What We Believe
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We believe in God, that He is three persons but one God and both hidden and revealed. It is His holiness that provides for humanity’s deliverance from the penalty and power of sin. His Work is primarily creation, grace, justice and mercy. God wants us to know Him and has revealed Himself to us in various ways.
We believe in Jesus Christ and in His pre-existence. He became incarnate and was truly human and wholly God. The characteristics of Jesus’ divinity are the very characteristics of God. He is Savior and Lord. He died and was resurrected and ascended into heaven. This same Jesus will come to receive us that we may be with Him forever. We believe in the Holy Spirit, that He is God and came into the world in a new way at Pentecost. He can be known and experienced. He endows the followers of Christ with the “unity of the Spirit.” His function in the Church, through the work of sanctification, is producing spiritual fruit and dispensing spiritual gifts. We believe the Bible is the inspired, infallible authority, the Word of God, our only rule of faith and practice. God uses the words of men to convey His truth. The central message of the Scriptures is the good news that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Proper interpretation of the Bible comes from the Holy Spirit. We believe in humanity’s importance to God and in our created nature. Humanity has a sinful nature. We also have the potential of a new nature in Christ. We are created free moral agents and are accountable to God for choices made. We are free to make the decision to accept Christ. We are no less free to turn away from God and be lost. God does provide power for living a victorious Christian life. We believe humanity’s salvation is in our regeneration, new birth, when we respond to God’s offer. Humanity is justified by faith in Christ, not by works of the law, or by works of our own righteousness. Justification includes remission and restoration, bestowed righteousness of God, and new standing before God. Sanctification is both instantaneous and progressive. The believer’s life and character are transformed by consecration to God. It is the privilege and duty of believers to live holy lives. We believe the Church is God’s called-out people who have specific rights and responsibilities. The Church enjoys a special kind of fellowship which is rooted in the Christian’s common fellowship with the Father. The Church should be a servant to God and humanity and apply New Testament principles to its life. We believe Christ has given the Church three divine ordinances: Baptism, Feet Washing and the Lord’s Supper. Baptism is an outward symbol of an inward grace. It is to be practiced by those who profess faith in Christ and express commitment to follow Him. Baptism is not essential to salvation. It is to be administered by immersion. Feet Washing is a celebration of the Incarnation and reminds us of our calling to be servants. It is an expression to our love for one another. It reminds us of our need to minister and to be ministered unto. The Lord’s Supper, also known as Communion, is intended to remind us of Christ’s atoning death. It is a proclamation of hope. This ordinance is open to all Christians. We believe in the presentation of children for the Lord’s blessing, setting them apart for the Lord. Children are gifts of God and part of the covenant community. Parents are responsible for the spiritual nurture of their children. The congregation also shares this responsibility. We believe in the Second Coming and ultimate victory of Jesus Christ. God will bring history to its proper close in His way and time. The message of end times is one of victory and fulfillment for Christians and the ultimate triumph of God’s Kingdom. Until then the mission of God’s people is to be salt and light in the world. We believe in the bodily resurrection of believers. We believe judgment will accompany Christ’s return. (This section is a summary of We Believe, the doctrinal statement of the Churches of God, General Conference.) More detailed information about what we believe can be found at www.cggc.org which is the site for the Churches of God General Conference. |
Additional Information
We are part of the Churches of God General Conference
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