1:1; 1 Pet. Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God (I Cor. Do you know about the sinless life He led and the work He did on the cross? Rom. 1 Tim. 1:18-22; Col. 2:14; John 19:30; 1 John 2:2; Gal. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Brief Statement of Faith Preface In 1983 the two largest Presbyterian churches in the United States reunited. to live as one community. 51:15; Isaiah 59:2; Eph. Which sacrament is, by Christs own appointment, to be continued in his church until the end of the world. We believe in one holy, universal, Christian church, the communion of saints called from the entire human family (Belhar Confession, Point 2). We believe that the moral law of God is summarized in the Ten Commandments and that all the Ten Commandments continue today to be the standard of righteousness which every child of God ought to love and obey. Additionally, this statement reaffirms many of the doctrinal positions of the common orthodox Christian confessions and creeds and identifies our school not only with the Scriptures but also with the reformers and the evangelical church of our modern era. All people are guilty of sin and fall short of the glory of God; and as such . 5:12, 19; 1 Cor. Preamble). Presbyteries consist of particular churches within geographical areas across the United States and Canada. Christ wipes our record clean. The Baptist Confession of Faith (1689) w. Scripture Proof - Reformed This, God has done since the beginning of the world and will do to the end (Belhar Confession, Point 1). 1:18-19). Beliefs | EPC - Evangelical Presbyterian Church We receive this gift without any consideration of the things weve done. We believe that Almighty God has revealed all that is necessary to life and salvation in the sixty six books of Holy Scripture which are the Word of God. 3:27; Tit. Yet God acts with justice and mercy to redeem creation. In 1978, the RCA approved Our Song of Hope as a contemporary statement of faith. For they are all three coeternal and co-essential. (Matt. We desire our personal lives and organizational structure and policies to give explicit evidence that we treasure Jesus Christ above all things. 1:5; 2 Tim. The marks, by which the true Church is known, are these: if the pure doctrine of the gospel is preached therein; if she maintains the pure administration of the sacraments as instituted by Christ; if church discipline is exercised in punishing of sin: in short, if all things are managed according to the pure Word of God, all things contrary thereto corrected, and Jesus Christ acknowledged as the only Head of the Church. Jesus was crucified, 15:21-22; James 1:15, Ps. to pray without ceasing, The outward element to be used in this sacrament is water, wherewith the party is to be baptized, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, by a minister of the gospel, lawfully called thereunto. Because of that, Reformed Christians believe that the church must witness against and strive against any form of injustice, so that justice may roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream (Belhar Confession, Point 4). Soli Deo Gloria Salvation is of God and has been accomplished by God, therefore to God alone belongs the glory (Isa. We believe that the unmerited favor that God grants to totally depraved sinners is not related to any initiative of their own part or to Gods anticipation of what they might do by their own will, but is solely of His sovereign grace and mercy (Eph. It does not pretend to be a complete list of all our beliefs, nor does it explain any of them in detail. 10:81). Gods sovereignty is exercised as God sustains heaven and earth and all creatures (Heidelberg Catechism, Q&A 27) and in the particular way that God gathers, protects, and cares for the church through Word and Spirit. Warfield. We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, pederasty, pedophilia, etc.) and release to the captives, Our disobedience so poisoned our nature that all of us are wired from birth to be sinners (Heidelberg Catechism, Q&A 7). The world (creation) is the theater of Gods action and Gods glory and the purpose of Gods action. As believers, we are united to Christ, both in his death and in his resurrection, which is a guarantee of our glorious resurrection (Heidelberg Catechism, Q&A 45). If God has chosen to give you the gift of salvation through Christ, you cannot lose your salvation. 