The PVMC Confession of Faith was adopted by the congregation at its’ annual meeting on February 5, 2017.
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Table of Contents
Introduction
Article 1. God
Article 2. Jesus Christ
Article 3. Holy Spirit
Article 4. Scripture
Article 5. Creation and Divine Providence
Article 6. Creation and Calling of Human Beings
Article 7. Sin
Article 8. Salvation
Article 9. The Church of Jesus
Article 10. The Church in Mission
Article 11. Baptism
Article 12. The Lord’s Supper
Article 13. Foot Washing
Article 14. Discipline in the Church
Article 15. Ministry and Leadership
Article 16. Church Order and Unity
Article 17. Discipleship and the Christian Life
Article 18. Spirituality
Article 19. Family, Singleness and Marriage
Article 20. Truth
Article 21. Christian Stewardship
Article 22. Peace, Justice, and Nonviolent Reconciliation
Article 23. Church’s Relation to Government and Society
Article 24. The Reign of God
Summary Statements
Introduction
Pleasant View Mennonite Church was established in Hydro, Oklahoma in 1898, however the foundation of the church was laid long before through the ministry of Jesus Christ. Since Jesus’ resurrection and charge to “make disciples of all nations” believers have sought to share the Gospel they have received. This includes studying God’s Word and seeking to live it out. Like the first disciples of Jesus, we too want to live and share the Gospel with others. The Pleasant View Mennonite Church Confession of Faith is a tool that helps us do that.
How do confessions of faith serve the church both locally and globally? 1) Confessions provide guidelines for the interpretation of Scripture. At the same time, the confession itself is subject to the authority of Scripture. 2) Confessions of faith provide guidance for belief and practice however a written statement should support not replace the lived witness of faith. 3) Confessions build a foundation for unity within and among churches. 4) Confessions offer an outline for instructing new church members and for sharing information with inquirers. 5) Confessions give an updated expression of belief and practice in the midst of changing times. 6) Confessions help in discussing Mennonite belief and practice with other Christians and people of other faiths or no religious belief. (Taken from the Introduction of the Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective, pg 8)
Most of the Pleasant View Mennonite Church Confession of Faith comes directly from the Mennonite Church USA Confession of Faith adopted in 1995. The Pleasant View Mennonite Church Confession of Faith adopted 21 years later has been updated to speak more directly to issues facing the church and contextualized to better fit the scriptural understandings of Pleasant View Mennonite Church. We anticipate future updates to be necessary as new issues emerge and the use of language changes. However, just as the context for the Gospel has changed but not the message, we would instruct those that come after us to carefully weigh additions or subtractions to this confession based on the Bible and lead by the Holy Spirit.
Article 1. God
We believe that God exists and is pleased with all who draw near by faith.1 We worship the one holy and loving God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit eternally.2 We believe that God has created all things visible and invisible, has brought salvation and new life to humanity through Jesus Christ, and continues to sustain the church and all things until the end of the age.
Beginning with Abraham and Sarah, God has called forth a people of faith to worship God alone, to witness to the divine purposes for human beings and all of creation, and to love their neighbors as themselves.3 We have been joined to this people through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ and by confessing him to be Savior and Lord as the Holy Spirit has moved us.4
We humbly recognize that God far surpasses human comprehension and understanding.5 We also gratefully acknowledge that God has spoken to humanity and related to us in many and various ways. We believe that God has spoken above all in the only Son, the Word who became flesh and revealed the divine being and character.6
God’s awesome glory and enduring compassion are perfect in holy love. God’s sovereign power and unending mercy are perfect in almighty love. God’s knowledge of all things and care for creation are perfect in preserving love. God’s abounding grace and wrath against sinfulness are perfect in righteous love. God’s readiness to forgive and power to transform are perfect in redemptive love. God’s unlimited justice and continuing patience with humankind are perfect in suffering love. God’s infinite freedom and constant self-giving are perfect in faithful love.7 To the one holy and ever-loving triune God be glory for ever and ever!
(1) Exod. 3:13-14; Heb. 11:6. (2) Exod. 20:1-6; Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:13 [14]. (3) Gen. 12:2-3; Lev. 19:18; Rom. 4:11-25; 1 Pet. 3:9-11. (4) Gal. 2:20; Rom. 3:22. (5) Exod. 3:13-14; Job 37; Isa. 40:18-25; Rom. 11:33-36. (6) John 1:14, 18; Heb. 1:1-4. (7) Exod. 20:4-6; 34:5-7; Ps. 25:4-10; Isa. 6; 54:10; Matt. 5:48; Rom. 2:5-11; 3:21-26; 1 John 4:8, 16.
Article 2. Jesus Christ
We believe in Jesus Christ, the Word of God become flesh. He is the Savior of the world, who has delivered us from the dominion of sin and reconciled us to God by humbling himself and becoming obedient unto death on a cross.1 He was declared to be Son of God with power by his resurrection from the dead.2 He is the head of the church, the exalted Lord, the Lamb who was slain, coming again to reign with God in glory. “No other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” 3
We confess Jesus as the Christ, the Messiah, through whom God has prepared the new covenant for all peoples. Born of the seed of David, Jesus Christ fulfills the messianic promises given through Israel.4 As prophet, he has proclaimed the coming of God’s kingdom and called everyone to repent. As teacher of divine wisdom, he has made known God’s will for human conduct. As faithful high priest, he has made the final atonement for sin and now intercedes for us. As king who chose the way of the cross, he has revealed the servant character of divine power.5
We accept Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world.6 In his ministry of preaching, teaching, and healing, he proclaimed forgiveness of sins and peace to those near at hand and those far off.7 In calling disciples to follow him, he began the new community of faith.8 In his suffering, he loved his enemies and did not resist them with violence, thus giving us an example to follow.9 In the shedding of his blood on the cross, Jesus offered up his life to the Father, bore the sins of all, and reconciled us to God.10 God then raised him from the dead, thereby conquering death and disarming the powers of sin and evil.11
We acknowledge Jesus Christ as the only Son of God, the Word of God incarnate. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. As fully human and tempted as we are, yet without sin, he is the model human being.12 As fully divine, he is the one in whom the fullness of God was pleased to dwell. During his earthly life, Jesus had an intimate relationship with his heavenly Abba and taught his disciples to pray “Abba, Father.”13 He is the image of the invisible God, and “all things have been created through him and for him, for he is before all things.”14
We recognize Jesus Christ as the head of the church, his body.15 As members of his body, we are in Christ, and Christ dwells in us. Empowered by this intimate relationship with Christ, the church continues his ministry of mercy, justice, and peace in a broken world.16
We worship Jesus Christ as the one whom God has exalted and made Lord over all. He is our Lord and the not-yet-recognized Lord of the world. We live in the assurance of his coming again as the one by whom all humanity will be judged. He is the one who shall be acknowledged Lord of all, and the Lamb who will reign forever and ever.17
(1) Phil. 2:5-8. (2) Rom. 1:4. (3) 1 Cor. 3:11. (4) 2 Sam. 7:13-14; Isa. 9:1-6; Rom. 1:3; 2 Cor. 6:18. (5) Isa. 42:1-9; Matt. 4:17; Luke 4:43f.; Matt. 57; Heb. 2:17; 1 Pet. 3:18; Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25; John 18:36-37; Rev. 5:8-14; 7:17. (6) Acts 4:12; 1 John 4:14. (7) Eph. 2:13-22. (8) Mark 3:13-19. (9) Matt. 26:50; 1 Pet. 2:21-23. (10) Luke 23:46; Rom. 5:18; 2 Cor. 5:19. (11) Col. 2:15; Eph. 1:20-21. (12) Heb. 4:15; Rom. 5:14-21; 1 Pet. 2:21. (13) Mark 14:36; Matt. 6:9-13; Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:6. (14) Col. 1:15-17, 19. (15) Eph. 1:22-23. (16) Col. 1:24. (17) Acts 17:31; Phil. 2:11; Rev. 5:12-14.
