1. We believe that the local church is a body solely made up of born-again believers, also referred to as the espoused bride of Christ, and has the responsibility to uphold His truth. (1 Corinthians 12:12-14;
   2 Corinthians 11:2, Ephesians 1:22-23; 5:25-27, 1 Timothy 3:15; Jude 1:3).
2. We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures. (Acts 14:27; 20;17, 28-32; 1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11)
3. We believe in the autonomy of the local church free of any external authority or control. (Acts 13:1-4; 15:19-31; 20;28; Romans 16:1,4; 1 Corinthians 3:9, 16: 5:4-7, 13; 1 Peter 5:1-4).

 

Civil Government

We believe that God has ordained and created and retains all authority having delegated portions to three basic institutions: the home, the church, and the government.  Every person is subject to these authorities, but all (including the authorities themselves) are answerable to God and governed by His Word. God has given each institution specific Biblical responsibilities and balanced those responsibilities with the understanding that no institution has the right to infringe upon the other. The home, the church, and the government have distinct God-ordained authority in their respective Biblically assigned areas of responsibility under God. Whenever there are conflicts between civil government and Gods law, we believe peaceful adherence to Gods law to be the appropriate response. (Matthew 28:18; Romans 13:1-7; Ephesians 5:22-24; Hebrews 13:17; I Peter 2:13-14;)

 

We believe that God created the universe in six literal twenty-four-hour periods.  We reject evolution, the Gap Theory, the Day-Age Theory, Theistic Evolution, and any other theory in conflict with the literal creation described in Genesis as unscriptural theories of origin (Genesis 1-2; Exodus 20:11)

 

Dispensationalism

We believe that the Scriptures interpreted in their natural, literal sense reveal divinely determined dispensations or rules of life which define man’s responsibilities in successive ages. These dispensations are not ways of salvation, but rather are divinely ordered stewardships by which God directs man according to His purpose. Three of these dispensations: the law, the church, and the kingdom are the subjects of detailed revelation in Scripture. (Genesis 1:28; 1 Corinthians 9:17; 2 Corinthians 3:9-18; Galatians 3:13-25; Ephesians 1:10; 3:2-10; Colossians 1:24-25, 27; Revelation 20:2-6)

 

Divorce and Remarriage

We believe that God disapproves of divorce and intends marriage to last until the death of one of the spouses. Divorce and remarriage is regarded as adultery except when substantiated by Scriptural reasoning for severing a marriage relationship. Divorced and remarried persons or divorced persons may hold positions of service in the Church and be greatly used of God for Christian service. 
(Malachi 2:14-17; Matthew 19:3-12; Romans 7:1-3; 1 Corinthians 7:12-15)

 

The Eternal Security and Assurance of Believers

1. We believe that all the redeemed are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever. (John 6:37-40; John 10:27-30; Romans 8:1, 38-39; 1 Cor. 1:4-8; 1 Peter 1: 4-5).
2. We believe that it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God’s Word, which, however, clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion to the flesh. (Romans 13:13-14; Galatians 5:13; Titus 2:11-15)

 

The Eternal State

1. We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the redeemed to eternal life in a new heaven and earth with God, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment in the lake of fire. (Matthew 25:46; John 5:28, 19; 11:25-26; Revelation 20:5-6, 12-13)
2. We believe that the souls of the redeemed are, at death, absent from the body and present with the Lord, where in conscious bliss they await the first bodily resurrection, when spirit, soul, and body are reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord. (Luke 23:43; 2 Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:23; 3:21; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Revelation 20:4-6)
3. We believe that the souls of unbelievers remain, after death, in conscious punishment and torment until the second resurrection, when with a reunited soul and body shall appear at the Great White Throne Judgment. They shall then be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting conscious punishment and torment.
   (Matthew 25:41-46; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 16:19-26; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9; Jude 6-7; Revelation 20:11-15)

 