2:7-15; 1 John 2:20). It proclaims the gospel (Belgic Confession, Article 29), It administers the sacraments as Christ instituted them (Belgic Confession, Article 29), It practices discipline when members are not living out their faith (Belgic Confession, Article 29), A fourth characteristic of the church, unity, is worth including here. 4:4; Ps. 4:6. In the creation narrative, God creates humans on the sixth and final day of bringing things into being. For that reason, the work of the Holy Spirit is essential for the right understanding of the Bible,and prayer for His assistance belongs to a proper effort to understand and apply Gods Word. God bore testimony to His acceptance of His Sons work by raising Him from the dead. 4:11-12; Matt. 3:4-7; 1 Pet. The preconditions for church membership include an understanding of and agreement with the Gospel followed by . The outward element to be used in this sacrament is water, wherewith the party is to be baptized in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, by a called and qualified minister of the gospel. The following are summaries of the denomination's doctrinal and ethical positions as stated over the years by synod. Build up the body of Christ. function googleTranslateElementInit() { STATEMENT OF FAITH - Covenant Reformed Baptist Church As faithful expressions of the Bible, we believe the historic Reformed confessions of the church are the best expression of biblical Christianity. In this way, the sacraments help us focus on the truth at the heart of our faith: the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross as the only ground of our salvation (Heidelberg Catechism, Q&A 67). 3:14; John 4:24; 1 Tim. 2 Cor. The Basis of Our Faith: God is one God in three persons; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Do you know the Lord Jesus Christ? God gives us the faith to accept salvation as an act of undeserved grace (Canons of Dort, Main Point 1, Article 7). It is the foundation for what we will preach, teach, pray, instruct, and counsel, and how we will discipline. Presbytery meetings are held twice annually (or thrice annually by some presbyteries). 7:25; Col. 2:10; Phil. Edited by John E. Meeter. In a broken and fearful world Reformation Seminary is 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Ministry, EIN #85-3549290, Copyright 2020-2023 by Reformation Seminary. 1:4-10). 8:30. Scripture calls the church the body of Christ and calls Christ our head. authorities subordinate to the Bible) by many denominations, which have made . Not only those that do actually profess faith in and obedience unto Christ, but also the infants of one, or both, believing parents, are to be baptized. Were so trapped in sin that we cannot find our way back to God on our own. To fully understand Reformed theology, we recommend. Under the sponsorship of Geneva a Calvinist church was organised in Paris [1] in 1555 with a formal organisation and regular services. Copyright 2021 Reformed Christian Church. It has the benefit of rounding out the pastor's gifts to ensure the proper shepherding of God's church. The oldest and most comprehensive of the RCAs standards, the Belgic Confession outlines the central beliefs of the Christian faith with a Reformed accent. Amen. in the one body of Christ, the Church. Statement of Faith - Reformed Baptist Church of Kansas City Statement of Faith Confession: London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689 Catechism: Baptist Catechism, Charleston Association, 1813 The Catechism set to music- a wonderful help for our children! Jesus Christ, the living Word, became flesh through His miraculous conception by the Holy Spirit and His virgin birth. The Bible itself, as the inspired and infallible Word of God that speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality, and the proper conduct of mankind, is the sole and final source of all that we believe. Reformed Christians sometimes say the Bible is the only rule of faith and life.. What we now know as "Judaism" grew out of this group, technically called "Rabbinic Judaism.". Gen. 3:6, 17-19; Rom. 4:18; Rom. We believe that election is the act of God by which, before the foundation of the world, He chose in Christ those whom He graciously regenerates, saves, and sanctifies (Rom. We trust the words of the Bible above all because the Holy Spirit testifies in our hearts that they are from God (Belgic Confession, Article 5). Gods intention for creation was that everything live together in harmony. By these means, everything will be carried on in the Church with good order and decency, when faithful men are chosen, according to the rule prescribed by the Apostle Paul in his Epistle to Timothy. 2Tim 3:16-17; Luke 16:31 6. 5:9-13; 2 Cor. Revelation: The ways that God makes himself known to us. 2:5-10, 13-17; 5:1-5), We believe Baptism is a sacrament of the New Testament, ordained by Jesus Christ, not only for the solemn admission of the party baptized into the visible Church, but also to be unto him a sign and seal of the covenant of grace, of his ingrafting into Christ, of regeneration, of remission of sins, and of his giving up unto God, through Jesus Christ, to walk in newness of life: which sacrament is, by Christs own appointment, to be continued in his Church until the end of the world. