Eph 2:1-6; Tit 3:5; 1 John 5:1).

Repentance is an act of grace, where the Holy Spirit makes a person aware of sinful condition and therefore the person with humility, with godly sorrow, and hatred for their sin, strives to walk before God so as to please Him in all things (Acts 2:37-38; 11:18; 2 Cor 7:10-11). 

Saving faith is the gift of God for His elect. (Rom 3:27-28; 4:1-5; 4:17-25; 10:14, 17; Phil 1:29; Eph 2:8-9).


Justification is God’s gracious and full acquittal of those sinners, who believe in Christ, from all sin. (Acts 13:38-39; Rom 3:21-26; 8:34; 10:3-4; 2 Cor 5:21; Phil 3:9)

Those who have been regenerated are also sanctified by God’s Word and Spirit dwelling in them. This sanctification is progressive through the provision of Divine strength, which all saints seek to obtain, as they press after a heavenly life in heartfelt obedience to all of Christ’s commands (Jer 31:31-34; Ezek. 36:27-27; Rom. 8:1-17; Gal 5:13-24; 2 Pet 1:3-11).

All those whom God has regenerated will never totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace, but will persevere to the end. (John 6:37-40; 10:28-29; Rom 8:28-39; 1 Cor 1:8-9; Phil. 1:6).

The Lord Jesus is the head of the church, which is composed of all His true disciples, and all power for its governance is invested supremely in Him. According to His commandment, Christians are to associate themselves into particular local churches; and to each of these churches He has given the necessary authority for administering the order, discipline and worship which He has appointed. The regular officers of a church are elders and deacons (John 10:16; Acts 20:17, 28; Eph 1:22; 5:23; 1 Tim 3:1-13; 5:17-18; Tit 1:5-9; Heb 10:25).

We believe that salvation is by the sovereign (Acts 2:23), electing grace of God (Eph 1:4).  By the appointment of the Father (John 3:16), Christ voluntarily (John 10:17-18) suffered a vicarious, atoning and propitiatory death. We believe that justification is by faith alone (Romans 3:23-26) in the all-sufficient sacrifice and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ (Heb 9:12,28; 1 Cor 15:17) and that those whom God has effectually called shall be divinely preserved and finally perfected in the image of the Lord (Rom 8:28-30). 

We believe in the personal and bodily and glorious return of the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 1:11; Mat 24:30); and in the bodily resurrection of the just (1 Thess 4:13-18) and the unjust (Rev 20:11-13); in the eternal blessedness of the redeemed (Rev 21 & 22) and in the judgment and eternal conscious punishment of the wicked (Rev 20:10, 15).

We believe that there are only two ordinances for the church regularly observed in the New Testament in the following order:
Baptism: which is the immersion of the believer in water, whereby he obeys Christ’s command and sets forth his identification with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection (Acts 2:38; Rom 6:3-11).

The Lord’s Supper: which is the memorial wherein the believer partakes of the two elements, bread and cup, which symbolize the Lord’s body and shed blood, proclaiming His death until He comes (1 Cor 11:23-26).

We believe that the first day of the week is the Lord’s day and that, in a special sense, it is the divinely appointed day for worship and spiritual exercise. (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor 16:1-2; Hebrews 10:24,25; Rev 1:10).

The term “Marriage” is reserved for the formalized covenant relationship between one man and one woman who commit themselves through legal declaration to exclusive, intimate companionship and sexual union with the intention of permanence. Marriage is monogamous, heterosexual, and intended for life.
It is God’s unique gift to reveal the union between Christ and His church and to provide for the man and the woman in marriage the framework for intimate companionship, and the means for procreation of the human race (Gen 1:26-28;2:15-25; Prov 5:15-20; Matt 5:31-32; 19:3-9; Rom 1:18-32; 1 Cor 7:1-16; Eph 5:21-33; Heb 13:4).

God’s revealed will for the fulfillment of human sexual desires, is found only in faithful heterosexual marriage of one man and one woman. All existing Members and Partners of Grace Community Church will agree and adhere to the “Policy Statement on Marriage and Human Sexuality” of the Fellowship of Evangelical Baptist Churches in Canada, adopted November 13, 2018 .

The bodies of men after death return to dust, but their spirits return immediately to God—the righteous to rest with Him; the wicked, to be reserved under darkness to the judgment. The bodies of all the dead, both just and unjust, will be raised (John 5:28-29; 1 Cor 15:12-28; 2 Cor 5:1-10; Phil 1:23).

God has appointed a day, wherein He will judge the world by Jesus Christ. On that day, when everyone shall receive according to his deeds; the wicked shall go into everlasting and conscious punishment; and the righteous, into everlasting life (Mat 25:46; John 5:22, 27-29; Acts 17:31; Rom 2:6-11; 2 Cor 5:10; 2 Thess 1:7-10; 2 Tim 4:8; Rev 7:13-17; 14:9-11).

We believe that civil government is of divine appointment for the interest and good order of society; that those civil authorities are to be prayed for, conscientiously honoured and obeyed, except only in the things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the only Lord of the conscience and Prince of the Kings of the earth (Rom 13:1-7; Acts 5:29)