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Confession of Faith (Detailed Version)
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Article 1: God
We believe in the one, true, living God, Creator of heaven and
earth. God is almighty in power, perfect in wisdom, righteous
in judgment, overflowing in steadfast love. God is the Sovereign
who rules over all things visible and invisible, the Shepherd
who rescues the lost and helpless. God is a refuge and fortress
for those in need. God is a consuming fire, perfect in holiness,
yet slow to anger and abounding in tender mercy. God comforts
like a loving mother, trains and disciplines like a caring father,
and persists in covenant love like a faithful husband. We confess
God as eternal Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
God the Father
God the Father is the source of all life. In Him we live and
move and have our being. The Father seeks those who will worship
Him in spirit and in truth, and hears the prayers of all who
call on Him. In the fullness of time, the Father sent the Son
for the salvation of the world. Through Jesus Christ the Father
adopts all who respond in faith to the gospel, forgiving those
who repent of their sin and entering into a new covenant with
them. God gives the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, to all His children.
God's creative and redemptive love sustains this world until
the end of the age.
God the Son
The Son, through whom all things were created and who holds
all things together, is the image of the invisible God. Conceived
by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, Jesus took on
human nature to redeem this fallen world. He revealed the fullness
of God through his obedient and sinless life. Through word and
deed Jesus proclaimed the reign of God, bringing good news to
the poor, release to the captives, and recovery of sight to
the blind. Christ triumphed over sin through His death and resurrection,
and was exalted as Lord of creation and the church. The Savior
of the world invites all to be reconciled to God, offering peace
to those far and near, and calling them to follow Him in the
way of the cross. Until the Lord Jesus returns in glory, He
intercedes for believers, acts as their advocate, and calls
them to be His witnesses.
God the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit, the Counselor, is the creative power, presence
and wisdom of God. The Spirit convicts people of sin, gives
them new life, and guides them into all truth. By the Spirit
believers are baptized into one body. The indwelling Spirit
testifies that they are God's children, distributes gifts for
ministry, empowers for witness, and produces the fruit of righteousness.
As Comforter, the Holy Spirit helps God's children in their
weakness, intercedes for them according to God's will and assures
them of eternal life.
Genesis 1; Exodus 15:2-3; Exodus 34:6-7; Deuteronomy 6:4-6;
Psalm 8; Psalm 23; Psalm 139; Isaiah 55:8-9; Isaiah 66:12-13;
Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hosea 11:1-4; Matthew 1:18-25; Matthew 5-7;
Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 8:34-38; Luke 4:18-19; John 1:1-18; John
14:26; John 15:26; John 16:7-15; Acts 1:8; Acts 2:1-4; Romans
8:1-17; I Corinthians 12:4-7; I Corinthians 13; I Corinthians
15:3-8; II Corinthians 1:22; II Corinthians 5:16-21; II Corinthians
13:14; Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 1:15-2:22; Ephesians 3:14-21;
Philippians 2:6-11; Colossians 1:15-20; I Timothy 6:15-16; II
Timothy 2:11-13; Hebrews 12:7-11; I Peter 2:21-25; I John 2:2;
Revelation 5:5-6, 9-10.
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