Article 3. Holy Spirit
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the eternal Spirit of God, who dwelled in Jesus Christ, who empowers the church, who is the source of our life in Christ, and who is poured out on those who believe as the guarantee of our redemption and of the redemption of creation.
Through the Spirit of God, the world was created, prophets and writers of Scripture were inspired, the people were enabled to follow God’s law, Mary conceived, and Jesus was anointed at his baptism.1 By the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus proclaimed the good news of the reign of God, healed the sick, accepted death on the cross, and was raised from the dead.
At Pentecost, God began to pour out the Spirit on all flesh and to gather the church from among many nations.2 As a dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, the church praises and worships God and brings forth the fruit of the Spirit. By the gifts of the Holy Spirit, all Christians are called to carry out their particular ministries. By the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the church comes to unity in doctrine and action. By the power of the Holy Spirit, the church preaches, teaches, testifies, heals, loves, and suffers, following the example of Jesus its Lord.
The Holy Spirit calls people to repentance, convicts them of sin, and leads into the way of righteousness all those who open themselves to the working of the Spirit.3 Scripture urges us to yield to the Spirit, and not to resist or quench the Spirit.4 By water and the Spirit, we are born anew into the family of God. The Spirit dwells in each child of God, bringing us into relationship with God. Through the indwelling of the Spirit, we are made heirs together with Christ, if we suffer with him, so that we may also be glorified with him.5 The Spirit teaches us, reminds us of Jesus’ word, guides us into all truth, and empowers us to speak the word of God with boldness.6
The Holy Spirit enables our life in Christian community, comforts us in suffering, is present with us in time of persecution, intercedes for us in our weakness, guarantees the redemption of our bodies, and assures the future redemption of creation.7
(1) Ps. 104:30; Mic. 3:8; Ezek. 36:26-27; Luke 1:35; 3:22. (2) Joel 2:28-29; Acts 2:16-18. (3) John 16:8-10. (4) Isa. 63:10; Acts 5:3; Eph. 4:30; 1 Thess. 5:19. (5) John 3:5; Rom. 8:14-17. (6) John 14:26; 16:13; 1 Cor. 2:14; Acts 4:24-31. (7) Matt. 10:20; 2 Cor. 5:5; Rom. 8:26-27; Eph. 1:13-14; Rom. 8:18-23.
Article 4. Scripture
We believe that all Scripture is inspired by God through the Holy Spirit for instruction in salvation and training in righteousness. We accept the Scriptures as the Word of God and as the fully reliable and trustworthy standard for Christian faith and life. We seek to understand and interpret Scripture in harmony with Jesus Christ as we are led by the Holy Spirit in the church.
We believe that God was at work through the centuries in the process by which the books of the Old and New Testaments were inspired and written.1 Through the Holy Spirit, God moved human witnesses to write what is needed for salvation, for guidance in faith and life, and for devotion to God.2
We accept the Bible as the Word of God written. God has spoken in many and various ways through the prophets and apostles.3 God has spoken above all in the living Word who became flesh and revealed the truth of God faithfully and without deception.4 We also acknowledge the Scripture as the fully reliable and trustworthy Word of God written in human language.5 We believe that God continues to speak through the living and written Word.6 Because Jesus Christ is the Word become flesh, Scripture as a whole has its center and fulfillment in him.7
We acknowledge the Scripture as the authoritative source and standard for preaching and teaching about faith and life, for distinguishing truth from error, for discerning between good and evil, and for guiding prayer and worship. Other claims on our understanding of Christian faith and life, such as tradition, culture, experience, reason, and political powers, need to be tested and corrected by the light of Holy Scripture.8
The Bible is the essential book of the church. Through the Bible, the Holy Spirit nurtures the obedience of faith to Jesus Christ and guides the church in shaping its teaching, witnessing, and worship. We commit ourselves to persist and delight in reading, studying, and meditating on the Scriptures.9 We participate in the church’s task of interpreting the Bible and of discerning what God is saying in our time by examining all things in the light of Scripture. 10 Insights and understandings which we bring to the interpretation of the Scripture are to be tested in the faith community.
(1) Jer. 30:2; Jer. 36; 2 Tim. 3:16. (2) 2 Pet. 1:21. (3) Exod. 20:1; Jer. 1:9-10; Gal. 1:11-12; Heb. 1:1-4. (4) John 1:14, 18; Rev. 19:13. (5) Prov. 30:5; John 10:35. (6) Isa. 55:10-11; John 20:31. (7) Matt. 5:17; Luke 24:27; Acts 4:11. (8) Mark 7:13; Acts 5:29-32; Col. 2:6-23. (9) Ps. 1:2; 1 Tim. 4:13; 2 Tim. 3:15-17. (10) Acts 15:13-20; Heb. 4:2-8, 12.
Article 5. Creation and Divine Providence
We believe that God has created the heavens and the earth and all that is in them,1 and that God preserves and renews what has been made. All creation ultimately has its source outside itself and belongs to the Creator. The world has been created good because God is good and provides all that is needed for life. 2
We believe that the universe has been called into being as an expression of God’s love and sovereign freedom alone. Creation witnesses to the eternal power and divine nature of God, who gives meaning and purpose to life and who alone is worthy of worship and praise. 3
We acknowledge that God sustains creation in both continuity and change. We believe that God upholds order in creation and limits the forces of sin and evil for the sake of preserving and renewing humanity and the world. 4 God also works to save human beings and the world from death and destruction and to overcome the forces of sin and evil.
We therefore are called to respect the natural order of creation and to entrust ourselves to God’s care and keeping, whether in adversity or plenty. Neither the work of human hands, nor the forces of the natural world around us, nor the power of the nations among which we live are worthy of the trust and honor due the Creator on whom they depend.5
(1) Gen. 1:1; Isa. 45:11f.; John 1:3. (2) 2. Gen. 1:31; 1 Tim. 4:4. (3) Ps. 19:1-6; Rom. 1:19-23. (4) Gen. 9:8-17; Ps. 104; Eph. 3:9-11. (5) Ps. 33; Matt. 6:25-33; Matt. 10:26-31.
Article 6. Creation and Calling of Human Beings
We believe that God has created human beings in the divine image. God formed them from the dust of the earth and gave them a special dignity among all the works of creation. Human beings have been made for relationship with God, to live in peace with each other, and to take care of the rest of creation.
