UCC DECLARATION OF FAITH
SCRIPTURES
We believe in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as verbally inspired
by God and inerrant in the original writing. They are the final authority in faith
and life. (I Tim. 3:16,17; II Peter 1:20-21)
THE TRINITY
We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons; Father, Son and Holy
Spirit - Each being of the same essence and actively involved in creation and
redemption. (Genesis 1:1,2; Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:18-19; John 1:1-3; II Cor. 13:14;
Eph. 1:2-6; Col. 1:15-16; Titus 3:5; Hebrews 1:1-3)
GOD THE FATHER
We believe that the Father is the first person of the Trinity. He is the planner,
sustainer, and director of the world. He is the author of salvation and the father
of His people. (I Chron. 29:11-12; Psalms 100:3; Daniel 2:21; Daniel 4:34-35;
Ephesians 1:3-6; Hebrews 12:5-9)
GOD THE SON
We believe that Jesus Christ, the second person of the Trinity is the eternal Son
of God and the virgin born son of Mary. He lived a sinless life, died on the Cross
as a substitutionary sacrifice for the sins of the world, rose bodily from the grave
and ascended into Heaven where he now intercedes on behalf of all believers
and will personally return visibly to establish his worldwide kingdom. (Matt.
1:18; John 1:1-18; Romans 1:4; Romans 6:4-10; II Cor. 5:17-21; Titus 2:13;
Hebrews 4:14-16; I Peter 2:21-24)
GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe that the Holy Spirit, the third person of the trinity, is God who
executes the divine will and reveals Jesus Christ. The Spirit was active in the
creation of the universe, the inspiration of the Scripture, the virgin birth of Jesus
Christ and the redemption of mankind. The Spirit baptizes, indwells, and gifts
every believer. (Gen. 1:2; Matt. 1:18; John 3:5-7; John 16:7-9; I Cor. 3:16-17; I Cor
6:19; I Cor. 12:4-13; Gal. 3:27-29; I Peter 4:10-11; II Peter 1:20-21)
MAN
We believe that man was created in the image of God but through choice and
sinful inheritance, became separated from God, under his righteous judgment
and in need of personal redemption. Every man will face judgment, the
unbeliever will be committed to eternal conscious punishment in hell. The
believer will enter the eternal state of glory with God. (Gen. 1:26-28; Gen. 3:1-19;
Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:1-3; Revelations 20-22)
SATAN
We believe that Satan is a created being who is the declared enemy of God and
man. He was judged and defeated by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ
yet he still seeks to replace God and to destroy mankind. He will be condemned
to everlasting punishment at the final judgment. (Gen. 3:1-7; John 12:31; II Cor.
11:13-15; Eph. 6:12; Col. 2:13-15; I Peter 5:8; Rev. 12:9-10; Rev. 2:10)
SALVATION
We believe that salvation is based on the elective grace of God and was
purchased by Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death and resurrection, which is to be
proclaimed to all men. This salvation is received by grace through the gift of
faith apart from any human effort and results in the believer’s eternal security.
(John 1:12; John 3:16; John 10:27-29; Rom. 5:8-19; Rom. 8:28-30; Rom. 10:8-13;
Eph. 1:4-5; Eph. 2:8-10; Titus 3:5-6)
JUSTIFICATION
Those that God, by His Holy Spirit, supernaturally and effectively calls to
newness of life, He also freely justifies. This He does not by making them
righteous, but by pardoning their sins and by counting and accepting them as
righteous. This acceptance is not for anything worthy that is in them, or done by
them, but for Christ’s sake alone. It is not achieved by faith itself, the act of
believing, or any other obedience from them that can be called a righteous act;
but only by crediting Christ’s active obedience to the whole law, and His passive
obedience in death for their complete and only righteousness. Christ and His
righteousness are therefore received by faith alone. No man has faith by himself;
it is the gift of God. This faith is the sole instrument of justification; yet it is
never alone in the person justified but is always accompanied with all other
saving graces. It is not a dead faith, but always produces fruit as the believer
undergoes the process of sanctification. (Romans 3:21-31, 4:5-8, 5:17-19;
Ephesians 1:7, 2:8-10; Philippians 3:8-9; James 2:14-26)
THE CHURCH
We believe that all who place their faith in Jesus Christ are immediately baptized
by the Holy Spirit into one united spiritual body, the Church. The members of this
body are directed to associate with local assemblies for the purpose of worship,
fellowship, discipleship evangelism and missions. (Matt. 16:18; Matt. 28:18-20;
Acts 1:8; Acts 2:41-47; I Cor. 12:13; Eph. 2:19-22; Eph. 4:11-16; Heb. 10:25)
THE SACRAMENTS
We believe that our Lord Jesus Christ has ordained two sacramental
observances for His church, namely Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. These are
signs and confirmations of the saving grace of God in the work of his son Jesus
Christ. These do not of themselves accomplish the salvation of the participant,
though they are the ordinary means by which the atoning grace of Christ is
indicated and confirmed. These sacraments are commanded by Christ to be
observed by his Church and are to be given their rightful place in the worship
services of UCC.
*We believe that Christ is in no way present corporeally (physically or bodily) in
the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, but that he is present spiritually and that the
believer truly partakes of him by faith. (1 Cor. 10:16)
*We believe that only those who have made a credible profession of faith in the
person and work of Jesus Christ may be considered members of the covenant
community and are therefore the only proper recipients of the sacrament of
baptism. (Matt. 28:19)
ESCHATOLOGY
We believe in the future return of Jesus Christ personally, bodily, and visibly to
establish His kingdom, resurrect the dead, and execute the final judgment of all
people, followed by the creation of a new heaven and a new earth. (Titus 2:13;
Rev. 19:11-19; Rev. 20:11-14; Rev. 21,22)