What We Believe

We believe in verbal (every word) and plenary (the whole) inspiration of the Scriptures. Every word in the original writings and languages is inspired by God and is without error. It is accurate in all matters to which it speaks, spiritual, historical, and scientific. The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are foundational and sufficient for faith and practice of the membership of SGBC.

2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21

God exists eternally in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The three have distinct personalities and yet are of the same substance, one God.

Genesis 1:1; John 10:30; John 4:24; Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14

Man is created in the image and likeness of God. In Adam, all mankind fell into sin with the result that all men are sinners. Men are justly condemned to eternal judgment and can do nothing to merit salvation or move toward God apart from a work from Him.

Romans 2:2-3,5; Ephesians 2:8-9; Genesis 1:27; Genesis 9:6; Romans 3:23; Romans 5:12; Ephesians 2:1

The eternal Son of God became incarnate in the Lord Jesus Christ, being born of the virgin Mary, and is true God and true man. He died physically on the cross and was bodily resurrected three days later, and thereafter bodily ascended to heaven.

John 1:1,14,18; John 5:18; Hebrews 1:1-9; Hebrews 5:8; 1 John 5:20; 1 Timothy 2:5; 1 Corinthians 15:1-5

Salvation is given to those men chosen by God and drawn to Christ by the Holy Spirit. The only means to their salvation is belief in Christ's substitutionary death and resurrection.

Acts 4:12; Acts 13:38-39; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Romans 4:4-5; Romans 5:1; John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8-9; Acts 16:31; Ephesians 1:4-5; Romans 8:29-30

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. He regenerates, indwells, baptizes, and seals all believers in Christ at the point of faith in Christ, and empowers those yielded to God.

Matthew 28:19; John 3:3-7; Titus 3:5; 1 Corinthians 6:19; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 2:12; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 4:30; Colossians 3:14

Salvation is given to those men and women chosen (elect and predestinated) by God and drawn to Christ by God. God's election of those that will be saved was made without thought to any merit of the individual and was made prior to the creation of the world. We believe that, owing to universal death through sin, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless born again by the Spirit of God; and that no degree of reformation however great, no attainments in morality however high, no culture however attractive, no baptism or other ordinance however administered, can help the sinner to take even one step toward heaven; but a new nature imparted from above, a new life implanted by the Holy Spirit through the Word is absolutely essential to salvation. Thus it can be said that our justification is wrought solely by the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross as He died in our place.

John 6:44; Romans 5:6-9; Romans 9:10-29; Ephesians 1:4-8; Philippians 3:4-9; Colossians 1:13-14; Titus 3:5; James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:18-21

Every believer is promised positional, progressive, and ultimate sanctification.

Hebrews 10:10,14; John 17:15-17; Ephesians 5:26-27; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4; 1 John 3:2; 1 Corinthians 6:11

All who are born of the Spirit through faith in Christ can have assurance of salvation and are eternally secure in Christ as they persevere in the faith.

Romans 5:1; 1 John 5:13; John 10:27-29; John 17:12; 2 Timothy 1:12; Ephesians 4:30; John 6:37

The church is composed of all believers. It is the body and bride of Christ, formed by the baptism of the Holy Spirit and existing in two aspects, universal and local. The universal church is an elect company of believers, baptized by the Holy Spirit into one body. Its mission is to witness to its Head, Jesus Christ, preaching the gospel among all nations. It will be caught up to meet the Lord, after which He will return to set up His Kingdom. The local church is a group of believers voluntarily joined together in love and membership to worship God with praise and thanksgiving, and to glorify Jesus Christ through an aggressive effort to disciple others by the preaching of the gospel, and the exercise of spiritual gifts.

Ephesians 1:22-23; Ephesians 5:24-30; 1 Corinthians 12:4-13,27

Spiritual gifts are God-given abilities for service, i.e., "for the equipping of the saints for the work of service to the building up of the body of Christ."

Ephesians 4:1-16; 1 Corinthians 12:7,11; 1 Peter 4:10; Romans 12:1-6

Christians are called to a holy life of service and testimony in the power of the Holy Spirit, which service includes the propagation of the gospel message to the whole world. There is promised reward in heaven for their faithfulness in such service.

1 Peter 1:15-16; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 3:12-17; John 14:1-3

The Bible sets forth two ordinances, the Lord's Supper and water baptism. The Lord's Supper is to be celebrated regularly in remembrance of Christ's death on the cross, and in expectation of His return. Water baptism is an outward testimony of a person's belief in Christ. Immersion is the ideal means set forth in Scripture.

Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16; Acts 8:12,36-38; Acts 9:18; Acts 10:47; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

Angels were originally created holy, but now because of Satan's rebellion, there is also an unholy angelic kingdom made up of Satan and his demons.

Colossians 1:16; Job 38:6-7; Psalm 148:2-5; Jude 6; Matthew 25:41; Ephesians 6:11-12; 1 Timothy 5:21; Revelation 12:9

The blessed hope of the church is the imminent return of Christ. To the best of our understanding, the events of the return of Christ take place in the following order: the rapture of the church, the tribulation, the second advent, the establishment of the reign of Christ on earth for one thousand years, and finally the eternal state of punishment for the unsaved in hell and the eternal state of blessing for the saved in the presence of Christ.

Titus 2:13; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Thessalonians 5:4-10; John 14:1-3; Matthew 24:21,29-30; Matthew 25:31-46; Revelation 3:10; Revelation 20:1-6,11-15