美國播道會信仰宣言
美國播道會聯會是由獨立自主的教會聯合組成,教會共同持守以下的神學認信:
1)神:上帝的福音源於,亦彰顯出奇妙完美的永恆三一真神。 我們相信獨一真神,萬物的創造者,是聖潔和無限完美,並以三個同等的神聖位格:聖父、聖子和聖靈,在愛的契合中永存永在。神有無限的知識和至高的權能。祂在永恆中就恩慈地定意要為自己救贖一群百姓,並且為了自己的榮耀,更新一切。
2)聖經:上帝的福音在聖經里滿有權威地顯明出來。 我們相信神借著人類作者的話語,已經在聖經的舊約和新約曉諭了我們。聖經逐字逐句都是神默示的話,在其原始文本是無錯誤的,完全啓示出神拯救的旨意,並且是判斷人類每一領域的知識和活動之終極權威。因此,我們要相信聖經所有的教導,遵行其中所有的的求,並且信靠其中所有的應許。
3)人類境況:上帝的福音本身就能滿足我們最深層的需要。 我們相信神按照自己的形像造了亞當和夏娃,但他們受撒旦引誘而犯了罪。在亞當里,世人按其本性和選擇來說都是罪人,與神隔絕,且在神的憤怒下。唯有通過神在耶穌基督里的救恩,我們才可以蒙拯救、與神和好、得以更新。
4)耶穌基督:上帝的福音借耶穌基督本身可以全然明白。 我們相信耶穌基督是神成為肉身,是完全的神和完全的人,在一個位格中有兩個本性。耶穌是神應許以色列的彌賽亞,是通過聖靈感孕,由童女馬利亞所生。祂一生無罪,在本丟比拉多手下被釘十字架,有形有體地從死裡復活、升到天上、坐在父神的右邊,作為我們的大祭司和中保。
5)基督的工作:上帝的福音是借著基督的工作而成就。 我們相信耶穌基督是我們的代表和替代。祂在十字架上所流的血,為我們的罪獻上了完美、全備的祭。祂贖罪的死和得勝的復活,成為救恩唯一的根基。
6)聖靈:上帝的福音是借聖靈的大能而施行。 我們相信聖靈所做的一切都榮耀主耶穌基督。祂叫世人知罪、使罪人重生。罪人在祂裡面受洗並與基督聯合,被收納成為神家中的後嗣。聖靈亦住在信徒心中並且光照、引導、裝備和賦予信徒能力,讓他們的生命和事奉有基督的樣式。
7)教會:上帝的福音如今在稱為教會的新群體當中具體表現出來。 我們相信真正的教會是由所有憑藉神的恩典,唯獨靠信心在基督里被稱義的人組成。他們被聖靈聯合成為基督的身體,連於元首基督。本地教會把真教會彰顯出來,成員應該只包括信徒。主耶穌設立了兩個定例—洗禮和主餐。這兩個定例以有形可見的方式把福音表明出來。儘管它們並非得救的途徑,當教會以真正的信心執行這些定例,卻可以堅固和培育信徒。
8)信徒的生活:上帝的福音囑咐我們要活出基督的樣式並向世人作見證。 我們相信神使人稱義的恩典,不能與祂叫人成聖的大能和目的分開。神命令我們以至高的愛去愛祂,以捨己的愛去愛別人,並且借著彼此關懷相顧、對窮人施憐憫、為受壓迫的人伸張正義,活出我們的信仰。我們要借著神的話語、聖靈的能力和奉基督之名的懇切禱告,與邪惡的屬靈勢力爭戰。我們要遵行基督的大使命,叫萬民作祂的門徒,在言語和行為上不斷地為福音作見證。
9)基督的再來:上帝的福音要由主基督自己在末世的時候全然成就。 我們相信主耶穌基督會親自以肉身榮耀地再臨。在祂的聖天使陪同下,祂的國度全然 成就,祂要審判全世界。基督再臨的時刻只有神知道,但我們要不斷地期待著這天。這是我們蒙福的盼望,是信徒過敬虔生活、捨己服務、積極宣教的動力。
10)回應和永恆結局:上帝的福音要一個願意承受永恆後果的回應。 我們相信神命令世上所有人都要相信福音,借著認罪悔改和接受主耶穌基督歸向神。我們相信神將會叫死人有形有體地復活,並且要審判世界,叫不信的人被定罪,永遠遭受有意識的懲罰,叫信徒在新天新地與主同享永恆的福樂,使祂榮耀的恩典得著稱贊。阿們。
Our Statement of Faith is consistent with the EFCA national statement.
