Greenhills Christian Fellowship Doctrinal Statement

The Bible
The Bible is the inspired Word of God written without error, so it is our only sure source of knowledge about
God and His plans, and is our absolute guide for doctrinal teaching and godly living. (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2
Peter 1: 20-21).

God
We worship and serve the only One True God who revealed Himself in the Bible as three persons sharing
one indivisible essence in the mystery of the Trinity, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
(Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19-20).

Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is the unique Son of God, being fully God and fully man. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary, lived a sinless life but suffered and died in the place of sinful man, was buried and
resurrected, ascended bodily into heaven, and is preparing to return bodily in glory to earth a second time. (John
1:1-14; 14:1-3; 1 Corinthians 15:3-6; Philippians 2:5-11).

The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is God who is actively at work in the world. He dwells permanently in every Christian, helps
us to pray, equips and empowers us to serve God, strengthens and molds us to be more like Christ, and protects
us to guarantee our eternal life. (Acts 5:3-4; Romans 8:14-16, 26) We believe that the sign gifts, especially
speaking in tongues and miracle healing, were given to authenticate the Apostles’ message and establish the
early church. (2 Cor. 12:12; 1 Cor. 13:10-11) With the completion of the New Testament, they have ceased in
the sense of having them as a spiritual gift today. (1 Cor. 13:8) God is Sovereign and may allow a miraculous
sign such as tongues, healing or special revelation, particularly where the gospel is forbidden or unavailable. (1
Corinthians 14:21-22) However this would be counted a miracle, not the norm, and we do not expect or
promote such signs. (2 Cor. 5:7).

Angels
Angels are the innumerable and unseen creatures who serve the causes of God and His people. Satan and
demons are fallen angels who promote wickedness and oppose God’s purposes, doomed and awaiting their final
judgment. (Isaiah 14:12-17; Hebrews 1:6-14) Man God created man, male and female, in His image. Man was
originally sinless but through Adam, all mankind sinned, became condemned, separated from God, and
rendered totally unable to gain God’s favor of forgiveness and eternal life. (Genesis 1:26-27; Romans 5:12-14).

Salvation
Salvation is God’s act of forgiving sins, reconciling people to Himself, and giving a new nature and eternal
life to those who put their trust in the finished work of Jesus Christ. Salvation is not a reward for good works
but a free gift of God received by grace through faith in Christ alone and secured eternally by the indwelling
presence of the Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 1:13-14; 2:1-10; 1 John 5:11-13).

The Church
The Church is the universal Body of Christ consisting of all born again Christians united by the indwelling
Holy Spirit. A member of a local church must have undergone baptism by immersion, participate in
Communion, and help fulfill the church mission to make disciples of all nations. (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 2:41;
1 Corinthians 11:17-34; 12:13).

The End Times

Jesus Christ will come again to reign on earth and to reward God's people with life with Him forever in the
new heaven and earth and to judge unbelievers with eternal separation from God and suffering in hell.
(Revelation 20:1-4; 21:6-8).
Civil Government and Society
We uphold the separation of the church and state and we affirm the Christian duty to honor and to pray for
those in government authority, to pay taxes and to promote the general welfare of society. (Romans 13:1-7; 1
Timothy 2:1-2).

Marriage, Sexes, and Sexuality

We believe that God creates each person as either male or female, genetically. These two sexes together
reflect the image and nature of God. (Gen 1:26-27.) Rejection of one’s genetic sex is a rejection of the image of
God.
We believe “marriage” as defined in the Bible has only one meaning: the legalized union of one man and one
woman in a single, exclusive lifetime union (Gen 2:18-25.)
We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to
each other. (1 Cor 6:18; 7:2-5; Heb. 13:4.) We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity
be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman.
We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual activity,
bisexual activity, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God. (Matt 15:18-20; 1
Cor. 6:9-10.)
We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity. (Mark
12:28-31; Luke 6:31.) Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be
repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture nor the doctrines of Greenhills Christian Fellowship (GCF).

The Bible as the Final Authority on Matters of Faith and Conduct

This Doctrinal Statement does not exhaust the extent of our beliefs. The Bible itself, as the inspired and
infallible Word of God that speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality, and the proper conduct of
mankind, is the sole and final source of all that we believe.