We hold that the Lord our God is
one:
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
and that he fulfils his sovereign purposes
- in creation, revelation, redemption, judgement and the coming of his
kingdom -
by calling out from the world a people
united to himself and to each other in love.
We acknowledge that though God
has made us
in his own likeness and image,
conferring on us dignity and worth
and enabling us to respond to himself,
we are now members of a fallen race;
we have sinned and come short of his glory.
We believe that the Father
has shown us his holy love
in giving Jesus Christ, his only Son, for us,
while through our sinfulness and guilt, we were subject to his wrath
and condemnation;
and has shown his grace
by putting sinners right with himself
when they place their trust in his Son.
We confess Jesus Christ;
as Lord and God;
as truly human, born of the virgin Mary;
as Servant, sinless, full of grace and truth;
As only Mediator and Saviour, dying on the cross in our place, representing
us to God,
redeeming us from the grip, guilt and punishment of sin; as Victor over
Satan and all his forces,
rising from death with a glorious body,
being taken up to be with his Father,
one day returning personally in glory and judgement to establish his
kingdom
We believe in the Holy Spirit
who convicts the world of guilt in regard to sin, righteousness and
judgement;
who makes the death of Christ effective to sinners,
declaring that they must now turn to Christ in repentance
and directing their trust towards the Lord Jesus Christ; who through
the new birth
makes us partake in the life of the risen Christ, and who is present
within all believers, illuminating their minds to grasp the truth of
the Scripture
producing in them his fruit,
granting them his gifts,
and empowering them for service in the world.
We recognise the church
as a body of Christ,
held together and growing up in him;
both as a total fellowship throughout the world, and
as the local congregation in which believers gather.
We acknowledge the commission
of Christ
to proclaim the Good News to all people,
making them disciples,
and teaching them to obey him; and
We acknowledge the command
of Christ
to love our neighbours,
resulting in service to the church and society,
in seeking reconciliation for all with God and their fellows,
in proclaiming liberty form every kind of oppression; and
in spreading Christ's justice in an unjust world
…. until he comes again.