We believe that human beings were created good, in the image of God.1 As creatures according to the divine likeness, we have been made stewards to subdue and to care for creation out of reverence and honor for the Creator.2 As creatures made in the divine image, we have been blessed with the abilities to respond faithfully to God, to live in harmony with other human beings, and to engage in meaningful work and rest. Because both Adam and Eve were equally and wonderfully made in the divine image, God’s will from the beginning has been for women and men to live in loving and mutually helpful relationships with each other.3
We are grateful that God patiently preserves humanity and faithfully remains with us even through death.4 God has made provision for the salvation of humanity and the redemption of creation.5 We believe that the image of God in all its fullness has been revealed and restored in Jesus Christ, in whom we find our true humanity.6
(1) Gen. 1:26-27, 31; Rom. 8:29. (2) Gen. 1:26-30; Ps. 8:5-8; Rom. 1:21-23. (3) Gen. 2:18-23; Eph. 5:21-33. (4) Rom. 8:38-39. (5) Rom. 8:19-25. (6) 2 Cor. 4:4; Col. 1:15.
Article 7. Sin
We confess that, beginning with Adam and Eve, humanity has disobeyed God, given way to the tempter, and chosen to sin. Because of sin, all have fallen short of the Creator’s intent, marred the image of God in which they were created, disrupted order in the world, and limited their love for others. Because of sin, humanity has been given over to the enslaving powers of evil and death.1
Sin is turning away from God and making gods of creation and of ourselves. We sin by making individual and group choices to do unrighteousness and injustice.2 We sin by omitting to do good and neglecting to give God the glory due our Creator and Redeemer. In sinning, we become unfaithful to the covenant with God and with God’s people, destroy right relationships, use power selfishly, do violence, and become separated from God. As a result, we are not able to worship God rightly.3
Through sin, the powers of domination, division, destruction, and death have been unleashed in humanity and in all of creation. They have, in turn, further subjected human beings to the power of sin and evil, and have increased burdensome work and barren rest. The more we sin, the more we become trapped in sin. By our sin we open ourselves to the bondage of demonic powers.4 Because of sin and its consequences, the efforts of human beings on their own to do the good and to know the truth are constantly corrupted. 5
The enslaving nature of sin is apparent in the powers of evil, which work through both individuals and groups and in the entire created order. These powers, principalities, and elemental spirits of the universe often hold people captive and work through political, economic, social, and even religious systems to turn people away from justice and righteousness.6 But thanks be to God, who has not allowed the powers to reign supreme over creation or left humanity without hope.
(1) Gen. 2:17; 3:22-24; 6:11-12; Rom. 1:21-32; 6:23. (2) Dan. 9. (3) Isa. 1:12-17. (4) Rom. 6:12-18; Eph. 6:10-12. (5) Ps. 14:2-4; Rom. 3:9-18. (6) Eph. 2:1-3; Gal. 4:1-3.
Article 8. Salvation
We believe that, through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God offers salvation from sin and a new way of life to all people. We receive God’s salvation when we repent of sin and accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. In Christ, we are reconciled with God and brought into the reconciling community of God’s people. We place our faith in God that, by the same power that raised Christ from the dead, we may be saved from sin to follow Christ in this life and to know the fullness of salvation in the age to come.
From the beginning, God has acted with grace and mercy to bring about salvation–through signs and wonders, by delivering God’s people, and by making a covenant with Israel.1 God so loved the world that, in the fullness of time, God sent his Son, whose faithfulness unto death on the cross has provided the way of salvation for all people.2 By his blood shed for us, Christ inaugurated the new covenant.3 He heals us, forgives our sins, and delivers us from the bondage of evil and from those who do evil against us.4 By his death and resurrection, he breaks the powers of sin and death,5 cancels our debt of sin,6 and opens the way to new life.7 We are saved by God’s grace, not by our own merits.8
When we hear the good news of the love of God, the Holy Spirit moves us to accept the gift of salvation. God brings us into right relationship without coercion. Our response includes yielding to God’s grace, placing full trust in God alone, repenting of sin, turning from evil, joining the fellowship of the redeemed, and showing forth the obedience of faith in word and deed.9 When we who once were God’s enemies are reconciled with God through Christ, we also experience reconciliation with others, especially within the church.10 In baptism we publicly testify to our salvation and pledge allegiance to the one true God and to the people of God, the church. As we experience grace and the new birth, we are adopted into the family of God and become more and more transformed into the image of Christ.11 We thus respond in faith to Christ and seek to walk faithfully in the way of Christ.
We believe that the salvation we already experience is but a foretaste of the salvation yet to come, when Christ will vanquish sin and death, and the redeemed will live in eternal communion with God.
(1) Ps. 74:12; Deut. 6:20-25; Exod. 20:1-17. (2) John 3:16; Gal. 4:4; Heb. 1:1-2. (3) Matt. 26:28; 1 Cor. 11:25. (4) Rom. 5:1-5; Mark 2:1-12. (5) Rom. 8:2; Heb. 2:14-15. (6) Rom. 3:24-25; Col. 2:13-14; Mark 10:45. (7) Rom. 6:4. (8) Eph. 2:8-9. (9) Rom. 1:5; Luke 19:8-10. (10) Rom. 5:6-10. (11) Rom. 12:2; 2 Cor. 3:18.
Article 9. The Church of Jesus
We believe that the church is the assembly of those who have accepted God’s offer of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. The church is the new community of disciples sent into the world to proclaim the reign of God and to provide a foretaste of the church’s glorious hope. The church is the new society established and sustained by the Holy Spirit. The church, the body of Christ, is called to become ever more like Jesus Christ, its head, in its worship, ministry, witness, mutual love and care, and the ordering of its common life.1
We acknowledge the church as the society of believers from many nations, anointed for witness by the Holy Spirit.2 Through the work of the Holy Spirit, divisions between nations, races, classes, and genders are being healed as persons from every human grouping are reconciled and united in the church.3 In times of suffering as well as tranquility, the church depends on the Spirit’s presence and power, rather than on the power or benevolence of government, for its preservation and mission.
The church is the assembly of those who voluntarily commit themselves to follow Christ in life and to be accountable to one another and to God, while recognizing that the church is imperfect and thus in constant need of repentance. The church’s identity as God’s people of faith is sustained and renewed as members gather regularly for worship. Here the church celebrates God’s boundless grace, reaffirms its loyalty to God above all else, and seeks to discern God’s will.
The church is the household, or family, of God.4 Commitment to one another is shown in loving one another as God loves, in sharing material and spiritual resources, in exercising mutual care and discipline, and in showing hospitality to all.5 The church welcomes all people who join themselves to Christ to become part of the family of God.6
We believe that the church as the body of Christ is the visible manifestation of Jesus Christ. The church is called to live and minister as Christ lived and ministered in the world. As many members belong to one body, so all believers have been baptized in one Spirit into the one body of Christ. There are varieties of gifts and ministries in the church, all given for the common good. Believers are to love each other and to grow toward the likeness of Christ, who is the head of the church.
The church exists as a community of believers in the local congregation, as a community of congregations, and as the worldwide community of faith.
(1) Eph. 4:13, 15. (2) Acts 1:8; 2:1-11. (3) Acts 11:1-18; 1 Cor. 12:12-13; Gal. 3:26-28. (4) Mark 3:33-35; Eph. 2:19. (5) Deut. 10:19; Rom. 12:13; Heb. 13:2. (6) John 20:21; Matt. 28:18-20; Matt. 57.
Article 10. The Church in Mission
We believe that the church is called to proclaim and to be a sign of the kingdom of God. Christ has commissioned the church to be his witnesses, making disciples of all nations, baptizing them, and teaching them to observe all things he has commanded.1
In his mission of preaching, teaching, and healing, Jesus announced, “The kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”2 After his death and resurrection, Jesus commissioned his disciples, saying, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you. . . . Receive the Holy Spirit.”3 Empowered by that Spirit, we continue Jesus’ ministry of gathering the new people of God, who acknowledge Christ as Lord and Savior.
