What We Believe
Grace Sustains Africa – Official Statement of Faith
Grace Sustains Africa – Official Statement of Faith
God
One God eternally co-exists in three distinct persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God is the almighty Creator, Saviour, and Judge who governs all things according to His sovereign will. And he accomplishes His purposes in creation and the Church to His glory.
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Deuteronomy 6:4, Genesis 1:1, Isaiah 64:8, John 1:1-3; Colossians 1:15-17; Psalm 75:7; Isaiah 45:7-9; Isaiah 43:7, Ephesians 3:21
God's Written Word
The Bible, consisting of the Old and New Testaments, is God's written word, revealing His character and purposes for all people. It is the final authority in all matters relating to belief and behaviour. The Holy Spirit moved the human authors of the Bible so that what they wrote is inspired, thoroughly reliable, and without error in all it affirms.
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2 Timothy 3:15-16; John 17:17; 2 Peter 1:20-21
The Father
God the Father is the source of all that is good. He initiates creation and redemption, which He accomplishes through His Son and the Holy Spirit.
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James 1:17; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 1 Peter 1:3; Titus 3:4-6
The Son
Jesus Christ is truly God and man, having two natures united in one divine person without confusion, mixture, separation, or division. Each nature retains its attributes. In the incarnation, Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary, lived a perfect life among us, was crucified for sinners, dead, and buried, rose on the third day, ascended to heaven, and will come again in glory and judgement. He is the only Mediator between God and man.
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John 1:1; John 1:14; Matthew 1:18-23; Hebrews 4:15; John 15:13; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Luke 24:51; Matthew 25:31; 1 Timothy 2:5
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit makes the work of Christ effective to sinners, giving spiritual life and placing them into the church. He indwells all believers, empowers them to love, serve, witness and obey God, equips them with gifts, and transforms them to be increasingly like Christ.
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Titus 3:5-6; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Romans 8:15-16; Galatians 5:22-23; 1 Corinthians 12:4-7; 1 Peter 1:2
Creation
By the word of His power, God created the heavens, earth and all that is in them from nothing. He further preserves and governs all His creatures and actions according to His most holy, wise, and powerful providence.
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Genesis 1:1; Hebrews 1:3; Proverbs 16:33, Isaiah 14:24
The Human Race
Humanity is the pinnacle of God's earthly creation, bearing His image, designed for a relationship with Him, and being the object of His redeeming love. All people have sinned, resulting in guilt, death, and alienation from God and defacing every aspect of human nature. People cannot save themselves from sin's penalty and power and Satan's dominion.
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Genesis 1:26; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:1-3; Genesis 3:17; Romans 3:20; 2 Corinthians 4:4
Salvation
Christ's sacrificial death is the only and all-sufficient basis of God's salvation for all people of every culture and age, expressing His love and satisfying His justice. By God's grace, the repentant sinner is put right with God, adopted by the Father into His family and receives eternal life through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour.
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1 Peter 3:18; Romans 5:8; Romans 3:26; John 14:6; Romans 8:1; John 3:16
Predestination and Election
Although the whole world is guilty before God, he has predestined some unto everlasting life. Predestination to life is the purpose of God, decreed before he laid the foundations of the world, not based on works but purely on his grace. God's Spirit will bring the elect to saving faith through his grace. They will also be justified and continue in the faith, to be glorified.
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Ephesians 1:3-6; ; Romans 8:29-30; Romans 9:13
The Church
The universal church consists of all who have been born of the Spirit. It finds local expression in communities of believers called by God to worship, fellowship, proclaim the Gospel, make disciples among all people and celebrate baptism and communion.
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1 Corinthians 12:13;27; Galatians 1:2; Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:42
Baptism
Baptism is a sacrament of the New Testament ordained by Jesus Christ as a public declaration of faith in Christ Jesus. It is done in the presence of the local church to identify with the new birth of conversion. Baptism is properly administered by immersion of the person in the water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
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Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:41; Acts 8:35-38
The Lord's Supper
The Lord's supper is a sacrament of the New Testament ordained by Jesus Christ. It is a sign of fellowship amongst believers in the new covenant of grace and to remember the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for sinners to the end of the world. Bread and wine are symbolically shared; however, the substance remains not the body or blood of Christ. Whoever receives the Lord's supper that is unsuitable or in an unworthy manner brings judgement upon themselves.
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Luke 22:19-22; 1 Corinthians 11:17-30
Sanctification and Good Works
All who are effectually called and converted receive a new heart and a new spirit. God then further sanctifies them by His Word and Spirit dwelling in them. The dominion of the whole body of sin is destroyed, and the lusts of the flesh are weakened. The elect grows in the fruit of the Spirit. These good works, however, do not justify anyone before God but are evidence of saving faith.
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Ezekiel 36:26; Philippians 2:12-13; John 17:17; 1 Peter 1:2; Galatians 5:22-23; James 2:17
The Future
The Lord Jesus Christ will visibly return to the earth in glory and accomplish the final triumph over evil. God will make everything new. He will raise the dead and judge them. Unbelievers will suffer eternal punishment in separation from God; believers will enter into a life of everlasting joy in fellowship with God, glorifying Him forever.
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Hebrews 9:28; Revelation 21:1-4; Matthew 25:31-46
Aid for All
God commands his followers to seek the welfare and well-being of all people of all ethnicities and religions, motivated by God's love and common grace. Christians should not withhold aid and support from communities based on their beliefs or for not conforming to the evangelical Christian faith.
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Jeremiah 29:7; Matthew 5:45