美地城华语基督教会信仰章程
1、关于圣经
我们相信: 新、旧约圣经所有六十六本书都是 神所默示的话语,是完全无误、绝对可靠、是我们信仰和生活的准则。 我们相信圣经的权威超过一切教会、机构和信条。我们相信: 圣经适用于所有人种,以及不同的时代和环境。
2、关于 神和三位一体
我们相信只有一位真 神,祂是位三位一体的 神,这位独一的 神包括父 神,子 神和灵 神三个位格。 圣子是在永恒里由圣父所生,圣灵在永恒里出于圣父和圣子。圣父、圣子、 圣灵享有同等尊荣和权能。 神是灵、是无限的、绝对的、超过万有、自有永有、永不更改、独一、完美、伟大和永恒的,就自然属性而言, 神是无所不在、无所不知、无所不能。 神的道德属性包括圣洁、公义、慈爱、真理。
3、关于我们的中保基督
我们相信主耶稣基督是 神永恒的爱子,是三位一体 神中的第二位,是太初与 神同在的道,就是神。万有是靠祂造的,借祂造的,为祂造的,并靠祂而立。祂是 神荣耀所发的光辉,是 神本体的真象。我们相信基督的位格, 有完全的 神性和人性。祂用自己的宝血和自己成为我们的赎罪祭救赎了我们。我们相信基督是借圣灵由童女马利亚所生,死在十字架上,被埋葬后第三日复活, 祂又升上高天,现在坐在父 神的右边。为着祂的圣徒和 神国度的实现祂将会再来。祂是道路,真理和生命。
4、关于圣灵
我们相信圣灵是三位一体 神中的第三位,是出于圣父与圣子,历世历代被信仰、爱戴、尊崇和敬拜。因着 神的恩典,圣灵是唯一能使人重生的那一位,祂住在信徒的心里成为我们的保惠师并使我们成圣。圣灵来是为了启示和荣耀主耶稣基督,引导我们进入一切的真理,并用公义和审判显明世人的罪。借着圣灵,所有的圣徒联合成基督的身体,在基督里所有信祂的人被建成 神的居所。
5、关于人的教义
我们相信人不是出于地球自然发生的,也不是通过自然进化或类似其他的过程而来。人是由 神创造,是按着 神的形象和样式被造的,人在最初时是无罪、公义、圣洁的。但是在罪中,人是完全的败坏。罪人的心灵完全处在死亡状态,对关乎 神的事是完全无法领会。出于 神的恩典完全借着主耶稣基督的救赎,圣灵使罪人从灵里苏醒过来,把罪人从罪的奴役中解救出来。
6、关于 神的教会
我们相信教会是宇宙性的,包括历世历代所有的信徒, 是基督的身体和新妇。教会是永生 神的家,是充满万有者所充满的。教会的目的是为了完成基督的大使命,造就圣徒,并坚持不懈,竭尽全力地追随基督。
The Faith Statement of Chinese Christian Church of Madison
1. Concerning the Holy Scripture
We believe all the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testament of the Holy Scripture are inspired by God. All these books are inerrant and infallible Word of God, the sufficient rule of faith and life. We believe the authority of the Holy Scripture that all churches, councils, and decrees are subject to its authority. We also believe the relevancy of the Holy Scripture that no part of the Word of God is irrelevant today regarding the race, time, or space.
2. Concerning God and the Holy Trinity
We believe there is only one true God, one God in Trinity, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, and three persons in one unity. The Son is eternally generated from the Father and the Holy Spirit is eternally proceeded from the Father and the Son. The Trinity is consubstantial and equally in power, and glory. As the living personal Spirit, pertaining to God’s infinity, He is absolute, supreme, self-existent, immutable, unity, perfect, immense, and eternal. Pertaining to His creation, He is omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent. Holiness, righteousness, love, and truth are God’s moral attributes.
3. Concerning Christ the Mediator
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal begotten Son of God, the Divine Second Person of the Holy Trinity, and the Logos was not only with God, but was God. All things are created through Him, by Him, and unto Him. He is the radiance of God’s glory, the exact manifestation of God’s being. We believe the two distinct natures of the human and the divine were inseparably joined in the one person of Christ. With His vicarious atonement He redeems us with His blood. We believe that Christ was born of Virgin Mary through the Holy Spirit, died on the cross, buried, resurrected on the third day, and raised to the heavenly place and sat down at the right hand side of God. He is coming back again for His saints and for the completion of the kingdom of God. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
4. Concerning the Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is the Divine Third Person of the Holy Trinity, proceeding from the Father and the Son, is “to be believed in, loved, obeyed, and worshiped throughout all ages (The Westminster Confession of Faith).” The Holy Spirit is the sole agent to regenerate men by His grace and indwelling in the hearts of believers as the Comforter and Sanctifier. The Holy Spirit reveals and glorifies Christ our Lord, guide us into all truth, and convicts the world of sin and righteousness and judgment. Through Him all the believers being united as the Body of Christ and in Christ the believers are being built together to become a dwelling place of God.
5. Concerning the Doctrine of Man
We believe that man is not a spontaneous production of the earth and is not developed through an natural process of evolution and the like. Man is created by God and is created according to the image and the likeness of God which was in a state of innocence with righteousness and holiness. In the state of sin, man is totally depraved. The sinner is spiritually dead, blind, and deaf to the things of God. His will is not free. In the state of grace, through the redemption of Jesus Christ our Lord, the Holy Spirit awakes the sinner spiritually and frees him from the enslavement of sin. Faith is itself a part of God’s gift of salvation. It is God’s gift to sinner.
6. Concerning the Church of God
We believe that the universal church, which consists of all believers throughout all ages, is the Body and Bride of Christ. The church is the home to the eternal God and the fullness of God, Who fills all and in all. The purpose of the church is to fulfil the great commission of Christ, to edify the saints, and to seek Him with all diligence and perseverance.