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What do United
Methodists believe about
Jesus? |
The official United Methodist
doctrine is that Jesus was the Son
of God, the child of the virgin Mary
and the Holy Spirit, truly God and
truly Man, who for us and for our
salvation came down from heaven. He
is eternal Savior and Mediator, who
intercedes for us and by him all
persons will be judged.
Article II, The Confession of Faith,
The Book of Discipline: “We
believe in Jesus Christ, truly God
and truly man, in whom the divine
and human natures are perfectly and
inseparably united. He is the
eternal Word made flesh, the only
begotten Son of the Father, born of
the Virgin Mary by the power of the
Holy Spirit. As ministering servant
he lived, suffered and died on the
cross. He was buried, rose from the
dead and ascended into heaven to be
with the Father, from whence he
shall return. He is eternal Savior
and Mediator, who intercedes for us,
and by him all persons are to be
judged.”
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What do United
Methodists believe about
the
cross? |
The official United Methodist
doctrine is that sin separated all
persons from God. Jesus’ death on
the cross was an atoning sacrifice,
making possible our forgiveness and
reconciliation with God. To repent
of sin and trust in Jesus Christ are
the only requirements for one to
receive that forgiveness and
reconciliation made possible by
Jesus’ death.
The Nicene Creed:
“For our sake he was crucified
under Pontius Pilate…”
Article II, The Articles of
Religion, The Book of Discipline:
“…Christ, very God and very Man,
who truly suffered, was crucified,
dead, and buried to reconcile his
Father to us, and to be a sacrifice,
not only for original sin, but also
for the actual sins of people.”
Article XX, The Articles of
Religion, The Book of Discipline:
“The offering of Christ, once
made, is that perfect redemption,
propitiation, and satisfaction for
all the sins of the whole world,
both original and actual; and there
is none other satisfaction for sin
but that alone…”
Article VI, The Articles of
Religion, The Book of Discipline:
“… Everlasting life is offered to
mankind by Christ, who is the only
Mediator between God and man, being
both God and
Man.”
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What do United
Methodists believe about
sin? |
The official United Methodist
doctrine is:
Because of rebellion against God
going all the way back to Adam, all
persons are inclined toward sin and
selfishness. Sin means missing the
mark of God’s righteousness; it
means to be in rebellion against
God, to disobey his laws.
A person by strength of will power
alone cannot forsake sin and please
God. Only through an intervention of
God’s grace can a person overcome
sin and become part of the Kingdom
of God.
Article VII, The Articles of
Religion, The Book of Discipline:
“…Man is very far gone from
original righteousness, and of his
own nature inclined to evil, and
that continually.”
Article VII, The Confession of
Faith, The Book of Discipline:
“We believe man is fallen from
righteousness and, apart from the
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, is
destitute of holiness and inclined
toward evil. Except a man be born
again, he cannot see the Kingdom of
God. In his own strength, without
divine grace, man cannot do good
works pleasing and acceptable to
God…”
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The official United Methodist
doctrine is this:
When a person repents of sin and
trusts in Jesus Christ as Savior and
Lord, that person is forgiven of sin
and receives the gift of eternal
life (right relationship with God).
The Holy Spirit takes up residence
in that person, teaching and
equipping him or her to he a
disciple of Christ, and confirming
that the person is indeed a child of
God.
Article IX, The Articles of
Religion, The Book of Discipline:
“We are accounted righteous
before God only for the merit of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, by
faith, and not for our own works or
deservings. Wherefore, that we are
justified by faith, only, is a most
wholesome doctrine, and very full of
comfort.”
Article IX, The Confession of Faith,
The Book of Discipline:
“We believe we are never
accounted righteous before God
through our works or merit, but that
penitent sinners are justified or
accounted righteous before God only
by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.”
We believe regeneration is the
renewal of man in righteousness
through Jesus Christ, by the power
of the Holy Spirit, whereby we are
made partakers of the divine nature
and experience newness of life. By
this new birth the believer becomes
reconciled to God and is enabled to
serve him with the will and the
affections.
“We believe, although we have
experienced regeneration, it is
possible to depart from grace and
fall into sin; and we may even then,
by the grace of God, be renewed in
righteousness.”
