Our Belief
Sovereign Grace Church is a local Confessional Reformed Baptist church. Names do have a meaning and it is necessary to explain what this means to help you understand.
By ‘Confessional’ we mean that the church believes in the historical Confessions of Reformation and is fully committed to the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith. Though it is a human document and not inerrant, we endorse it is as a faithful summary of the teachings of the Bible and require the membership to hold to it in faith and practice. We believe that the Holy Scriptures alone are our ultimate authority and the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith is subordinate to it. Nevertheless, since the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith thoroughly articulates the essentials of the historical Christian faith, the Doctrines of Grace, experimental Christian living by evangelical obedience to the moral law of God, Biblical Reformed and Baptistic local church polity and government, we are committed to it as our subordinate authority.
FAQ
What does “Reformed” mean?
Quoting Jim Savastio from his sermon transcript “What is a Reformed Baptist Church?”, he says:
“when we say that we are Reformed we are saying that we embrace, as biblical, that system of theology known as the ‘doctrines of grace’”… “the Reformed Faith touches on far more than these basic truths regarding God’s glory in salvation. The Reformed Faith is concerned with God’s glory in the church, in society, in the family, and in a life of holiness. The Reformed Faith has a high and God-centered view of worship. The Reformed Faith embraces a high view of God’s law and of His church.”
You can read the full transcript here.
What is a Baptist?
Baptists are a branch of Protestant believers who hold to the biblical principle that water baptism of full immersion can and must be undertaken by professing Christians only. This, along with matters of church government and subscription to the 5 Solas*, marks the difference between Baptists and other denominations.
* salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, as revealed by Scripture alone, to God’s glory alone.
What is the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith?
According to Wikipedia, the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith was written by Calvinistic Baptists in England to give a formal expression of the Reformed and Protestant Christian faith with an obvious Baptist perspective. This confession, like The Westminster Confession of Faith (1646) and the Savoy Declaration (1658), was written by Puritans who were concerned that their particular church organization reflect what they perceived to be Biblical teaching.
Click here to read this Confession of Faith.
“Reformed Baptist churches are distinguished by an unshakable conviction that the church exists for the glory of God. Because the church exists for the glory of God, the worship of God and the Word of God are central to its life.”
— Jim Savastio
“God the good Creator of all things, in His infinite power and wisdom does uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all creatures and things…”
— Ch5 par.1 excerpt from London Baptist Confession of Faith