Euthanasia

1. We believe that all human life is created by God and is therefore sacred from conception until natural death. We believe that euthanasia, assisted suicide, or any act intended to deliberately end an innocent human life is a violation of God’s command and is morally wrong.
2. We further believe that it is permissible to decline or discontinue medical treatments that are extraordinary, disproportionate, or offer no reasonable expectation of recovery. Such decisions are not acts of euthanasia but are an acknowledgment of the natural process of dying. In all circumstances, care should be given with compassion, dignity, and respect for the sanctity of life. (Exodus 20:13; Psalm 139:13–16; Acts 17:28)

 

Family Relationships

1. We believe that men and women are spiritually equal in position before God, but that God has ordained distinct and separate spiritual functions for men and women in the home and the church. The husband is to be the leader of the home. (Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:18; 1 Timothy 2:8-15)
2. We believe that God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. The husband is to love his wife as Christ loves the church. The wife is to submit herself to the scriptural leadership of her husband as the church submits to the headship of Christ. Children are a heritage from the Lord and should be obedient to their parents. Parents are responsible for teaching their children spiritual and moral values and leading them, through consistent lifestyle examples and Scriptural discipline and correction. (Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Psalms 127:3-5; Proverbs 19:18; 22:15; 23:13-14; Mark 10:6-12; 1 Corinthians 7:1-16; Ephesians 5:21-33; 6:1-4, Colossians 3:18-21, Hebrews 13:4, 1 Peter 3:1-7)

 

Giving

We believe that every Christian, as a steward of that portion of God’s wealth entrusted to him, is obligated to financially support his local church. We believe that God has established the tithe as a basis for giving, but that every Christian should also give other offerings sacrificially and cheerfully to the support of the Church, the relief of those in need, and the spread of the Gospel. We believe that a Christian relinquishes all rights to direct the use of the tithe or offering once the gift has been made or designated for use. (Genesis 14:20; Proverbs 3:9-10; Malachi 3:10, Acts 4:34-37; 1 Corinthians 16:2; 2 Corinthians 9:6-7; Galatians 6:6; Ephesians 4:28; 1 Timothy 5:17-18; 1 John 3:17)

 

The Godhead

We believe in one triune God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son (Word), and Holy Spirit, each eternal in being, identical in nature, equal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfection. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19; John 14:10, 26; 2 Corinthians 13:14)

Human Sexuality and Marriage

1. We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God. The rejection of one’s biological gender is a rejection of the image of God within that person. (Genesis 1:26-27)
2. We believe God’s design for humanity is male and female, an expression of God’s image. We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of the bond of holy matrimony between one man and one woman. We believe that any form of vile affection, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery or the use of pornography are sinful perversions of God’s gift of sex. We believe that God disapproves of and forbids any attempt to alter one’s gender by surgery or appearance; furthermore, we believe that any other type of sexual activity, identity, or expression that lies outside of this definition of marriage, including those that are becoming more accepted in the culture and the courts, are contradictory to God’s natural design and purpose for sexual activity. (Genesis 1:27; 2:24; 19:5, 13; 26:8-9; Leviticus 18:1-30; Romans 1:26-29; 1 Corinthians 5:1; 6:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8; Hebrews 13:4).
3. We believe that the only Scriptural marriage is the joining of one man and one woman.  Marriage is a covenant relationship between a man and a woman before God. As such, the ceremony is an act of worship of the Creator for the blessing of marriage. Therefore, weddings in the church are considered to be worship services. Marriage ceremonies performed in any facility owned, leased, or rented by this church will be only those ceremonies sanctioned by God, joining one man with one woman as their genders were determined at birth. Whenever there is a conflict between the church’s position and any new legal standard for marriage, the church’s statement of faith, doctrines, and biblical positions will govern.  (Genesis 2:24; Proverbs 18:22; Malachi 2:14; Romans 7:2; Ephesians 5:22-23)

 

The Holy Scripture

We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the verbally and plenarily, inspired Word of God. The Scriptures are inerrant, infallible and inspired, and therefore are the absolute authority for faith and life. The sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments are the complete and divine revelation of God to Man. The Scriptures shall be interpreted according to their normal grammatical-historical meaning, and all issues of interpretation and meaning shall be determined by the Pastor. The King James Version of the Bible shall be the official and only translation used by the Grace Baptist Church of Marrero.  (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21).