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What do United
Methodists believe about
the
resurrection of
Jesus? |
The official United Methodist
doctrine is that Jesus’ physical
body became alive again after three
days in the grave.
The Apostles Creed:
“…The third day he arose from the
dead.”
Article III, The Articles of
Religion, The Book of Discipline:
“Christ did truly rise again from
the dead, and took again his body,
with all things appertaining to the
perfection of man’s nature…”
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What do United
Methodists believe about
the
Trinity? |
The official United Methodist
doctrine is that God is one God in
three Persons: Father, Son and Holy
Spirit.
The Apostles Creed:
“I believe in God the Father
Almighty and in Jesus Christ his
only Son our Lord. I believe in the
Holy Spirit…”
Article I, The Articles of Religion,
The Book of Discipline:
“There is but one living and true
God, everlasting, without body or
parts, of infinite power, wisdom,
and goodness; the maker and
preserver of all things, both
visible and invisible. And in unity
of this Godhead there are three
persons, of one substance, power and
eternity… the Father, the Son and
the Holy Spirit.”
Article I, The Confession of Faith,
The Book of Discipline:
“We believe in the one true, holy,
and living God, Eternal Spirit, who
is Creator, Sovereign and Preserver
of all things visible and invisible.
He is infinite in power, wisdom,
justice, goodness and love, and
rules with gracious regard for the
well-being and salvation of men, to
the glory of his name. We believe
the one God reveals himself as the
Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit, distinct but inseparable,
eternally one in essence and power.”
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What do United
Methodists believe about
the
Bible? |
The official United Methodist
doctrine is that the Bible was
inspired by God and contains all
things necessary for salvation. When
read under the inspiration of the
Holy Spirit, the Bible is our true
rule and guide for faith and
practice.
Article V, The Articles of Religion,
The Book of Discipline:
“The Holy Scripture contains all
things necessary to salvation; so
that whatsoever is not read therein,
nor may be proved thereby, is not to
be required of any person that it
should be believed as an article of
faith, or be thought requisite or
necessary to salvation…”
Article VI, The Articles of
Religion, The Book of Discipline:
“The Old Testament is not
contrary to the New; for both in the
Old and New Testament everlasting
life is offered to mankind by
Christ.... Although the law given
from God by Moses concerning
ceremonies and rites does not bind
Christians, nor ought the civil
precepts thereof of necessity be
received in any commonwealth; yet
notwithstanding, no Christian
whatsoever is free from the
obedience of the commandments which
are called moral.”
Article IV, The Confession of Faith,
The Book of Discipline:
“We believe the Holy Bible, Old
and New Testaments, reveals the Word
of God so far as it is necessary for
our salvation. It is to be received
through the Holy Spirit as the true
rule and guide for faith and
practice. Whatever is not revealed
in or established by the Holy
Scriptures is not to made an article
of faith nor is it to be taught as
essential to salvation.”
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What do United
Methodists believe about
heaven
and hell? |
The official United Methodist
doctrine is that Jesus will judge
the living and the dead. Those who
have not accepted Jesus’ offer of
forgiveness and new life are at risk
of living apart from him for all
eternity. Jesus Christ alone is
empowered to judge one’s eternal
destiny.
The Nicene Creed:
“He (Jesus) will come again in
glory to judge the living and the
dead.”
Article XII, The Confession of
Faith, The Book of Discipline:
“We believe all persons stand
under the righteous judgment of
Jesus Christ, both now and in the
last day. We believe in the
resurrection of the dead; the
righteous to life eternal and the
wicked to endless condemnation.”
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What do United
Methodists believe about
the
second coming? |
The official United Methodist
doctrine is that Jesus Christ will
return again in glory, bringing
human history to a close and
inaugurating his Kingdom in all its
fullness.
The Nicene Creed:
“He (Jesus) will come again in
glory….”
Article III, The Articles of
Religion, The Book of Discipline:
“…He (Christ) ascended into
heaven, and there sitteth until he
return to judge all persons at the
last day.”