The church is called to witness to the reign of Christ by embodying Jesus’ way in its own life and patterning itself after the reign of God. Thus it shows the world a sample of life under the lordship of Christ. By its life, the church is to be a city on a hill, a light to the nations,4 testifying to the power of the resurrection by a way of life different from the societies around it.
The church is also to give witness by proclaiming the reign of God in word and deed. The church is to seek the lost, call for repentance, announce salvation from sin, proclaim the gospel of peace, set free the oppressed, pray for righteousness and justice, serve as Jesus did, and without coercion urge all people to become part of the people of God. The church is called to be a channel of God’s healing, which may include anointing with oil.5 Even at the risk of suffering and death, the love of Christ compels faithful witnesses to testify for their Savior.6
Such witness is a response to Jesus’ call to make disciples. As they are welcomed and incorporated into the church, new Christians learn to participate in the church’s worship, in its fellowship, education, mutual aid, decision making, service, and continuing mission.7 New believers also help the church to learn new dimensions of its mission.8
God calls the church to direct its mission to people from all nations and ethnic backgrounds. Jesus commissioned his disciples to be his witnesses in “Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”9 The apostle Paul preached to the Gentile nations. The church today is also called to witness to people of every culture, ethnicity, or nationality. The mission of the church does not require the protection of any nation or empire. Christians are strangers and aliens within all cultures. Yet the church itself is God’s nation, encompassing people who have come from every tribe and nation. Indeed, its mission is to reconcile differing groups, creating one new humanity10 and providing a preview of that day when all the nations shall stream to the mountain of the Lord and be at peace.11
(1) Acts 1:8; Matt. 28:19-20. (2) Mark 1:15. (3) John 20:21-22; Acts 10:36. (4) Matt. 5:13-16; Isa. 42:6. (5) Mark 6:13; James 5:14-15. (6) 2 Cor. 5:14. (7) Acts 2:41-47. (8) Acts 10; 15. (9) Acts 1:8. (10) Eph. 2:15-16. (11) Isa. 2:2-4
Article 11. Baptism
We believe that the baptism of believers with water is a sign of their cleansing from sin. Baptism is also a pledge before the church of their covenant with God to walk in the way of Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. Believers are baptized into Christ and his body by the Spirit, water, and blood.
Baptism is a testimony to God’s gift of the Holy Spirit and the continuing work of the Spirit in the lives of believers. Through the Spirit we repent and turn toward God in faith. The baptism of the Holy Spirit enables believers to walk in newness of life, to live in community with Christ and the church, to offer Christ’s healing and forgiveness to those in need, to witness boldly to the good news of Christ, and to hope in the sharing of Christ’s future glory.
Baptism by water is a sign that a person has repented, received forgiveness, renounced evil, and died to sin,1 through the grace of God in Christ Jesus. Thus cleansed, believers are incorporated into Christ’s body on earth, the church. Baptism by water is also a pledge to serve Christ and to minister as a member of his body according to the gifts given to each one. Jesus himself requested water baptism at the beginning of his ministry and sent his followers to “make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”2 Baptism is done in obedience to Jesus’ command and as a public commitment to identify with Jesus Christ, not only in his baptism by water, but in his life in the Spirit and in his death in suffering love.
The baptism of blood, or baptism of suffering, is the offering of one’s life, even to death. Jesus understood the giving of his life through the shedding of his blood for others as a baptism.3 He also spoke about his disciples’ suffering and death as a baptism.4 Those who accept water baptism commit themselves to follow Jesus in giving their lives for others, in loving their enemies, and in renouncing violence, even when it means their own suffering or death.
Christian baptism is for those who confess their sins, repent, accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, and commit themselves to follow Christ in obedience as members of his body, both giving and receiving care and counsel in the church. Baptism is for those who are of the age of accountability and who freely request baptism on the basis of their response to Jesus Christ in faith.5
(1) Rom. 6:1-4; Acts 2:38-39. (2) Matt. 28:19. (3) Luke 12:50; 1 John 5:7-8. (4) Mark 10:38. (5) Matt. 28:19-20; John 4:1; Acts 2:38; Gal. 3:27.
Article 12. The Lord’s Supper
We believe that the Lord’s Supper is a sign by which the church thankfully remembers the new covenant which Jesus established by his death. In this communion meal, the members of the church renew our covenant with God and with each other. As one body, we participate in the life of Jesus Christ given for the redemption of humankind. Thus we proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.1
The Lord’s Supper points to Jesus Christ, whose body was given for us and whose shed blood established the new covenant.2 In sharing the bread and cup, each believer remembers the death of Jesus and God’s act of deliverance in raising Jesus from the dead. As we relive this event with a common meal, we give thanks for all God’s acts of deliverance in the past and present, for the forgiveness of sins, and for God’s continuing grace in our lives.
The supper represents the presence of the risen Christ in the church. As we partake of the communion of the bread and cup, the gathered body of believers shares in the body and blood of Christ3 and recognizes again that its life is sustained by Christ, the bread of life.
Remembering how Jesus laid down his life for his friends, we his followers recommit ourselves to the way of the cross. Confessing our sins to one another and receiving forgiveness, we are to come as one body to the table of the Lord. There we renew our baptismal covenant with God and with each other and recognize our unity with all believers everywhere in all times.
All are invited to the Lord’s table who have been baptized into the community of faith, are living at peace with God and with their brothers and sisters in the faith, and are willing to be accountable in their congregation.
Celebrating the Lord’s Supper in this manner, the church looks forward in joy and hope to the feast of the redeemed with Christ in the age to come.4
(1) 1 Cor. 11:26. (2) Jer. 31:31-34; 1 Cor. 11:24-25. (3) 1 Cor. 10:16. (4) Luke 22:15-20, 28-30.
Article 13. Foot Washing
We believe that Jesus Christ calls us to serve one another in love as he did. Rather than seeking to lord it over others, we are called to follow the example of our Lord, who chose the role of a servant by washing his disciples’ feet.
Just before his death, Jesus stooped to wash the disciples’ feet and told them, “So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.”1 In this act, Jesus showed humility and servanthood, even laying down his life for those he loved. In washing the disciples’ feet, Jesus acted out a parable of his life unto death for them, and of the way his disciples are called to live in the world.
Believers who wash each other’s feet show that they share in the body of Christ.2 They thus acknowledge their frequent need of cleansing, renew their willingness to let go of pride and worldly power, and offer their lives in humble service and sacrificial love.3
(1) John 13:14-15. (2) John 13:8. (3) Matt. 20:20-28; Mark 9:30-37; Luke 22:25-27.
Article 14. Discipline in the Church
We believe that the practice of discipline in the church is a sign of God’s offer of forgiveness and transforming grace to believers who are moving away from faithful discipleship or who have been overtaken by sin. Discipline is intended to liberate erring brothers and sisters from sin, to enable them to return to a right relationship with God, and to restore them to fellowship in the church. It also gives integrity to the church’s witness and contributes to the credibility of the gospel message in the world.
According to the teaching of Jesus Christ and the apostles, all believers participate in the church’s mutual care and discipline as appropriate. Jesus gave the church authority to discern right and wrong and to forgive sins when there is repentance or to retain sins when there is no repentance.1 When becoming members of the church, believers therefore commit themselves to give and receive counsel within the faith community on important matters of doctrine and conduct.
