We believe that because of the faithful obedience of Christ in His incarnation, life and death, He rose from the grave, defeating death, and has been exalted and given the name above every other name so that all authority in heaven and earth belongs to Him. Therefore, as the rightful Lord and judge of all, it is the duty and responsibility of all persons to submit to His Lordship and ultimately answer to Him (Matt 28:28; John 5:22; Acts 17:29-30; Rom 1:4; Eph 1:19-23; Phil 2:9-11).
In His grace, God has gifted humanity two sources of truth that Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, uses to draw all humanity to Himself. The first is the scriptures, breathed out by the same Spirit, infallible, and “useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” The second is the one universal and apostolic church, filled by the Spirit, but fallible, of which Christ is the head (John 12:32, 16:8; 1 Cor 2:12-13; Eph 5:23; Col 1:18; 2 Tim 3:16).
The church has many local expressions of itself, equal in dignity, through which the faithful can receive help, equipping, encouragement, and spiritual nourishment through fellowship and the administration of word and sacrament (baptism and the Lord’s supper). As a chosen people and kingdom of priests, we submit to, bear with, and forgive one another out of reverence for Christ (Romans 12:10; Eph 4:11-14; Col 3:12-13; 1 Peter 2:9; 2 John 1:1,13).
The Holy Spirit calls a plurality of qualified men; equal in dignity and authority, yet diverse in function and gifting; to serve as elders to govern and shepherd each local church, guarding it from false teaching. This ought to be done with eagerness and without domineering as the elders serve as examples to the flock, following the model of Christ, the Good and Chief Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep. (John 10:1-18; Acts 20:28; 1 Tim 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Peter 5:1-4).
As the scriptures are relatively silent in how churches ought to relate to one another, we believe this gives local churches the freedom to associate for mutual benefit. However, we believe that there is no organization, neither religious nor secular, that can divest the authority and responsibility a congregation and its elders have towards one another.
South Grove affirms the following historic Christian creeds:
I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only-begotten Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from there he shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit; the holy catholic* church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting.
Amen.
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten not made, of one being with the Father; through Him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation He came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became truly human.
For our sake He was crucified under Pontius Pilate; He suffered death and was buried. On the third day He rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and His kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic* and apostolic church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come.
*Catholic here means 'universal' and does not refer specifically to the Roman Catholic church.