Grace Baptist Chapel, Tottenham

The Statement of Faith may be summarised as:-

1. The Being of God.
God is Spirit; infinite, eternal and unchangeable, in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth. (John 4:24, 1 Tim.1:17; Jer. 23:24; Heb. 4:13; Rom. 1:20; Rev. 4:8; 2 Thess. 1:7–9; Ex.24:6,7; Heb. 10:23; John 17:17) In the unity of the Godhead there are three persons, of one substance, power and eternity; God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. The Father is of none, neither begotten or proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father; the Holy Spirit eternally proceeds from the Father and the Son. (Matt. 3:16,17; Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 8:14; Is. 9:6; 1 Tim. 3:16; Phil. 2:10; John 20:27,28; John 16:14,15; Ps. 139:7–10; Job 26:13)

2. The Scriptures.
The 66 books of the Old and New Testaments have been divinely preserved through all ages and are alone the Word of God written. They are therefore the sole, sufficient and infallible guide in matters of faith and practice. The law of God (summarised in the Ten Commandments) is binding on all men, and obedience to it is required of saved and unsaved persons alike. (Matt. 5:17–20; 2 Tim. 3:16,17; Rev. 22:18,19)

3. The Fall of Man.
Adam was the representative of the human race and his fall into sin has brought about the total guilt and condemnation of all mankind, alienating them from God, and rendering them unable, in and of themselves, to turn to Him. (Gen. 6:5,6; 1 Cor. 2:14, 15:22)

4. The Plan of Salvation.
Having regard to the helplessness and enmity of man in sin, God in eternity, of His own free grace, determined to save a great multitude of sinners for whom the eternal Son of God became the mediator. In the fulness of time the Son of God took a real human nature in the womb of the virgin Mary and lived a perfect life, yielding full obedience to the holy law of God. He gave Himself at Golgotha as a substitute for all His people, bearing the full penalty of their sin, and rose from the dead on the third day. He ascended into heaven, where he ever lives and reigns, interceding for His Church and governing the affairs of men until the end of time. (Eph. 1:3–5; 1 Tim. 2:5; Gal. 4:4–7; 1 Cor. 15:3–8; Phil. 2:5–11;Heb. 7:24–27)

5. The Application of Salvation.
The salvation secured by the work of Jesus Christ is applied to the elect by the Holy Spirit. By His powerful and mysterious work, dead souls are quickened into spiritual life and given the desire and ability to repent of sin and believe in Christ as their Saviour and Lord. Awakened by the Spirit, sinners are justified by genuine faith alone. Such faith will be seen by good works springing from it. True believers enjoy sins forgiven and Christ’s righteousness imputed to them. Those whom God justifies shall persevere to the end and enter the joys of heaven. (Rom.8:5–8; Eph. 2:1, Rom. 5:1, Rom. 8:30, James 2:14–17)

6. The Christian Life.
The Christian rejoices in the innumerable blessings of the new covenant, in the forgiveness of sins and the creation of an inward desire to glorify God. He also rejoices in the knowledge that eternity in heaven with God is his future reward. Good works and practical holiness are not the cause, but indispensable evidences of, a genuine experience of divine grace. (Ps. 103:12; Matt. 25:31–46; John 15; Rom. 8; James 2:14–18)

7. The Church.
The Universal Church is the innumerable company of God’s elect in every age, whilst the local church is made up of those who have covenanted together by a visible bond of fellowship. The ordinances of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper belong in the context of the local church, and their very nature indicates that before partaking of the Supper converts should identify themselves with the Lord Jesus and His people in Baptism and church membership. (Matt. 28:19,20; Acts 2:44–47; 1 Cor. 10:15–17)

8. The Last Things.
At a time known only to God, the Lord Jesus Christ shall return to this earth in glory to raise the dead, both righteous and unrighteous, and judge all mankind. The wicked will be sent into everlasting punishment and the righteous into life eternal. (1 Thess. 4:13–18; Rev. 1:7; Rev.20:10–15; Mark 9:43–50)