THE APOSTLES' CREED

We believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth,

 

And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he arose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

 

We believe in the Holy Spirit; the holy Christian Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting.  Amen

There is no strict set of beliefs which unites Presbyterians or separates them from other followers of Christ. For inspiration and guidance in their faith, Presbyterians have two main sources:

 

Like other Christians Presbyterians believe in:

 

God Creator of the Universe
Christ the incarnation of God on earth
Holy Spirit the presence of God in the world and in the believer
The Church a universal company of Christ's followers
Forgiveness of Sin made possible by the crucifixion of Jesus
Life Everlasting shown by the resurrection of Jesus
Bible the inspired word of God

 

Presbyterians interpret the Bible very much like other Protestants do. Ultimately, however, every Presbyterian must find a personal set of beliefs through study, contemplation and worship.

 

Some other Presbyterian Beliefs:

 

The Trinity
God exists in the trinity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
 


 
 

Christ
Presbyterians believe that Christ is the Son of God, the Revealer of God, and the Savior of humanity.

 

Heaven
The souls of the faithful are reunited with God in a warm and loving relationship.

 

Hell
- separation from God which may exist now as well as in the Hereafter.

 

Virgin Birth
Presbyterians believe that Jesus' birth was miraculous.

 

Mary
 She is honored as the mother of Jesus, the special person chosen to bear the Son of God.

 

Resurrection
For Presbyterians, the resurrection of the body refers to the reuniting of the spiritual body and physical body.
 


 

 

Confession
 Confession is voluntary, and made directly to God, although it may be made in presence of pastor.

 

Salvation
God grants the gift of grace, which enables us to gain the faith necessary for salvation.

 

The Cross
 The empty cross symbolizes the risen Christ who opened the Kingdom of Heaven.

 

Marriage
Presbyterians believe in the sacredness of marriage. They attempt to curb divorce by encouraging young people to seriously prepare for marriage.

 

Change
Presbyterians believe that the Holy Spirit constantly heightens truth, and thus admit different understandings of the Confession of Faith.

 

Parenthood
There is nothing in the church's teaching which discourages intelligent, unselfish family planning.

 

Education
Education is stressed by Presbyterians, both for the ministry and for the laity.

 

The "Only" Church
Presbyterians believe that no Christian church has exclusive possession of the church government authorized by Christ.

 

The Sacraments
Presbyterians recognize two sacraments as described in the Bible:

_______________
Excerpted from:

About Being Presbyterian...a guide to more effective church membership. 2001 ed. South Deerfield: Channing L. Bete Co., Inc., 1974.

 

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