Who are we as Christians?

As Christians, we are to be disciples of Jesus Christ.

The truth of our faith is found in the Holy Bible, which is the inspired Word of God written by men.

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2Tim 3:16-17)

I do believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the Word of God and to contain all things necessary to

salvation, and I consequently hold myself bound to conform my life and ministry thereto, and I do solemnly engage to conform to the Doctrine, Discipline and Worship of Christ as this Church

has received them. – taken from the Ordination Rite

I believe in God, the Father almighty,creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spiritand born of the Virgin Mary.He suffered under Pontius Pilate,was crucified, died, and was buried.He descended to the dead.On the third day he rose again.He ascended into heaven,and is seated at the right hand of the Father.He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit,the holy catholic Church,the communion of saints,the forgiveness of sins,the resurrection of the body,and the life everlasting. Amen.

Our faith is defined by the Apostles’ Creed, our Baptismal Covenant

According to the creeds of the Church, God is three persons – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – in one being

God the Father:God in Heaven“So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven…” (Mat 10:32)

God the Son:God with us

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1)

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (Joh 1:14)

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. (John 14:26)

God the Holy Spirit:God in us, the Helper

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. (Gen 1:1-3)

We believe that God created everything from nothing.

We believe that our earliest ancestors lived in paradise in fellowship with God, but chose to disobey Him, which separated them, and us from Him.

Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God actually say, 'You shall not eat of any tree in the garden'?" And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, 'You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.'" (Gen 3:1-3)

Then the LORD God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—" therefore the LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life. (Gen 3:22-24)

This sin has placed a debt on all of us to God that we cannot repay on our own.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

Except for His great grace!

When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, "It is finished," and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. (John 19:30)

When Christ died on the Cross, he paid the sin debt that we owed, and could never repay once and for all.

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does

not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. (John 3:17-18)

But, Jesus work was not complete when he paid our sin debt.

But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you." (Mat 28:5-7)

He defeated sin and death by rising from the dead.

After His resurrection, Jesus walked the earth for another 40 days before ascending into Heaven.

Before his ascension, he gave the Apostles some instructions:

And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high." (Luke 24:49)

And, as he ascended, he gave his marching orders:

And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." (Mat 28:18-20)

And on Pentecost, the Church was born!

When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2:1-4)

And, the mission to the world began.

At our Baptism, Christians receive the same commission to carry the Good News of Jesus Christ to the world as those first disciples received on the Day of Ascension. We also receive the Holy Spirit

to empower us to carry that mission out.