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. We are committed to the supreme authority and complete truthfulness of the Word of God and we believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the verbally inspired word of God, the final authority for faith and life, inerrant in the original writings, infallible, and God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16, 17; 2 Peter 1:20, 21; Matthew 5:18; John 16:12, 13). 1:5-9; Heb. There is neither first nor last: for they are all three one, in truth, in power, in goodness, and in mercy. On March 31, 2011, the Board of Directors of the World Reformed Fellowship completed work on a Statement of Faith that was five years in the making. All we have to do is accept his gift of salvation with a believing heart (Heidelberg Catechism, Q&A 60). The Belgic Confession, also known as the Confession of Faith, is the oldest of the doctrinal standards of the Reformed Church in America and the Christian Reformed Church. In the words of God: See, the home of God is among mortals. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. The biblically designated officers serving under Christ and leading the assembly are elders and deacons. 3:1-5). Early Christians said that God revealed himself to us through two books: the book of nature and the book of Scripture. Read highlights of our Confession below. 5:16; Phil. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". 4:16-17; 2 Peter 3:10; Acts 17:31; John 5:22, 27; 1 Corinthians 6:3; Jude 6; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Ecclesiastes 12:14; Matthew 12:36; Romans 14:10, 12; Matthew 25:3246. Human life is of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, the aged, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition from conception through natural death. You cannot lose the gift of salvation This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Faith in Christ isnt a gift God will take away from you. God the Father is the creator of all things, visible and invisible, sustaining and providentially ruling over creation in an active relationship of love. With the warm tone of a gentle teacher, the Heidelberg Catechism unpacks the gospel, the sacraments, the Ten Commandments, and the Lords Prayer. Ignoring Gods commandments, 1:5; Jude 24). we rejoice that nothing in life or in death 11:36; Exod. Drawn up by the 1646 Westminster Assembly as part of the Westminster Standards to be a confession of the Church of England, it became and remains the "subordinate standard" of doctrine in the Church of Scotland and has been influential within Presbyterian churches worldwide. We believe that election should not be looked upon as based merely on abstract sovereignty. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 4. Statement of Faith - Reformed Missions Organization - Serge 1:20-23; Rom. Such a conformity is climaxed in the believers glorification at Christs coming (Rom. Our Lord Jesus, in the night wherein he was betrayed, instituted the sacrament of his body and blood, called the Lords Supper, to be observed in his church, unto the end of the world, for the perpetual remembrance of the sacrifice of himself in his death; the sealing all benefits thereof unto true believers, their spiritual nourishment and growth in him, their further engagement in and to all duties which they owe unto him; and, to be a bond and pledge of their communion with him, and with each other, as members of his mystical body. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. The confession originated during a time of Protestants being persecuted and thus provides a clear outline of Reformed belief. 7:14; Matt. Historical creeds and confessions affirmed by Reformation Seminary include the following: The Apostles Creed, The Nicene Creed, The Chalcedonian Definition, The Westminster Statement of Faith, The Belgic Confession, and The 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith. Sinai . It does not store any personal data. We believe in the autonomy of the local churches. All claims to the eradication of sin in this life are unscriptural. Four statements of belief, known in the RCA as Standards of Unity, express what the Reformed Church believes: the Heidelberg Catechism, the Belgic Confession, the Canons of Dort, and the Confession of Belhar. 3:1-13, 5:17; Acts 14:23, 20:17, 28; Titus 1:5-7; Phil. is sinful and offensive to God (Matt. By Gods free grace, the righteousness of Jesus Christ is imputed to us by faith and is the sole ground of our acceptance by God, by which our sins are pardoned (Rom. 10:16-18; 11:23-29). 20:1-17; Romans 13:810; James 2:8, 1012; James 2:10, 11; Matthew 5:1719; Romans 3:31. 