Mutual encouragement, pastoral care, and discipline should normally lead to confession, forgiveness, and reconciliation. Corrective discipline in the church should be exercised in a redemptive manner. The basic pattern begins with “speaking the truth in love,” in direct conversation between the erring person and another member.2 Depending on the person’s response, admonition may continue within a broader circle. This usually includes a pastor or congregational leader. If necessary, the matter may finally be brought to the congregation. A brother or sister who repents is to be forgiven and encouraged in making the needed change.
If the erring member persists in sin without repentance and rejects even the admonition of the congregation, membership may be suspended. Suspension of membership is the recognition that persons have separated themselves from the body of Christ.3 When this occurs, the church continues to pray for them and seeks to restore them to its fellowship.4
We acknowledge that discipline, rightly understood and practiced, undergirds the integrity of the church’s witness in word and deed. Persistent and uncorrected false teaching and sinful conduct among Christians undermine the proclamation and credibility of the gospel in the world.5 As a sign of forgiveness and transforming grace, discipline exemplifies the message of forgiveness and new life in Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. As a means of strengthening good teaching and sustaining moral conduct, it helps to build faithfulness in understanding and practice.
(1) Matt. 18:15-22; John 20:21-23; Gal. 6:1-2; Deut. 19:15. (2) Eph. 4:15; Matt. 18:15. (3) 1 Cor. 5:3-5. (4) 2 Cor. 2:5-11.
(5) Matt. 5:14-18; Rom. 2:21ff.
Article 15. Ministry and Leadership
We believe that ministry continues the work of Christ, who gives gifts through the Holy Spirit to all believers and empowers them for service in the church and in the world. We also believe that God calls particular persons in the church to specific leadership ministries and offices. All who minister are accountable to God and to the community of faith as they serve the church.
Christ invites all Christians to minister to each other in the church and on behalf of the church beyond its boundaries.1 Christ enables them for ministry in response to specific needs and opportunities.2 Such service is a participation in God’s creative work of building up the body of Christ in love and of witnessing to God’s righteousness in the world.3
The church calls, trains, and appoints gifted men and women to a variety of leadership ministries on its behalf. These may include such offices as deacon/deaconess, missionaries and teachers.4 We believe God has specifically called men to the responsibility of serving the church as pastors and elders. The character and reputation of leaders is to be above reproach. Following the example of Christ, persons so appointed preach and teach with authority, interpret the Scriptures and the faith diligently, speak divine truth with boldness, equip the saints, relate with compassion to the needy, and lead the congregation in faithful living, so that the church may be “built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.”5
The confirmation of the call to a particular ministry is a sign of mutual accountability between the church and its chosen representative. A time of discernment may be followed by ordination or a similar act, accompanied by laying on of hands.6 This act symbolizes the person’s responsibility as a servant of the Word. The congregation and the wider church or conference share in this act as an indication of their blessing and support and as a reminder of the person’s accountability before God and the church, and of the church’s responsibility toward the person.
(1) Matt. 25:31-40; 1 Cor. 12:31-13:13. (2) Eph. 4:7; Rom. 12:4-6; 1 Pet. 4:10-11. (3) Eph. 4:15-16; Luke 10:1-37. (4) Eph. 4:11-13; 1 Cor. 12:28; Rom. 12:6-8; 1 Tim. 3:1-13; Tit. 1:5-9. (5) Rom. 10:14-15; Matt. 7:29; Titus 2:15; 1 Tim. 4:13; Jer. 1:4-10; 2 Tim. 4:1-3; Eph. 4:11-13; Phil. 2:1-4; Eph. 2:22.
(6) 1 Tim. 5:22; Exod. 29:35.
Article 16. Church Order and Unity
We believe that the church of Jesus Christ is one body with many members, ordered in such a way that, through the one Spirit, believers may be built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.1
As God’s people, the church is a holy temple,2 a spiritual house,3 founded upon the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone.4 Church order is needed to maintain unity on important matters of faith and life5 so that each may serve and be served, and the body of Christ may be built up in love.6 Love and unity in the church are a witness to the world of God’s love.7
In making decisions, whether to choose leaders or resolve issues, members of the church listen and speak in a spirit of prayerful openness, with the Scriptures as the constant guide. Persons shall expect not only affirmation, but also correction. In a process of discernment, it is better to wait patiently for a word from the Lord leading toward consensus, than to make hasty decisions.
The church is a variety of assemblies which meet regularly, including local congregations and larger conferences. This diversity in unity evokes gratitude to God and appreciation for one another. According to the example of the apostolic church, the local congregation seeks the counsel of the wider church in important matters relating to faith and life, and they work together in their common mission.8 Decisions made at larger assemblies and conferences are confirmed by constituent groups,9 and local ministries are encouraged and supported by the wider gatherings. Authority and responsibility are delegated by common and voluntary agreement, so that the churches hold each other accountable to Christ and to one another on all levels of church life.
(1) Eph. 2:21-22. (2) 1 Cor. 3:16-17. (3) 1 Pet. 2:5. (4) Eph. 2:20. (5) Ps. 133:1; 1 Cor. 14:33; Eph. 4:3. (6) Eph. 4:7, 12-16. (7) John 17:20-24. (8) Acts 15:1-21. (9) Acts 11:18.
Article 17. Discipleship and the Christian Life
We believe that Jesus Christ calls us to take up our cross and follow him. Through the gift of God’s saving grace, we are empowered to be disciples of Jesus, filled with his Spirit, following his teachings and his path through suffering to new life. As by faith we walk in Christ’s way, we are being transformed into his image. We become conformed to Christ, faithful to the will of God, and separated from the evil in the world.
The experience of God through the Holy Spirit, prayer, Scripture, and the church empowers us and teaches us how to follow Christ. Likewise, as we follow Christ in our lives, we are brought into closer relationship with God, and Christ dwells in us.1 Through grace, God works in us to recreate us in the image of Christ, himself the image of the invisible God. Wherever Christian faith is active in love and truth, there is the new creation. By the new birth, we are adopted into God’s family, becoming children of God.2 Our participation in Christ includes both salvation and discipleship.
Conformity to Christ necessarily implies nonconformity to the world.3 True faith in Christ means willingness to do the will of God, rather than willful pursuit of individual happiness.4 True faith means seeking first the reign of God in simplicity, rather than pursuing materialism.5 True faith means acting in peace and justice, rather than with violence or military means.6 True faith means giving first loyalty to God’s kingdom, rather than to any nation-state or ethnic group that claims our allegiance.7 True faith means honest affirmation of the truth, rather than reliance on oaths to guarantee our truth telling.8 True faith means chastity and loving faithfulness to marriage vows, rather than the distortion of sexual relationships, contrary to God’s intention.9 True faith means treating our bodies as God’s temples, rather than allowing addictive behaviors to take hold. True faith means performing deeds of compassion and reconciliation, in holiness of life, instead of letting sin rule over us.10 Our faithfulness to Christ is lived out in the loving life and witness of the church community, which is to be a separated people, holy to God.
