God and His Revelation - Creation, Man and Sin - Christ and Redemption - Justification by Faith - Good Works and Prayer - The Means of Grace - The Church and its Ministry - The Church and the State - Jesus' Return and the Judgment


The Church and its Ministry

  1. We believe that there is one holy Christian Church, which is the temple of God (1 Corinthians 3:16), the body of Christ (Ephesians 1:23; 4:12). The members of this one Church are all those who are "the sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:26). Whoever believes that Jesus died for his sin and rose again for his justification (Romans 4:25) belongs to Christ's Church. The Church, then, consists only of believers, or saints, whom God accepts as holy for the sake of Jesus' imputed righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21). These saints are scattered throughout the world. Every true believer, regardless of the nation or race or church body to which he belongs, is a member of the Holy Christian Church.

  2. We believe that the Holy Christian Church is a reality, although it is not an external, visible organization. Because "man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7), only the Lord knows "those who are His" (2 Timothy 2:19). The members of the Holy Christian Church are known only to God; we cannot distinguish between true believers and hypocrites. The Holy Christian Church is therefore invisible and cannot be identified with any one church body or the sum total of all church bodies.

  3. We believe that the presence of the Holy Christian Church nevertheless can be recognized. Wherever the Gospel is preached and the sacraments are administered, the Holy Christian Church is present, for through the means of grace true faith is produced and preserved (Isaiah 55:10,11). Moreover, where these means are in use, we are confident that the Church is present, for the Lord has entrusted them only to His Church of believers (Matthew 28:19,20). The means of grace are therefore called the marks of the Church.

  4. We believe that it is the Lord's will that Christians gather together for mutual edification and spiritual growth (Hebrews 10:24,25) and for carrying out the whole of the Lord's commission (Mark 16:15). Since these visible gatherings (for example, congregations, synods) confess themselves to the marks of the Church and make use of them, they are called churches. They bear this name, however, only because of the true believers present in them (1 Corinthians 1:2).

  5. We believe that the Holy Christian Church is one, united by a common faith, for all true believers have "one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all" (Ephesians 4:5,6). Since this is a unity of faith in the heart, it is seen only by God.

  6. We believe that God bids us on our part to acknowledge oneness in faith among God's saints on earth only as they by word and deed reveal (confess) the faith of their hearts. Their unity becomes evident when they agree in their confession to the doctrine revealed in Scripture. We believe, furthermore, that the individual through his membership in a church body confesses himself to the doctrine and practice of that body. To assert that unity exists where there is no agreement in confession is to presume to look into man's heart. This only God can do. It is not necessary that all agree on matters of church ritual or organization. About these the New Testament gives no commands.

  7. We believe that those who have become evident as united in faith will give recognition to their fellowship in Christ and seek to express it as occasion permits. They may express their fellowship by joint worship, by joint proclamation of the Gospel, by joining in Holy Communion, by joint prayer, by joint church work. We believe that we cannot practice religious fellowship with those whose confession reveals that error is taught or tolerated, supported or defended. The Lord bids us keep away from persistent errorists (Romans 16:17,18).

  8. We believe that every Christian is a priest and king before God (1 Peter 2:9). All believers have direct and equal access to the throne of grace through Christ, our Mediator (Ephesians 2:17,18). To all believers God has given the means of grace to use. All Christians are to declare the praises of Him who called us out of darkness into His wonderful light (1 Peter 2:9). In this sense all Christians are ministers of the Gospel.

  9. We believe that it is the will of God that the church in accordance with good order (1 Corinthians 14:40) call qualified men (1 Timothy 3) into the public ministry. They are to preach the Word and administer the sacraments publicly, that is, not merely as individuals who possess the universal priesthood, but by order and in the name of fellow Christians. These men are the called servants of Christ, ministers of the gospel, and not lords over God's heritage, his believers (1 Peter 5:3). Through its call the church in Christian liberty designates the place, form and scope of service. We believe that when the church calls men into this public ministry, it is the Lord himself acting through the church (Acts 20:28).

  10. We reject any attempt to identify the Holy Christian Church with an outward organization, and likewise any claim that the church must function in the world through specific organizational forms.

  11. We reject any views that see in the church, as the body of Christ, an extension of Christ's incarnation.

  12. We reject as false-ecumenicity any views that look for the true unity of the church in some form of external or organizational union, and we oppose all movements toward such union made at the expense of confessional integrity.

  13. We reject the contention that religious fellowship may be practiced without confessional agreement.
This is what Scripture teaches about the church and its ministry.
This we believe, teach and confess.


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