Beliefs


In these things, I believe…

The Triune God - We believe in the only true God - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. These three are one - the Father in the Son, the Son in the Father, and the Holy Ghost equal in essence or being with both. This triune God not only created the heavens and the earth and everything in them, but sustains, governs, protects and supports it all.

Jesus Christ, the Son - We believe that Jesus Christ is both God and man. He became a man by the power of the Holy Ghost in the Virgin Mary and was born of her. He is the Savior and mediator of the whole human race, if they accept with full faith in Christ the grace offered in him. We believe that Jesus suffered and died on the cross for us, was buried, arose again on the third day, ascended into heaven, and now sits on the right hand of God interceding for us. He will come again at the last day to judge the living and the dead.

The Holy Spirit, Comforter and Guide - We believe that the Holy Ghost is equal in being with the Father and the Son. He comforts the faithful and guides them into all truth.

The Church - We believe in the holy Christian church, the communion of saints, the resurrection of the body, and eternal life.

The Holy Bible and Salvation - We believe that the Bible, Old and New Testaments, is the Word of God. It contains the only true way of salvation. Every true Christian is bound to acknowledge and receive it, with the influence of the Spirit of God, as the only rule and guide. We believe that without faith in Jesus Christ, true repentance, forgiveness of sins, and following after Christ, no one can be a true Christian.

The Salvation Message - We also believe that what is contained in the Bible - the fall in Adam and redemption through Jesus Christ - should be preached throughout the world.

The Christian Ordinance - We believe that the ordinances - baptism, and the remembrance of the sufferings and death of Christ - are to be used and practiced by all Christian churches. We also believe that all of God's children are to practice these ordinances, but that the manner in which they practice them should always to be left to the judgment and understanding of the individual. Whether or not to practice footwashing is also to be left to the individual. No minister should, either in public or in private, criticize any of his brethren whose judgment and understanding in these respects differs from his own. Whoever does shall be considered a traducer of his brethren, and shall be answerable for it.

(Statement of Faith from the Church of the United Brethren in Christ / ub.org)


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Make the Connection!

            Is attending a carnival ministry? Sure! It’s a unique way to meet people and build relationships. This year, an out-of-town visitor asked my husband if he was the mayor of our town. The sincere question made us both grin! It is so refreshing at times to see things from a different perspective. Apparently, the man had seen my husband “working the crowd” and was intrigued. What this visitor didn’t know was that my husband is friendly all year long – not just at parades or when he is in the public eye. He genuinely loves people, wants them to feel special and takes the time to remember names. Shaking hands and giving hugs comes naturally to him. But, what do I do when “my pastor” is connecting with people? Often, a smile is all that’s needed.               People are always watching, and that reality is easy to forget. As Christians, we are in essence ‘on parade’ throughout the year. People are intrigued just to see what we will do, how we will handle ourselves and if we
Read more

Overwhelmed, Underwhelmed or Simply Unmotivated

  January is that time of year that many people get the Winter Blues - a general view of life that just says, "Blah!" Being underwhelmed with life threatens our sense of purpose and joy and makes everything seem a bit bland and boring. Perhaps it is fueled by the cold weather, feeling housebound or the fact that all the green things in life are resting dormant below ground or snow. Or, maybe it is just the reality of returning to the basic routines of life (even in a Covid world). All the frantic and fun activities that surround Christmas are behind us, and we just have the decorations and the bank balance to deal with.  For others, January is an excuse to cozy up by the fire, read a book or enjoy an indulgent mug of hot chocolate or hot vanilla. They enjoy their Christmas decorations as long as possible and their soul finds healing when the world is covered in a sparkling blanket of snow. They reflect on Christmas memories made and reread Christmas greetings. They're thr
Read more

Bathroom Gymnastics?

If I had to guess, you’ve been enrolled in the school of bathroom gymnastics along with countless others in our world. It’s much more theatrical than balancing on a beam or flipping around and between parallel bars. Yet, I do believe it involves some of the same skills that are needed for a quality vault or floor routine! See if you can relate… When out and about on a normal day, we find ourselves in need of a place to “rest.” Our own bathroom at home may be preferred, but there are times when one just needs to find a place to “sit a spell” - and soon! So, the search ensues. Is there a business nearby that is open? If so, is their lobby accessible? Do they have public bathrooms? Are they clean by even pre-COVID standards?  Check. Check. Check and check. We breathe a sigh of relief - well almost! It's only now that we see the sign : “Only X amount of people are allowed in the restroom at a time.” (Hmmm…how do I know how many people are already inside?) ...and so, the gymnastics begi
Read more