WHAT IS A SOVEREIGN GRACEC CHURCH
While there are many local churches across the country and around the world that fellowship among each other and may associate themselves as Sovereign Grace Churches, they are not a part of any denomination or ecclesiastical association, and do not desire to be. They simply prefer, because of their understanding of the Word of God, to remain and always function as a local, independent congregation. As such, they are actively engaged in adherence to the Word of God alone and are not ruled by or in any way obligated to any creed, or confession of faith of less inspiration and authority than "thus saith the Word of the Lord.". They adhere steadfast to "the apostles’ doctrine." That is to say, without intimidation believe and incessantly preach the doctrine of the Apostles included all those glorious, God honoring, Christ exalting, flesh abasing doctrines commonly referred to as Calvinism, or The Doctrines of Grace. In that they preach, praise, and reverence Christ alone, grace alone, and faith alone. The sum and substance of all they do and believe is Christ and Him crucified. I Cor 2:2 “For I determined not to know anything among you save Jesus Christ and Him crucified”
Why sovereign grace? You would most likely need to ask the pastor of one of these churches but to me I see know better way to precisely identify the person and message than with those words.
Sovereign – In the simplest terms sovereignty means God is God. Only He, unto Himself, can be exalted above all and is God of very God (Psa 97:9). Not only is there nothing He cannot do, within His nature, but also there is nothing left to chance. For all things, that are made by Him are within His dominion (Prov 16:4). Anything less than that takes glory away from God. Anything that gives any control to any of His creations most limits God, which takes away any and all sovereignty. I believe that God almighty is absolutely sovereign in all things, specifically in predestination, creation, providence, and salvation (Rom. 8:28-30; 11:33-36). I know that everything that comes to pass in time was predestinated by God in eternity and is brought to pass by God in providence for the salvation of his elect (Rom. 8:28-30; Eph. 1:11).
Grace- Every aspect of salvation from the election of men to their glorification is all of God’s grace. There is absolutely NO part of our redemption that has anything to do with what we do for God but what He has done for you. To ascribe any part of salvation to the religious efforts, good works, or man’s will is to deny the scriptures and the grace of God. The Father gave His only begotten Son, The Lord Jesus Christ, who died for and redeemed those elect sinners alone (Heb. 9:12; Rev. 5:9). God the Holy Spirit regenerates and calls every chosen, redeemed sinner to life and faith in Christ by the irresistible power of his grace through the preaching of the gospel (Rom. 1:16-17; 10:13-17; 1 Cor. 1:21-23; James 1:18; 1 Pet. 23-25). Every sinner born again by God’s free, sovereign, irresistible grace is kept in life and faith in Christ by that same grace unto eternal glory, being sealed in Christ by the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13-14).
Although they may not all say Sovereign Grace Church on their boards in front of their buildings and many may call themselves Baptist or other more common terms when asked what church I go to it is with humility and praise that I can say a sovereign grace church. For in those words is a glorious message of how a sinner like myself can be accepted by a Holy Sovereign God on the grounds of the Person and the Work of His gift of His Son.