5:21; Rom. We believe that every believer is sanctified (set apart) unto God by justification and is therefore declared to be holy and is therefore identified as a saint. We believe that God made our first father Adam perfect, holy and upright. 11. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Loving us still, With believers in every time and place, B. Warfield From Selected Shorter Writings of Benjamin B. Warfield - Volume I, pp. STATEMENTS OF FAITH Christians often confess their faith in simple, elegant ways: "My Lord and my God!" (Acts 20:28); "Jesus Christis Lord of all" (Acts 10:36). In this sacrament, Christ is not offered up to His Father; nor any real sacrifice made at all, for the remission of sins of the quick or dead; but only a commemoration of that one offering up of himself, by himself, upon the cross, once for all. Our righteousness is in Jesus. 3:5; Mark 1:4; Rom 6:3-4; Mat 28:19-20; Matt. We believe the Bible is the final standard of faith and practice for the believer in Jesus Christ and for His Church. 1:30; 1 Pet. (Acts 13:14; 15:1931; 20:28; Romans 16:1,4; 1 Corinthians 3:9, 16; 1 Corinthians 5:47, 13; 1 Peter 5:14). 12:13; Rom. 2:14-16; I Thess. This sacrament is not only for those who profess faith in and obedience unto Christ, but also the infants of one or both believing parents. Genuine regeneration is manifested by fruits worthy of repentance as demonstrated in righteous attitudes and conduct. 6:19-20; Eph. We deserve Gods condemnation. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We need statements that illuminate what exactly we see in the Scriptures: i.e. 5. We believe that the term marriage has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture (Gen. 2:18-25). Scripture calls the church the body of Christ and calls Christ our head. and binding up the brokenhearted, This statement provides a summary of biblical doctrine that is consistent with historic evangelical Christianity. and the communion of the Holy Spirit, 13:4. 2:13-14; James 1:18; John 3:8; 1:13; 3:5, 6:37; 1 Pet. Or, a thousand churches in a million ways doing one thingfollowing Christ in mission, in a lost and broken world so loved by God. This means that, as a denomination, we affirm specific statements of belief called creeds and confessions. 4:8; Rom. 8:4,6; Deut. male and female, of every race and people, One of the responsibilities of church leadership is to care spiritually for church members who are not living in accordance with Gods Word. 22:17). These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Finally, God will judge evil for what it is, bringing an end to the power of sin and death. We believe the Biblethe 66 books of the Old and New Testamentswas not composed by human will, but men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God (2 Peter 1:21). We believe in the one true and living God, in three Persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, who is invisible, personal, omnipresent, eternal, dependent on none, unchanging, truthful, trustworthy, almighty, sovereign, omniscient, righteous, holy, good, loving, merciful, long-suffering and gracious. 13:4). eating with outcasts, 6:4; Jer. 5:13, 25-26; Tit. We trust the words of the Bible above all because the Holy Spirit testifies in our hearts that they are from God (Belgic Confession, Article 5). Reformed Christians have a high view of Gods sovereignty, a belief that nothing happens in this world without Gods orderly arrangement (Belgic Confession, Article 13). A brief treatment of confessions of faith follows. 4:14; 1 Cor. 8:6; John 1:14,18; John 15:26; Gal. accept lies as truth, This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. We do this in remembrance of the Lord, and thus proclaim His death until He comes. 8:7, Eph. Position Statements Over time, the Christian Reformed Church has stated its position on a variety of contemporary topics. We know God through the world God created, including our own selves: The universe is before our eyes like a beautiful book in which all creatures, great and small, are as letters to make us ponder Gods eternal power and divinity (Belgic Confession, Article 2). 4:13; 2 Tim 2:4; Eph. 7:14.). 3:9; 1 Cor. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. 2:12b; Col. 3:16; 2 Pet. The church is under the authority of Jesus Christ, who unites believers to himself and to each other. 1:17; Deut. whom alone we worship and serve. Further, the pastors/ministers/clergy and staff of the Reformed Christian Churchshall only participate in weddings and solemnize marriages between one man and one woman. This continual process of being made more holy is called sanctification. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Instead, we emphasize Gods loving providence, which explains that God makes all things work together for our good (Romans 8:28).

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