Grace Timonium

Our Beliefs

SOUND DOCTRINE

We make moments significant by being intentional to point people toward Jesus in our environments and relationships. Moments matter and every moment is an opportunity to make a significant impact. In the big things, the mundane, and every moment of life in between, we’re intentionally helping people pursue God’s priorities. We encounter God’s presence and join in community together, and find our purpose.

GOD
We affirm that the Godhead exists eternally in three persons: God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are One God. (Genesis 1:1,26; Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19-20; John 4:24; 2 Corinthians 13:14)
JESUS CHRIST
We affirm that Jesus Christ is God incarnate – fully God and fully man. He is God’s only Son and the sole mediator between God and man. We affirm His preexistence, His incarnation, His virgin birth, His sinless life, His substitutionary atonement, His bodily resurrection from the dead, His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and His bodily return from heaven one day. (John 3:16; 1 Timothy 2:5; John 1:1-14; Matthew 1:23-25; Hebrews 4:15; Romans 3:23-25; Acts 2:24-27; Acts 1:9-11; Titus 2:13)
THE HOLY SPIRIT
We affirm that God the Holy Spirit is the third person of the triune God, who regenerates, indwells, baptizes and seals all followers of Christ at the time of conversion, and fills those followers who are yielded to God. (Matthew 28:19; John 3:3-7; Romans 8; 1 Corinthians 2:12, 6:19, 12:13; Ephesians 4:30; Titus 3:5)
The Bible
We affirm that every word in the original writings of the Holy Scriptures is inspired of God and without error. We believe that it is the final standard of faith and practice for the follower of Jesus Christ and for His Church. (Matthew 5:18; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21)
Man and Sin
We affirm that man was created in the image of God, that he sinned in Adam, and that he is now a sinner by nature and by choice, though he retains the essence of God’s image even in his fallenness. (Genesis 1:26-27, 3:1-6; Romans 3:10-18; 5:12-14; James 3:9)
SALVATION
We affirm that salvation comes by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, as a gift of God apart from human merit, works, or ceremonies. A person is rescued from eternal judgment and restored to right relationship with God, mankind, and creation when he/she receives and acknowledges this gift of eternal life from God. Salvation is in and through Jesus Christ and His death on the cross for our sin, and once secured, is sealed, and sustained by the Holy Spirit eternally. (Acts 4:12, 16:31; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 10:9-10)
Resurrection and Judgement
We affirm the resurrection of the human body, the eternal existence of all men in either heaven or hell, and divine judgments and rewards. (John 5:25-29, 11:25-26; 1 Corinthians 15:51-57; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 20:11-15)
The Church

We affirm that the Church is the spiritual body of which Christ is the Head, and that there is a two-fold aspect to this body — the universal Church (which includes all followers of Christ) and local churches (which are comprised of followers of Christ who meet together regularly for worship, teaching, etc.). (Ephesians 1:22-23; Philippians 2:1; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; Revelation 2:3)

We affirm that Jesus instituted two sacraments for the local church – COMMUNION (a memorial of the atoning death of Christ until He comes again) and BAPTISM (the public identification of a person with Christ). We participate regularly as a church body in the sacrament of communion, and we encourage every Christ-follower to be baptized after trusting Jesus Christ as his/her Lord and Savior. (Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:41; Luke 22:14-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-24, 26)

Spiritual Gifts
We affirm that every believer has received from the Holy Spirit at least one spiritual gift. When a person exercises his/her gift, he/she contributes to the work of the Body of Christ. Therefore, we encourage every believer to discover and exercise his/her spiritual gift(s). (1 Corinthians 12:4-31; Romans 12:3-8; Ephesians 4:1-16)
The Great Commission
We affirm that followers of Christ are sent into the world as ambassadors of Christ’s love and grace, just as He had been sent by God the Father. As Christ’s ambassadors, we are to make Him known to the whole world and make disciples in all nations. (Matthew 28:18-20; John 15:8, 17:18, 20:21; 2 Corinthians 5:20-21)