Spiritual Discernment

What a privilege we have been given of God to have His written Word (2 Timothy 3:16)! In addition, as believers in the Lord Jesus, we have been endowed with the Holy Spirit who is there to guide us into all the truth of God’s Word (John 16:13)! Thus, as individuals indwelt by the Spirit, and having the availability of the Scriptures to study, we each one of the church have the responsibility to correctly interpret and apply what God has told us (John 14:17; 2 Timothy 2:15; Acts 17:11). Our allegiance and obedience must be to God before whom we must all appear at the judgement seat of Christ (Romans 14:10-12; 2 Corinthians 5:9-10).

Therefore, the church as made up of individual saints must remain united around the truth of God’s Word without deviation from the core doctrines and its guiding principles (John 17:17; Ephesians 4:15). We walk in agreement as each of us being “members one of another” believe the truths of the Word espoused by the whole church and as recorded in its documents. There is no coercion to believe, but membership at GNBC is premised on the willingness to agree with and ascribe to practicing the faith as held by this body of believers. Those who have become members are under no obligation to remain such if they determine that the Scriptures say something other than what the group (the local assembly) has adopted, and thus, they retain their individual soul liberty (Acts 5:29).

Having considered all that has been previously stated, there is a word of great caution with all the privileges and liberties we as believers possess in interpreting the Word for ourselves and seeking to obey it accordingly. Each one must be careful to think soberly and humbly (without conceit) as it pertains to the teachings and conducting of the lives of those that have been placed in the church by God for leading the flock in the Word of Truth (Ephesians 4:11-13; Philippians 3:15-20; 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13; 1 Timothy 5:17; Hebrews 13:7, 17).

*We must not frivolously regard the church and its teachings, or our great responsibility to remain vigilant in the Word by His Spirit.*