Grace Baptist Church of LaBelle, Florida is an Independent Baptist Church.
We are affiliated with the GARBC (General Association of Regular Baptist Churches) and the Sunshine Baptist Fellowship (GARBC, FL).
A quick summary of our practices and theological views:
We are non-Calvinistic; we believe that it is your choice whether to put your faith in Jesus or not.
We are non-Reform; we believe that the church and Israel are distinct, and God’s plan for Israel is not finished yet.
We are dispensational; we believe in the pre-tribulational rapture of the church.
We believe that God created the world “ex-nihilo,” out-of-nothing, in 6 literal, 24-hour days.
We believe the Bible is the inspired and inerrant Word of God.
We believe the Bible should be interpreted literally whenever possible, preferring to interpret symbolically or allegorically only what cannot be understood literally.
We sing traditional hymns and use the KJV in our services.
Our complete Statement of Faith:
STATEMENT OF FAITH – Grace Baptist Church
ARTICLE I:
We believe that there is but one true and living God (1John 5:20). He is eternal; of infinite power (omnipotent), wisdom, and goodness; the creator of all things, visible and invisible (Genesis 1:1). There are three persons in the Godhead; God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, comprising a unity (1John 5:7).
ARTICLE II:
We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God (1John 1:1-3), who became flesh, (John 1:14, Colossians 2:9), was born of the virgin Mary (Luke 1:35), died for our Sins upon the cross (1Peter 2:24) as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice (2Corinthians 5:21). All who trust in Him as their only means of salvation are justified on the grounds of His blood, not in their own works (Colossians 1:14, Ephesians 2:8-9, Ephesians 1:7).
ARTICLE III:
We believe in the bodily resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ (1Corinthians 15:3-20), His ascension (Acts 1:9), and His high priestly ministry for us at this present time (1John 2:1-2, Hebrews 4:14-16).
ARTICLE IV:
We believe the person of the Holy Spirit is co-equal with God the Father, and God the Son (1John 5:7). His ministry is to regenerate (1John 3:3-5), baptize (1Corinthians 12:13), indwell (1Corinthians 6:19), seal (Ephesians 1:13-14, 2Corinthians 5:5), fill (Ephesians 5:18), empower (Acts 1:8); and guide the believer (Galatians 5:16-25, John 16:13-14).
ARTICLE V:
We believe in the plenary verbal inspiration of the Bible as the Word of God, and that it is infallible and inerrant in the original manuscripts, and it is preserved as the final and supreme authority in faith and life (2Timothy 3:16, 2Peter 1:21).
ARTICLE VI:
We believe in the Genesis account of creation, that man was created by an immediate act of God and not by any other process such as evolution. We believe that the six days of creation were solar days of twenty-four-hour duration.
ARTICLE VII:
We believe that man was created in the image of Ged (Genesis 1:2:26-27), that he sinned (Romans 3:23, Romans 5:12), and thereby incurred not only physical death (1Corinthians 15:21-22), but also spiritual death which is not annihilation (Luke 16:23, Revelation 21:8) but eternal separation from God (Revelation 20:1-15). We believe that all men are born with a sinful nature, totally depraved, and if they are not born again are eternally lost (Romans 6:23, John 3:18).
ARTICLE VIII:
We believe that Jesus Christ shed His blood on Calvary’s cress for every sin of every person who has ever been born or who will ever be born. We believe that we are saved by grace (Ephesians 2:8-9), through faith in the shed blood of Christ (Ephesians 1:7).
ARTICLE IX:
We believe in the eternal security of the believer [perseverance of the saints] (John 10:28, John 5:24, Ephesians 1:11-14, 2Corinthians 1:21-22). While we are saved entirely on the merits of Christ, this does not give the believer a license to sin (2Corinthians 6:14, 2Corinthians 7:1, 1Corinthians 3:16-17, 1John 2:1-2). Grace teaches good works (Titus 2:11-13) and separation from ungodliness (1Thessalonians 4:7, 1Thessalonians 2:12).
ARTICLE X:
We believe that the saved, who are Heaven bound, will appear at the Judgement Seat of Christ to be judged for their works (1Corinthians 3:12-15, 2Corinthians 5:10). The unsaved, who are Hell bound, will appear at the Great White Throne Judgement to be judged for their works (Revelation 20:11-15). The two are different in time and kind.
ARTICLE XI:
We believe in the pre-millennial, pre-tribulational return of Christ. We believe in the rapture of the Church (that is the coming of the Lord in the air to call out His Church) (1Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelations 4:1). We further believe in the literal, personal return of Jesus Christ to set up His Kingdom on Earth.
ARTICLE XII:
We believe that all in this dispensation who have accepted Christ as Savior are members of the Church, the body of Christ. Christ is the Head (Colossians 1:18), we are members of His body, the Church (1Corinthians 12:12-17, Ephesians 5:25-32). All believers should unite with a local Bible believing Baptist Church, for fellowship and privilege of service.
ARTICLE XIII:
We believe that every Christian should faithfully give at least a tithe (1/10 of his income to God through this local Church for the spreading of the Gospel. God owns all. (Genesis 28:22), we are His stewards, (I Corinthians 4:1-2). Our giving is not as unto men (Matthew 6:1-4), but as an act of worship (1Corinthians 16:1-3, Malachi 3:10, Galatians 6:7-8, Genesis 14:18-20, 2Corinthians 9:6-7).
ARTICLE XIV:
We believe that the sign gifts of tongues, healing, and prophecy as spoken in 1Corinthians 12:8-13, were for signs to unbelievers so the Church might be established. We further believe that when full revelation of the Word of God was given that tongues and healing ceased as stated in (1Corinthians 13:8-13). We believe divine healing does now continue, in the power of God, but we do not believe there are any that could be classified as divine healers.
ARTICLE XV:
We believe there are two ordinances scripturally stated. Believers’ baptism by immersion, and the Lord’s Supper, as a memorial and symbol of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Matthew 26:26-28, Colossians 2:12, Acts 2:38, Mark 1:9).