In all areas of life, we are called to be Jesus’ disciples. Jesus is our example, especially in his suffering for the right without retaliation,11 in his love for enemies, and in his forgiveness of those who persecuted him. Yet, as we follow Jesus, we look not only to the cross, but through the cross, to the joy of the resurrection. We place our hope in God’s vindication of those who take the narrow way that leads to life.12 “If we have died with him, we will also live with him. If we endure, we will also reign with him.”13
(1) Phil. 3:10. (2) Rom. 8:12-17. (3) Rom. 12:1-2. (4) Matt. 26:39. (5) Matt. 5:3; 6:25-33. (6) Zech. 4:6; Matt. 5:6, 9, 38-48. (7) Josh. 24; Ps. 47; Acts 5:29. (8) Matt. 5:33-37. (9) Matt. 5:27-30. (10) Mic. 6:8; Rom. 6:12-14. (11) 1 Pet. 2:21-23; Rom. 12:9-21. (12) Matt. 7:13-14. (13) 2 Tim. 2:11-12.
Article 18. Spirituality
We believe that to be a disciple of Jesus is to know life in the Spirit. As we experience relationship with God, the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ take shape in us, and we grow in the image of Christ. In individual and communal worship, the Holy Spirit is present, leading us deeper into the wisdom of God.
By confessing Christ and receiving baptism, we are brought into a new relationship with God through Christ. In God’s love, our whole life is freed, transformed, reordered, and renewed. In loving and knowing God, we experience communion with God and allow more and more of our life to be conformed to the way of Jesus–his life, death, and resurrection. We yield ourselves to God, letting the Holy Spirit mold us into the image of Christ.1 As individual Christians and as the church, we are called to be in relationship with God, reflecting the way of Christ, being filled with the Holy Spirit. We are to grow up in every way into Christ, who is the head of the church, through whom it is built up in love.2
We draw the life of the Spirit from Jesus Christ, just as a branch draws life from the vine. Severed from the vine, the power of the Spirit cannot fill us. But as we make our home in Christ and Christ abides in us, we bear fruit and become his disciples.3 When we are in the presence of the Spirit, we also keep in step with the Spirit and show the fruit of the Spirit in our actions.4 Our outer behavior matches our inner life.
Spiritual disciplines such as prayer, study of Scripture, reflection on God, corporate worship, singing hymns, simplicity, witness, and service are training in godliness.5 Such disciplines open us to a growing relationship with God and to putting ourselves more completely into the hands of God. Disciplines are also preparation for times of testing and of suffering. If we practice the presence of God in calmer times, we find it easier to know God’s presence in difficult times.
We are convinced that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord,6 for God can use both joy and suffering to nurture our spiritual growth.7 In this age, Christ in us is our hope of glory.8 We look forward to that time when our partial knowledge of God will become complete, and we will see face to face.9
(1) 2 Cor. 3:17-18; Phil. 3:21. (2) Eph. 4:15-16. (3) John 15:5-8. (4) Ps. 1; Gal. 5:22-26. (5) 1 Tim. 4:7-8. (6) Rom. 8:35-39. (7) Matt. 5:1-12; Ps. 119:67. (8) Col. 1:27. (9) 1 Cor. 13:12.
Article 19. Family, Singleness and Marriage
We believe that God intends human life to begin in families and to be blessed through families. Even more, God desires all people to become part of the church, God’s family. As single and married members of the church family give and receive nurture and healing, Christian family relationships can grow toward the wholeness that God intends.
We recognize that God has created human beings for relationship. God intends human life to be blessed through families, especially through the family of faith. All Christians are to take their place within the household of God, where members treat each other as brothers and sisters.1 We hold that within the church family, the goodness of being either single or married is honored.2 We honor the single state and encourage the church to respect and include single persons in the life and activities of the church family. Families of faith are called to be a blessing to all families of the earth.3
We believe that God created marriage to be a covenant between one man and one woman for life.4 Christian marriage is a mutual relationship in Christ,5 a covenant made in the context of the church. According to Scripture, right sexual union takes place only within the marriage relationship.6 Marriage is meant for sexual intimacy, companionship, and the birth and nurture of children.
We believe sexual activity outside of the marriage covenant to be outside of God’s will for human relationships. This includes both heterosexual and homosexual behaviors. We believe that sexual sins, homosexual and heterosexual can be overcome through the forgiveness of sins offered by Jesus Christ through confession, repentance and the development of Godly relationships.
We believe that Christ has called the Church to minister to all people including those of homosexual inclination; a ministry of love that includes honesty and truthfulness about the immorality and liability of homosexual activity. And, a ministry that does not disdain but patiently assists the one who faithfully struggles to overcome sexual temptation.
Children are of great importance. Jesus saw them as examples of how to receive the reign of God.7 Children are to be loved, disciplined, taught, and respected in the home and in the church. Children are also to honor their parents, obeying them in the Lord.8 Younger people are to respect their elders in the home and the church.9
We affirm God’s call to chastity and to loving faithfulness in marriage and the church’s responsibility to help couples strengthen their marriage relationship and to encourage reconciliation in times of conflict. The church is called to minister with truth and compassion to persons working through difficult familial situations. As the family of God, the church is called to be a sanctuary offering hope and healing for families.
(1) Ps. 27:10; Luke 8:19-21; Eph. 2:19. (2) 1 Cor. 7:38. (3) Gen. 12:1-3; Acts 3:25. (4) Mark 10:9; 1 Cor. 7:10-11. (5) Eph. 5:21. (6) Exod. 20:14; 1 Cor. 6:12-20. (7) Mark 10:13-16. (8) Exod. 20:12; Eph. 6:1-4. (9) 1 Tim. 5:1-2.
Article 20. Truth
We commit ourselves to tell the truth, to give a simple yes or no, and to avoid swearing of oaths.
Jesus told his disciples not to swear oaths at all, but to let their yes be yes, and their no be no.1 We believe that this teaching applies to truth telling as well as to avoiding profane language.2 An oath is often sworn as a guarantee that one is telling the truth. This implies that when one has not taken an oath, one may be less careful about telling the truth. Jesus’ followers are always to speak the truth and, in legal matters, simply to affirm that their statements are true.
Jesus also warned against using oaths to try to compel God to guarantee the future. In faith, we commit our futures to God.3
Throughout history, human governments have asked citizens to swear oaths of allegiance. As Christians, our first allegiance is to God.4 In baptism we pledged our loyalty to Christ’s community, a commitment that takes precedence over obedience to any other social and political communities.
(1) Matt. 5:33-37; James 5:12. (2) Eph. 4:15, 29. (3) Matt. 5:34-36. (4) Acts 5:29.
Article 21. Christian Stewardship
We believe that everything belongs to God, who calls us as the church to live as faithful stewards of all that God has entrusted to us.
As servants of God, our primary vocation is to be stewards in God’s household.1 God, who in Christ has given us new life, has also given us spiritual gifts to use for the church’s nurture and mission.2 The message of reconciliation has been entrusted to every believer, so that through the church the mystery of the gospel might be made known to the world.3
We believe that time also belongs to God and that we are to use with care the time of which we are stewards.4 Yet, from earliest days, the people of God have been called to observe special periods of rest and worship. In the Old Testament, the seventh day was holy because it was the day God rested from the work of creation.5 The Sabbath was also holy because of God’s deliverance of the Hebrew people from slavery.6 Through Jesus, all time is holy, set apart for God and intended to be used for salvation, healing, and justice.7 In the present time, the church celebrates a day of holy rest, commonly the first day of the week, and is called to live according to Sabbath justice at all times.
