OUR DOCTRINE, OUR MESSAGE, OUR COMMITMENT

"But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.” -- Acts 20:24

The doctrine we believe, the message we preach, and that to which we are committed are summarized in these words: "The ministry which (we) have received of the Lord Jesus (is) to testify the gospel of the grace of God."

OUR DOCTRINE IS THE GOSPEL OF THE GRACE OF GOD. We believe and preach the gospel of God's free and sovereign grace in Christ. We do not believe in the free-will of the sinner, but the free-will of God. Unlike most of the religious world in which we live, We are not will worshippers, but worshippers of God. We do not believe in salvation by works, but salvation by grace. We do not believe in salvation by man, but the salvation of man by Christ alone (Jon. 2:9; 2 Tim. 1:9). Our doctrine is set forth in these nine statements of faith. I challenge you to search the Scriptures and see if these things are so.

1. The Bible alone is our inspired, authoritative rule of faith and practice (2 Tim. 3:16-17). We have no creed to defend, no confession of faith to uphold, and no denomination to maintain. Our only source of doctrine is the naked Word of God.

2. Almighty God is totally sovereign in all things (Psa. 135:6). Either God almighty is totally sovereign, doing his will and having his way in all things, or he is not God. There is no alternative between an absolute sovereign and no God at all.

3. All men and women by nature are totally depraved and helplessly lost under the wrath of God (Rom. 3:9-19). Man by nature deserves God’s wrath and is utterly incapable of changing his condition or of even making any contribution toward change.

4. There is a people in this world, chosen by God in eternal, unconditional election, who must be saved (2 Thess. 2:13-14). Thank God for electing love! Were it not for God’s election of some to salvation, no one could ever be saved.

5. The Lord Jesus Christ died for and effectually redeemed God's elect (Isa. 53:8; Heb. 9:12). Christ did no merely make redemption possible upon condition of man’s repentance and faith. He redeemed his people from their sins. Our repentance and faith in him is the result of his redeeming us.

6. God the Holy Spirit effectually calls every elect sinner, those redeemed by Christ, to life and faith in Christ by His almighty, irresistible grace (Psa. 65:4; John 6:63). Sinners are born again by the irresistible, life giving, almighty power and grace of God the Holy Spirit.

7. The means of regeneration, faith and conversion is the preaching of the gospel (1 Cor. 1:21; 1 Pet. 1:23-25). “It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.”

8. God's saints in Christ are free from the law (Rom. 7:1-4; 10:1-4). Believers are ruled, governed, and motivated by the love and grace of God in Christ, not by the terror of the law.

9. And every sinner who trusts Christ is born of God and shall persevere to the end by God's infallible grace (John 10:27-30). It is not possible for a saved sinner to be lost, because “salvation is of the Lord.”

Here we stand! From the beginning of my preaching ministry to this date my doctrine has not changed, even slightly. If God is pleased to give me another thirty years of ministry on this earth, or fifty, my doctrine will be the same then. With God’s people, these points of doctrine are more than theological positions we have come to accept. They are matters of heart conviction. To deny these things is to deny the gospel, blaspheme God, and make void the Word of God. Here I stand. I cannot do otherwise. AMEN.

Grace Baptist Church of Danville - Grace For Today Radio Message #806

2734 Old Stanford Road - Danville, Kentucky 40422-9438

Donald S. Fortner, Pastor -Telephone 606-236-8235 - Email grace@mis.net