GOD
1 | We believe in one God, Creator of all things, holy, infinitely perfect, and eternally existing in a loving unity of three equally divine Persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Having limitless knowledge and sovereign power, God has graciously purposed from eternity to redeem a people for Himself and to make all things new for His own glory.
THE BIBLE
2 | We believe that God has spoken in the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, through the words of human authors. As the verbally inspired Word of God, the Bible is without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of His will for salvation, and the ultimate authority by which every realm of human knowledge and endeavor should be judged. Therefore, it is to be believed in all that it teaches, obeyed in all that it requires, and trusted in all that it promises.
THE HUMAN CONDITION
3 | We believe that God created Adam and Eve in His image, but they sinned when tempted by Satan. In union with Adam, human beings are sinners by nature and by choice, alienated from God, and under His wrath. Only through God’s saving work in Jesus Christ can we be rescued, reconciled and renewed.
JESUS CHRIST
4 | We believe that Jesus Christ is God incarnate, fully God and fully man, one Person in two natures. Jesus-Israel’s promised Messiah-was conceived through the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life, was crucified under Pontius Pilate, arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father as our High Priest and Advocate.
WORK OF CHRIST
5 | We believe that Jesus Christ, as our representative and substitute, shed His blood on the cross as the perfect, all-sufficient sacrifice for our sins. His atoning death and victorious resurrection constitute the only ground for salvation.
HOLY SPIRIT
6 | We believe that the Holy Spirit, in all that He does, glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ. He convicts the world of its guilt. He regenerates sinners, and in Him they are baptized into union with Christ and adopted as heirs in the family of God. He also indwells, illuminates, guides, equips and empowers believers for Christ-like living and service.
THE CHURCH
7 | We believe that the true church comprises all who have been justified by God’s grace through faith alone in Christ alone. They are united by the Holy Spirit in the body of Christ, of which He is the Head. The true church is manifest in local churches, whose membership should be composed only of believers. The Lord Jesus mandated two ordinances, baptism and the Lord’s Supper, which visibly and tangibly express the gospel. Though they are not the means of salvation, when celebrated by the church in genuine faith, these ordinances confirm and nourish the believer.
CHRISTIAN LIVING
8 | We believe that God’s justifying grace must not be separated from His sanctifying power and purpose. God commands us to love Him supremely and others sacrificially, and to live out our faith with care for one another, compassion toward the poor and justice for the oppressed. With God’s Word, the Spirit’s power, and fervent prayer in Christ’s name, we are to combat the spiritual forces of evil. In obedience to Christ’s commission, we are to make disciples among all people, always bearing witness to the gospel in word and deed.
CHRIST’S RETURN
9 | We believe in the personal, bodily and glorious return of our Lord Jesus Christ. The coming of Christ, at a time known only to God, demands constant expectancy and, as our blessed hope, motivates the believer to godly living, sacrificial service and energetic mission.
RESPONSE & ETERNAL DESTINY
10 | We believe that God commands everyone everywhere to believe the gospel by turning to Him in repentance and receiving the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe that God will raise the dead bodily and judge the world, assigning the unbeliever to condemnation and eternal conscious punishment and the believer to eternal blessedness and joy with the Lord in the new heaven and the new earth, to the praise of His glorious grace. Amen.