We acknowledge that God as Creator is owner of all things. In the Old Testament, the Sabbath year and the Jubilee year were practical expressions of the belief that the land is God’s and the people of Israel belong to God.8 Jesus, at the beginning of his ministry, announced the year of the Lord’s favor, often identified with Jubilee. Through Jesus, the poor heard good news, captives were released, the blind saw, and the oppressed went free.9 The first church in Jerusalem put Jubilee into practice by preaching the gospel, healing the sick, and sharing possessions. Other early churches shared financially with those in need.10
As stewards of God’s earth, we are called to care for the earth and to bring rest and renewal to the land and everything that lives on it.11 As stewards of money and possessions, we are to live simply, practice mutual aid within the church, uphold economic justice, and give generously and cheerfully.12 As persons dependent on God’s providence, we are not to be anxious about the necessities of life, but to seek first the kingdom of God.13 We cannot be true servants of God and let our lives be ruled by desire for wealth.
We are called to be stewards in the household of God, set apart for the service of God. We live out now the rest and justice which God has promised.14 The church does this while looking forward to the coming of our Master and the restoration of all things in the new heaven and new earth.
(1) Luke 12:35-48; 1 Cor. 4:1-2. (2) 1 Pet. 4:10-11; Tit. 1:7; 2:5. (3) 2 Cor. 5:18-20; Eph. 3:1-10. (4) Ps. 31:15; Eph. 5:15-16; Col. 4:5. (5) Exod. 20:8-11. (6) Deut. 5:12-15. (7) Mark 2:27-28. (8) Lev. 25:23, 42, 55. (9) Luke 4:16-21. (10) Acts 2:44-45; 4:32-37; 2 Cor. 8:1-15. (11) Ps. 24:1; Gen. 1:26-28. (12) Phil. 4:11-12; 2 Cor. 8:13-14; James 5:4; 2 Cor. 9:7. (13) Matt. 6:24-33. (14) Matt. 11:28-29; Rev. 7:15-17.
Article 22. Peace, Justice, and Nonviolent Reconciliation
We believe that peace is the will of God. God created the world in peace, and God’s peace is most fully revealed in Jesus Christ, who is our peace and the peace of the whole world. Led by the Holy Spirit, we follow Christ in the way of peace, doing justice, and teaching nonviolent reconciliation.
Although God created a peaceable world, humanity chose the way of unrighteousness and violence.1 The spirit of revenge increased, and violence multiplied, yet the original vision of peace and justice did not die.2 Prophets and other messengers of God continued to point the people of Israel toward trust in God rather than in weapons and military force.3
The peace God intends for humanity and creation was revealed most fully in Jesus Christ. A joyous song of peace announced Jesus’ birth.4 Jesus taught love of enemies, forgave wrongdoers, and called for right relationships.5 When threatened, he chose not to resist, but gave his life freely.6 By his death and resurrection, he has removed the dominion of death and given us peace with God.7 Thus he has reconciled us to God and has entrusted to us the ministry of reconciliation.8
As followers of Jesus, we participate in his ministry of peace and justice. He has called us to find our blessing in making peace and seeking justice. We do so in a spirit of gentleness, willing to be persecuted for righteousness’ sake.9 The same Spirit that empowered Jesus also empowers us to love enemies, to forgive rather than to seek revenge, to practice right relationships, to rely on the community of faith to settle disputes, and to resist evil without violence.10
Led by the Spirit, and beginning in the church, we witness to all people that violence is not the will of God. We witness against all forms of violence.
We give our ultimate loyalty to the God of grace and peace, who guides the church daily in overcoming evil with good, who empowers us to do justice, and who sustains us in the glorious hope of the peaceable reign of God.11
(1) Gen. 1-11. (2) Isa. 2:2-4. (3) Lev. 26:6; Isa. 31:1; Hos. 2:18. (4) Luke 2:14. (5) Matt. 5:44; 6:14-15. (6) Matt. 26:52-53; 1 Pet. 2:21-24. (7) 1 Cor. 15:54-55; Rom. 5:10-11; Eph. 2:11-18. (8) 2 Cor. 5:18-21. (9) Matt. 5:3-12. (10) Matt. 5:39; 1 Cor. 6:1-16; Rom. 12:14-21. (11) Isa. 11:1-9.
Article 23. Church’s Relation to Government and Society
We believe that the church is God’s “holy nation,”1 called to give full allegiance to Christ its head and to witness to all nations about God’s saving love.
The church is the spiritual, social, and political body that gives its allegiance to God alone. As citizens of God’s kingdom,2 we trust in the power of God’s love for our defense. The church knows no geographical boundaries and needs no violence for its protection. The only Christian nation is the church of Jesus Christ, made up of people from every tribe and nation,3 called to witness to God’s glory.
In contrast to the church, governing authorities of the world have been instituted by God for maintaining order in societies. Such governments and other human institutions as servants of God are called to act justly and provide order.4 But like all such institutions, nations tend to demand total allegiance. They then become idolatrous and rebellious against the will of God.5 Even at its best, a government cannot act completely according to the justice of God because no nation, except the church, confesses Christ’s rule as its foundation.
As Christians we are to respect those in authority and to pray for all people, including those in government, that they also may be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.6 We may participate in government or other institutions of society only in ways that do not violate the love and holiness taught by Christ and do not compromise our loyalty to Christ. We witness to the nations by being that “city on a hill” which demonstrates the way of Christ.7 We also witness by being ambassadors for Christ,8 calling the nations (and all persons and institutions) to move toward justice, peace, and compassion for all people. In so doing, we seek the welfare of the city to which God has sent us.9
We understand that Christ, by his death and resurrection, has won victory over the powers, including all governments.10 Because we confess that Jesus Christ has been exalted as Lord of lords, we recognize no other authority’s claims as ultimate.
(1) 1 Pet. 2:9. (2) Phil. 3:20; Eph. 2:19. (3) Rev. 7:9. (4) Rom. 13:1-7. (5) Ezek. 28; Daniel 78; Rev. 13. (6) 1 Tim. 2:1-4. (7) Matt. 5:13-16; Isa. 49:6. (8) 2 Cor. 5:20. (9) Jer. 29:7. (10) Col. 2:15
Article 24. The Reign of God
We place our hope in the reign of God and in its fulfillment in the day when Christ our ascended Lord will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead. He will gather his church, already living under the reign of God according to the pattern of God’s future. We believe in God’s final victory, in the end of this present age of struggle between good and evil, in the resurrection of the dead, and in the appearance of a new heaven and a new earth. There the people of God will reign with Christ in justice, righteousness, and peace.
We believe that God, who created the universe, continues to rule over it in wisdom, patience, and justice, though sinful creation has not yet recognized God’s rule. Faithful Israel acclaimed God as king and looked forward to the fullness of God’s kingdom.1 We affirm that, in Jesus’ ministry, death, and resurrection, the time of fulfillment has begun.2 Jesus proclaimed both the nearness of God’s reign and its future realization, its healing and its judgment. In his life and teaching, he showed that God’s reign included the poor, outcasts, the persecuted, those who were like children, and those with faith like a mustard seed.3 For this kingdom, God has appointed Jesus Christ as king and Lord.4
We believe that the church is called to live now according to the model of the future reign of God. Thus, we are given a foretaste of the kingdom that God will one day establish in full. The church is to be a spiritual, social, and economic reality,5 demonstrating now the justice, righteousness, love, and peace of the age to come. The church does this in obedience to its Lord and in anticipation that the kingdom of this world will become the kingdom of our Lord.6
We believe that, just as God raised Jesus from the dead, we also will be raised from the dead.7 At Christ’s glorious coming again for judgment, the dead will come out of their graves”–those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.”8 The righteous will rise to eternal life with God, and the unrighteous to hell and separation from God. Thus, God will bring justice to the persecuted and will confirm the victory over sin, evil, and death itself.
