WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE REFORMED?

 

You may have heard that GPC is a "Reformed" church and wondered what that means.  The Reformation - the beginning of Protestantism - was a return to biblical Christian faith led by such men as Martin Luther and John Calvin.  It came about as a result of their efforts to restore biblical teaching to the Church of Rome, or to put it another way, to "reform" the church.  It is not incorrect to say that "Reformed faith" means "Biblical faith."

Some of the more significant teachings emphasized by the Reformers are listed below:

 

7 Significant Reformed Positions:

 

The sovereignty of God
In simple terms, this means that we recognize that God is supreme.  He cannot be over-ruled by anyone or anything.

 

The sufficiency of Christ
A right relationship with God comes about because Jesus Christ, God the Son, took on humanity, lived a life of perfect obedience in our place, took the penalty for our sin upon Himself, died, and was raised from the dead.  He accomplished all that needed to be accomplished for our salvation.  It is finished!  We receive the benefits of His perfect and complete work through faith.

 

Scripture Alone
The Scriptures of the Old and the New Testaments are the only true standard for Christian faith and practice.   All religious traditions and other religious writings must be evaluated by the standard of the 66 books of Scripture.

Grace Alone
Salvation is God’s work from beginning to end.  It has its basis in God’s willingness to give us, based on Christ’s meritorious works, what we cannot and do not deserve.  Man can’t do anything to earn or deserve God’s favor or to merit salvation. 

Faith Alone
Men are justified only because of their faith in Christ.  Neither human endeavor nor good intentions can produce a right relationship with God.

Christ Alone
Christ alone stands between God the Father and man.  He is our high priest.  There is no need for, nor benefit from, an earthly mediator standing between the believer and Christ. 

The Person Alone
Every person must stand on his own before the judgment of God.  He is responsible for his own understanding, interpretation, and response to God’s Word.

 

THE ESSENTIALS OF OUR FAITH

 

All Scripture is self-attesting and being Truth, requires our unreserved submission in all areas of life. The infallible Word of God, the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, is a complete and unified witness to God's redemptive acts culminating in the incarnation of the Living Word, the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible, uniquely and fully inspired by the Holy Spirit, is the supreme and final authority on all matters on which it speaks.  On this sure foundation we affirm these additional Essentials of our faith:

 

  1. We believe in one God, the sovereign Creator and Sustainer of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  To Him be all honor, glory and praise forever!

 

  2. Jesus Christ, the living Word, become flesh through His miraculous conception by the Holy Spirit and His virgin birth. He who is true God became true man united in one Person forever.  He died on the cross a sacrifice for our sins according to the Scriptures. On the third day He arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven, where, at the right hand of the Majesty on High, He now is our High Priest and Mediator.

 

  3. The Holy Spirit has come to glorify Christ and to apply the saving work of Christ to our hearts. He convicts us of sin and draws us to the Savior. Indwelling our hearts, He gives new life to us, empowers and imparts gifts to us for service. He instructs and guides us into all truth, and seals us for the day of redemption.

 

  4. Being estranged from God and condemned by our sinfulness, our salvation is wholly dependent upon the work of God's free grace. God credits His righteousness to those who put their faith in Christ alone for their salvation, thereby justifies them in His sight. Only such as are born of the Holy Spirit and receive Jesus Christ become children of God and heirs of eternal life.

 

  5. The true Church is composed of all persons who through saving faith in Jesus Christ and the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit are united together in the body of Christ. The Church finds her visible, yet imperfect, expression in local congregations where the Word of God is preached in its purity and the sacraments are administered in their integrity; where scriptural discipline is practiced, and where loving fellowship is maintained. For her perfecting, she awaits the return of her Lord.

 

  6. Jesus Christ will come again to the earth - personally, visibly, and bodily - to judge the living and the dead, and to consummate history and the eternal plan of God. “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” (Rev. 22:20) 

 

  7. The Lord Jesus Christ commands all believers to proclaim the Gospel throughout the world and to make disciples of all nations. Obedience to the Great Commission requires total commitment to “Him who loved us and gave Himself for us.” He calls us to a life of self-denying love and service. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Eph. 2:10)