Statement of Faith To Be Signed
Statement of Faith To Be Signed
Statement of Faith To Be Signed
Please could you read and sign the following statement, bringing this document
with you to your interview.
1. As disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ we bear witness to the one living God,
revealed through the Bible as the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Gods
plan for the universe is to bring about, through Jesus Christ, a transformed
creation wholly governed by God, from which all evil and suffering will be
banished and in which God will live with redeemed humanity for ever. The
presence and hope of the kingdom of God shape and motivate our mission
through evangelism, compassionate service, active pursuit of justice and
peace, and care for creation.
2. We bear witness to the following truths of the historic Christian faith as the
pillars of our world-view, the motivation for our mission and the foundation
of our commitment:
God as Creator
The universe is the good creation of the one living God and reveals Gods existence,
power and glory. Human beings are created in the image of God, male and female, in
order to love, worship and obey God, to relate to one another in love, justice and
compassion, and to care for creation.
Human Sin
Humans have sinned by rebelling against God, rejecting Gods authority and disobeying
Gods word and so are alienated from God, one another and the created order. Sin
deserves Gods judgement and leads to eternal separation from God. The effects of sin
and the power of evil have permeated the fabric of cultural, economic, social, political
and religious life, causing poverty and damaging creation.
Human worth
Though distorted by sin, the image of God remains the basis of the uniqueness, dignity,
sanctity and equality of all persons without distinction. God loves and cares for all people
in their cultural and ethnic diversity and has reached out in grace to save them through
Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour
Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God, the Messiah uniquely appointed by God to bring
about the blessing of salvation to the world. God took our human nature in Jesus Christ,
who taught and modeled the new life of the kingdom of God to which he calls his
disciples. In his death on the cross he took upon himself the sin of the world, bearing its
full cost and penalty so that we are put right with God through his grace by faith in
Christ alone. On the cross Jesus also entered into our suffering, defeated the powers of
evil and accomplished the reconciliation of all creation. In this bodily resurrection he
defeated death and became the forerunner of redeemed humanity. Through his
ascension he is exalted as reigning Lord, and at his return he will execute Gods
judgement, destroy Satan, evil and death, and establish the universal reign of God.
3. God commands us to love him with all our heart and soul and strength and to
love our neighbours as ourselves. Therefore we commit ourselves through the
transforming power of the Holy Spirit and in joyful obedience:
- to live as the community of reconciled sinners in unity, humility and
sacrificial Christian love.
- To make known to all nations the gospel of Gods grace through his
forgiveness in Christ, calling people to faith, repentance and discipleship.
- To demonstrate the values and the power of the kingdom of God,
participating through suffering in Christs triumph over evil.
- To serve the needy with compassion, pursue justice and peace, and care
for Gods creation