We look forward to the coming of a new heaven and a new earth, and a new Jerusalem, where the people of God will no longer hunger, thirst, or cry,9 but will sing praises: “To the One seated on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever! Amen!”10
(1) Exod. 15:18; Judg. 8:23; Zech. 14:9. (2) Mark 1:15. (3) Matt. 5:10; 8:10-12; 17:20; 21:31; Luke 6:20. (4) Ps. 2:7; Mark 1:11; Phil. 2:9. (5) Acts 2:41-47. (6) Rev. 11:15; 15:3-4. (7) 1 Cor. 15:12-58. (8) John 5:28-29. (9) Rev. 21:1-4; 7:9-17. (10) Rev. 5:13-14
Summary Statements
1. God: We believe that God exists and is pleased with all who draw near by faith. We worship the one holy and loving God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit eternally. God has created all things visible and invisible, has brought salvation and new life to humanity through Jesus Christ, and continues to sustain the church and all things until the end of the age.
2. Jesus Christ: We believe in Jesus Christ, the Word of God become flesh. He is the Savior of the world, who has delivered us from the dominion of sin and reconciled us to God by his death on a cross. He was declared to be Son of God by his resurrection from the dead. He is the head of the church, the exalted Lord, the Lamb who was slain, coming again to reign with God in glory.
3. Holy Spirit: We believe in the Holy Spirit, the eternal Spirit of God, who dwelled in Jesus Christ, who empowers the church, who is the source of our life in Christ, and who is poured out on those who believe as the guarantee of redemption.
4. Scripture: We believe that all Scripture is inspired by God through the Holy Spirit for instruction in salvation and training in righteousness. We accept the Scriptures as the Word of God and as the fully reliable and trustworthy standard for Christian faith and life. Led by the Holy Spirit in the church, we interpret Scripture in harmony with Jesus Christ.
5. Creation and Divine Presence: We believe that God has created the heavens and the earth and all that is in them, and that God preserves and renews what has been made. All creation has its source outside itself and belongs to the Creator. The world has been created good because God is good and provides all that is needed for life.
6. The Creation and the Calling Human Beings: We believe that God has created human beings in the divine image. God formed them from the dust of the earth and gave them a special dignity among all the works of creation. Human beings have been made for relationship with God, to live in peace with each other, and to take care of the rest of creation.
7. Sin: We confess that, beginning with Adam and Eve, humanity has disobeyed God, given way to the tempter, and chosen to sin. All have fallen short of the Creator’s intent, marred the image of God in which they were created, disrupted order in the world, and limited their love for others. Because of sin, humanity has been given over to the enslaving powers of evil and death.
8. Salvation: We believe that, through Jesus Christ, God offers salvation from sin and a new way of life. We receive God’s salvation when we repent and accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. In Christ, we are reconciled with God and brought into the reconciling community. We place our faith in God that, by the same power that raised Christ from the dead, we may be saved from sin to follow Christ and to know the fullness of salvation.
9. The Church of Jesus Christ: We believe that the church is the assembly of those who have accepted God’s offer of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. It is the new community of disciples sent into the world to proclaim the reign of God and to provide a foretaste of the church’s glorious hope. It is the new society established and sustained by the Holy Spirit.
10. The Church in Mission: We believe that the mission of the church is to proclaim and to be a sign of the kingdom of God. Christ has commissioned the church to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them, and teaching them to observe all things he has commanded.
11. Baptism: We believe that the baptism of believers with water is a sign of their cleansing from sin. Baptism is also a pledge before the church of their covenant with God to walk in the way of Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. Believers are baptized into Christ and his body by the Spirit, water, and blood.
12. The Lord’s Supper: We believe that the Lord’s Supper is a sign by which the church thankfully remembers the new covenant which Jesus established by his death. In this communion meal, the church renews its covenant with God and with each other and participates in the life and death of Jesus Christ, until he comes.
13. Foot Washing: We believe that in washing the feet of his disciples, Jesus calls us to serve one another in love as he did. Thus we acknowledge our frequent need of cleansing, renew our willingness to let go of pride and worldly power, and offer our lives in humble service and sacrificial love.
14. Discipline in the Church: We practice discipline in the church as a sign of God’s offer of transforming grace. Discipline is intended to liberate erring brothers and sisters from sin, and to restore them to a right relationship with God and to fellowship in the church. The practice of discipline gives integrity to the church’s witness in the world.
15. Ministry and Leadership: We believe that ministry is a continuation of the work of Christ, who gives gifts through the Holy Spirit to all believers and empowers them for service in the church and in the world. We also believe that God calls men and women in the church to specific leadership ministries and offices such as deacon/deaconess, missionaries and teachers. We further believe God has specifically called men to the responsibility of serving the church as pastors and elders. All who minister are accountable to God and to the community of faith.*
16. Church Order and Unity: We believe that the church of Jesus Christ is one body with many members, ordered in such a way that, through the one Spirit, believers may be built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.
17. Discipleship and the Christian Life: We believe that Jesus Christ calls us to discipleship, to take up our cross and follow him. Through the gift of God’s saving grace, we are empowered to be disciples of Jesus, filled with his Spirit, following his teachings and his path through suffering to new life. As we are faithful to his way, we become conformed to Christ and separated from the evil in the world.
18. Christian Spirituality: We believe that to be a disciple of Jesus is to know life in the Spirit. As the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ takes shape in us, we grow in the image of Christ and in our relationship with God. The Holy Spirit is active in individual and in communal worship, leading us deeper into the experience of God.
19. Family, Singleness and Marriage: We believe that God intends human life to begin in families and to be blessed through families. Even more, God desires all people to become part of the church, God’s family. As single and married members of the church family give and receive nurture and healing, families can grow toward the wholeness that God intends. We believe that God created marriage to be a covenant between one man and one woman for life. We believe sexual activity outside of the marriage covenant as well as the breaking of a marriage covenant to be outside of God’s will for human relationships.*
20. Truth and the Avoidance of Oaths: We commit ourselves to tell the truth, to give a simple yes or no, and to avoid the swearing of oaths.
21. Christian Stewardship: We believe that everything belongs to God, who calls the church to live in faithful stewardship of all that God has entrusted to us, and to participate now in the rest and justice which God has promised.
22. Peace, Justice and Nonviolent Reconciliation: We believe that peace is the will of God. God created the world in peace, and God’s peace is most fully revealed in Jesus Christ, who is our peace and the peace of the whole world. Led by the Holy Spirit, we follow Christ in the way of peace, doing justice and teaching nonviolent reconciliation.*
23. The Church’s Relation to Government and Society: We believe that the church is God’s holy nation, called to give full allegiance to Christ its head and to witness to every nation, government, and society about God’s saving love.
24. The Reign of God: We place our hope in the reign of God and its fulfillment in the day when Christ will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead. He will gather his church, which is already living under the reign of God. We await God’s final victory, the end of this present age of struggle, the resurrection of the dead, and a new heaven and a new earth. There the people of God will reign with Christ in justice, righteousness, and peace forever and ever.
*Denote explanations of belief that are expressed differently from the 1995 Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective.