OUR BELIEFS: THE CHURCH OF CHRIST
If you’re new to the church of Christ, then you should know we’re a non-denominational Christian fellowship – an independent local congregation with no ties to any overseeing body. There are over 13,000 congregations like ours throughout the United States, and an additional 15,000 congregations in 73 foreign countries. Each congregation governs itself independently from all the others and any overseeing board. We have no official headquarters. No governing body mandates or dictates doctrine. And yet, we are very united in our attitude toward the Bible, in the way our congregations are governed, in our concept of the Christian life, and in the way we believe people become Christians. Take a moment to see how we see God, His son, the Holy Spirit, and the church that Jesus instituted while he walked among humankind.
About God
There is only one true and living God. He is the Creator and Sustainer of all things visible and invisible. He gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. God is indiscriminate and steadfast in His love. God has always been and will always be. Divinity co-equally exists in three Persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit. He reveals Himself to us through His creation, through His revealed Word, and finally in the Son. God is love.
Genesis 1:26-27; Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 3:13-17; Acts 17: 25; Romans 1:19-20, 8:31; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 4:6; 1 John 4:8
About Jesus
Jesus Christ is the unique, one and only begotten Son of God, true God from true God. He is not created but is eternal and co-equal with God the Father and God the Spirit. The Son willingly came to earth and took on human flesh, born of the virgin Mary. Only Jesus, therefore, can perfectly reveal to the human family who God is, because Jesus is the word (logos) of God become flesh. In other words, Jesus Christ is God being man. In Jesus’ miracles, His sinless life, His joy in doing the Father’s will, in Jesus’ life-changing teachings, He confirms God’s love and purposes for the human family.
By His faithfulness to the Father, even unto death on a cross, Jesus was the perfect sacrifice. By standing in solidarity with and forgiveness of sinners (that’s all of us), Jesus erased the human debt of sin through his death and burial, accomplishing our atonement (at-one-ment) with God. In Jesus’ bodily resurrection from the grave on the third day and his exaltation into heaven, Jesus conquered death for the human family. He is King of kings and Lord of lords, and He will return one day to judge the living and the dead.
Matthew 1:22-23, 5:45; John 1:1,14,18; Acts 10:37-43; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Ephesians 2:48; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 1:15-21; Hebrews 1:1-3
About the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is eternal and co-equal with God the Father and God the Son. He dwells in each member of God’s family as a Helper and Guide. It is through the work of the Holy Spirit that each person comes to salvation. The Holy Spirit begins his work of sanctification in us when we are saved. Though we will never in this life become sinless, we cooperate with the Spirit to be shaped more and more into the image of Christ revealed in Scripture. The sinful works of our flesh begin to fade, and the fruit of the Spirit begins to appear as we are led by the Spirit daily.
John 14:16-17, 16:7-13; Acts 2:38; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Ephesians 3:16-20, 5:18; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Galatians 5:19-25; Romans 8:13, 14
About the Church
The church of Christ upon earth consists of all those in every place who have put their trust and faith in Christ and obedience to Him in all things according to the Scriptures. The church is not a building or comprised only of a particular sect of believers. The church belongs to Jesus, who gives the church its identity: “one Lord, one faith, and one baptism.” One of the analogies the Bible uses describes Jesus as the “head” of the church, which is his “body,” while each “member” constitutes Christ’s “hands and feet” in the world.
Jesus desires the church to gather regularly in worship of God and to share with one another in holy communion. The church is Christ’s bride. Her purpose is to show to the world the excellency of Christ, witnessing Jesus to the world by her unity and love. The church is a “chosen people, a royal priesthood.” God has called the church out of darkness into His wonderful light to do His will—which includes making and growing disciples of Jesus Christ.
Matthew 16:15-18; John 17:20-23, 13:34-35; Hebrews 10:25; Act 2:42-47; 1 Cor 12:12-27, Ephesians 1:22-23, 2:19-22; 1 Peter 2:4-10