 

Lawsuits Between Believers

We believe that Christians are prohibited from bringing civil lawsuits against other Christians or the Church to resolve personal disputes without first going to the leaders of the church to assist in achieving a resolution. We believe that the Church possesses all the resources necessary to resolve personal disputes between members. We do believe, however, that a Christian may seek compensation for injuries from another Christian’s insurance company as long as the claim is pursued without malice or slander. (1 Cor. 6:1-8; Ephesians 4:31-32).

 

We believe that we should demonstrate love for others, not only toward fellow believers, but also toward both those who are not believers, those who oppose us, and those who engage in sinful actions. We are to deal with those who oppose us graciously, gently, patiently, and humbly. God forbids the stirring up of strife, the taking of revenge, or the threat or the use of violence as a means of resolving personal conflict or obtaining personal justice. Although God commands us to abhor sinful actions, we are to love and pray for any person who engages in such sinful actions.  (Leviticus 19:18: Matthew 5:44-48; Luke 6:31; John 13:34-35; Romans 12:9-10, 17-21; 13:8-10; Philippians 2:2-4; 2 Timothy 2:24-26; Titus 3:2; 1 John 3:17-18)

 

Missions

We believe that God has given the Church a great commission to proclaim the Gospel to all nations so that there might be a great multitude from every nation, tribe, ethnic group, and language group who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. As ambassadors of Christ we must use all available means to go to the foreign nations or offer resources to those who are called to physically go and not wait for them to come to us.
(Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-48; John 20:21; Acts 1:8; 2 Corinthians 5:20).

 

Ordinances

1. The ordinance of water baptism by immersion with Christ should be observed (as commanded in the Scriptures) by all who have repented of their sins and in their hearts have believed on Christ as their Savior. In doing so, they declare to the world that they have died with Christ and that they have also been regenerated to walk with Him in newness of life. (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42; 18:18).
2. The Lord’s Supper, consisting of the elements, unleavened bread and unleavened fruit of the vine, is the symbol expressing our sharing in a memorial to His suffering and sacrificial death, and the prophecy of His second coming, and is enjoined to all believers “until He comes” (Luke 22:19, 20; 2 Peter 1:4;
   1 Corinthians 11:25-31).

 

The Person and Work of Christ

1. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, entered the hypostatic union, becoming man, without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men. (Isaiah 7:14; 9:6; Luke 1:35; John 1:1-2, 14;
   2 Corinthians 5:19-21; Galatians 4:4-5; Philippians 2:5-8)
2. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as, a vicarious substitutionary sacrifice; and that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead. (Acts 2:18-36; Romans 3:24-25; Ephesians 1:7; 1 Peter 1:3-5; 1 Peter 2:24)
3. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God, where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate.
   (Acts 1:9-10; Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:25; Hebrews 9:24; Hebrews 12:2; 1 John 2:1-2)

 

1. We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; and, that He is the supernatural agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption. (John 16:8-11; Romans 8:9;
   1 Corinthians 12:12-14; 2 Corinthians 3:6; Ephesians 1:13-14)
2. We believe that He is the divine Teacher who assists believers to understand and appropriate the Scriptures and that it is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be controlled by the Spirit.
   (Ephesians 1:17-18; 5:18; 1 John 2:20, 27)
3. We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowal of spiritual gifts to every believer. God uniquely uses evangelists, pastors, and teachers to equip believers in the assembly in order that they can do the work of the ministry (Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11,28; Ephesians 4:7-12).
4. We believe that certain sign gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as the miracle of speaking in tongues, the gift of prophecy, and miraculous healings, were temporary gifts given to authenticate the apostles and confirm the message of the Gospel during the foundational period of the New Testament church. With the completion of the New Testament Scriptures, the need for such sign gifts ceased, and they are no longer operative today. We reject the modern teaching that these sign gifts are to be practiced by believers in this present age. We do affirm that God, in His sovereignty, may still perform miracles and answer prayer according to His will. (1 Corinthians 13:8-10; 2 Corinthians 12:12; Hebrews 2:3-4)