Articles of Faith
DONWAY'S ARTICLES OF FAITH
This
statement attempts to express simply and clearly the essence of the
Christian faith as commonly held among us, and should not be interpreted
either as including all that each of us may believe, or as constituting
a minimum requirement for every believer.
God:
We believe in the living God, our spiritual Father, Almighty, Creator, perfect in love and in righteousness.
Jesus:
We
believe in Jesus, Son of God, truly man and truly God, revelation of
the Father, crucified for our salvation, risen from the dead, to come
again in power and glory.
The Holy Spirit:
We believe in the
Holy Spirit, who works to bring about the fulfillment of the will of God,
particularly in converting human hearts to a saving faith in Jesus, and
in enabling us to live the Christian life.
The Trinity:
We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Man:
We
believe that we are made "in the image of God", but that without
exception we have sinned against God, need to be saved from the power
and penalty of sin, and cannot save ourselves.
Salvation:
We
believe that Jesus' perfect sacrifice on behalf of mankind atones for
our sin, that salvation is the gift of God to be received by faith in
Jesus, and that the saved enjoy new life in Christ both now and after
death.
The Church:
We believe that the Church is the
universal company of those who acknowledge Jesus as Lord and Saviour.
Believers are voluntarily associated in local churches for the worship
and service of God, and for the strengthening and propagation of the
faith. The head of the Church is Jesus Christ, and every believer is
directly responsible to Him.
The Bible:
We believe that the
Bible is inspired by God, and that in it we have a sufficient guide and
authority for Christian faith and practice.
The Future:
We
believe that God's purposes will ultimately be fulfilled, and that His
kingdom, already begun in the world, will be fully established, that
those who have resisted Him must, in the justice of God, bear the
penalty of their choice, and those who have acknowledged Him in faith
and obedience will have a place in His kingdom.