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What do United
Methodists believe about
the Holy
Spirit? |
The official United Methodist
doctrine is that the Holy Spirit is
of one substance with the Father and
the Son. The Holy Spirit convinces
the world of sin, and leads persons
to a response in faith to the
gospel. The Holy Spirit is the
Christian’s primary teacher,
comforter and source of power.
The Nicene Creed:
“We believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life, who
proceeds from the Father and the
Son, who with the Father and the Son
is worshiped and glorified, who has
spoken through the prophets.”
Article IV, The Articles of
Religion, The Book of Discipline:
“The Holy Spirit, proceeding from
the Father and the Son, is of one
substance, majesty, and glory with
the Father and the Son, very and
eternal God.”
Article III, The Confession of
Faith, The Book of Discipline:
“We believe in the Holy Spirit
who proceeds from and is one in
being with the Father and the Son.
He convinces the world of sin, of
righteousness and of judgment. He
leads persons through faithful
response to the gospel into the
fellowship of the Church. He
comforts, sustains, and empowers the
faithful and guides them into all
truth.”
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What do United
Methodists believe about
baptism? |
The official United Methodist
doctrine is that the baptism of
believers signifies repentance and
forgiveness of sin, new birth, and
the entry into Christian
discipleship.
Young children, with or without
baptism, are under the atonement of
Christ and as heirs of the Kingdom
of God are acceptable subjects for
Christian baptism. For them baptism
is a symbol of God taking the
initiative toward them. Their
baptism should be followed by
Christian nurture within the church.
Hopefully, they will be led at a
later time to receive the gift of
salvation through profession of
faith in Christ.
The Nicene Creed:
“We acknowledge one baptism for
the forgiveness of sins.”
Article XVII, The Articles of
Religion, The Book of Discipline:
“Baptism is not only a sign of
profession and mark of difference
whereby Christians are distinguished
from others that are not baptized;
but it is also a sign of
regeneration or the new birth. The
Baptism of young children is to be
retained in the Church.”
Article VI, The Confession of Faith,
The Book of Discipline:
“…We believe Baptism signifies
entrance into the household of
faith, and is a symbol of repentance
and inner cleansing from sin, a
representation of the new birth in
Christ Jesus and a mark of Christian
discipleship. We believe children
are under the atonement of Christ
and as heirs of the Kingdom of God
are acceptable subjects for
Christian Baptism. Children of
believing parents through Baptism
become the special responsibility of
the Church. They should be nurtured
and led to personal acceptance of
Christ, and by profession of faith
confirm their Baptism….”
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What do United
Methodists believe about
Holy
Communion? |
Holy Communion (or the Lord’s
Supper) is a faithful remembrance of
the suffering and death of Christ
and a celebration of love within the
Church. Those who in faith eat the
broken bread and drink the blessed
cup partake of the body and blood of
Christ in a spiritual manner until
He comes in glory.
Article XVIII, The Articles of
Religion, The Book of Discipline:
“The Supper of the Lord is not only
a sign of the love that Christians
ought to have among themselves one
to another, but rather is a
sacrament of our redemption by
Christ’s death; insomuch that, to
such as rightly, worthily, and with
faith receive the same, the bread
which we break is a partaking of the
body of Christ; and likewise the cup
of blessing is a partaking of the
blood of Christ.
“Transubstantiation, or the change
of the substance of bread and wine
in the Supper of our Lord, cannot be
proved by Scripture, but is
repugnant to the plain words of
Scripture, overthrows the nature of
a sacrament, and has given occasion
to many superstitions.
“The body of Christ is given, taken,
and eaten in the Supper, only after
a heavenly and spiritual manner. And
the mean whereby the body of Christ
is received and eaten in the Supper
is faith. "The Sacrament of the
Lord's Supper was not by Christ's
ordinance reserved, carried about,
lifted up, or worshiped.”
Article VI, The Confession of Faith,
The Book of Discipline:
“…We believe the Lord's Supper is
a representation of our redemption,
a memorial of the sufferings and
death of Christ, and a token of love
and union which Christians have with
Christ and with one another. Those
who rightly, worthily, and in faith,
eat the broken bread and drink the
blessed cup partake of the body and
blood of Christ in a spiritual
manner until he comes.”
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