Beliefs of our Faith Community Part 5
Last few weeks we’ve been considering the doctrine of our faith community.
We differentiated between dogma and doctrine.
Dogma is those faith statements that are universally accepted by all
Christians as essentials for a follower of Jesus.
During our study of dogma we used the Apostle Creed as our guide.
The Apostle’s Creed
I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth: And in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord: Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary: Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried: He descended into hell: The third day he rose again from the dead: He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty: From where he shall come to judge the living and the dead: I believe in the Holy Ghost: I believe in the holy catholic church: the communion of saints: The forgiveness of sins: The resurrection of the body: And the life everlasting. Amen.
Doctrine is a particular faith community’s belief and practice based on
dogma.
In our faith community, the Church of the Nazarene, we have 16 doctrinal
statements based on our understanding of the scripture.
1. We believe in one God, the Creator of all things, who reveals himself as Father, Son, and Spirit.
2. We believe in Jesus Christ, who is fully God and fully human at the same time, who became like us to bring about our salvation.
3. We believe in the Holy Spirit, who is active in the world, bringing us salvation.
4. We believe that the Bible is the Word of God, giving us all we need to know about how to saved.
5. We believe that we are all sinners by both nature and act and need God’s forgiveness and cleansing.
6. We believe that Jesus Christ died on the Cross and that by trusting in His death we can be restored to a right relation to God.
7. We believe that God has enabled us to turn to Him from sin, but that He has not forced us to do so.
8. We believe that individually we must repent, turn away from our sins, and trust Christ to accept us.
9. We believe that when turn from sin and trust in Christ, the old record of sin is wiped clean and we are born anew, thus becoming part of the family of God.
10. We believe that after being born anew, we need the fullness of God’s Spirit in our hearts. When we make a complete commitment to Him, He cleanses our spirit, fills us with His perfect love, and gives us the
power to live victoriously.
11. We believe in the Church, the community that confesses Jesus Christ as Lord.
12. We believe in baptism and urge people to be baptized as Christians.
13. We believe in the Lord’s Supper.
14. We believe God can heal. We pray for healing. We also believe that God can work through medical science.
15. We believe that Jesus Christ is coming again. We believe that Jesus Christ is coming again.
16. We believe that everyone shall face the judgment of God with its rewards and punishments.
We have examined the first 10.
I think its important for you to know what your faith community believes to
be the essentials truths taught in scripture.
I have told you that Doctrine can vary from one faith community to the next
And it certainly does.
You might be tempted to think doctrine is just a matter of opinion so it
really doesn’t matter what the doctrine of a fellowship is
as long as the facility is modern,
music is good,
the preaching adequate,
programs meet my needs and
I have a couple of friends that
attend with me.
You might be tempted to think doctrine is like shopping,
There’s Sears, Kohls, Macy’s, Nordstroms, Bloomingdales,
Saks—it doesn’t matter,
you buy wherever you get a good deal.
But doctrine is much deeper than that.
Doctrine anchors a congregation to a particular thought and history within
this great faith family of Christendom.
Doctrine shapes discipleship—your following of Jesus.
Doctrine shapes core values—the characteristics of your faith
community.
Doctrine informs all the teaching and preaching and
compassion that goes on within your fellowship.
Ultimately doctrine guides you in living your life to the full.
Should we get into a fight over whose the real shopper
because you buy at Saks and I buy at Kohl’s?
Nope-that would be dumb.
Is there a difference between the Saks and Kohl’s shopping
experience?
Most definitely.
So doctrine is important it creates the framework for an understanding of the Bible
which as you know is your guide to becoming everything God created you to
be.
At the close of today you will have been introduced to our faith community’s
teachings about the Church, Baptism, the Lord’s Supper,
and Divine Healing, as we look at Articles 11-14 of our doctrinal
statements.
But most importantly you’ll know if you are a member of the church.
XI. The Church
15. We believe in the Church, the community that confesses Jesus Christ as Lord, the covenant people of God made new in Christ, the Body of Christ called together by the Holy Spirit through the Word.
God calls the Church to express its life in the unity and fellowship of the Spirit; in worship through the preaching of the Word, observance of the sacraments, and ministry in His name; by obedience to Christ and mutual accountability.
The mission of the Church in the world is to continue the redemptive work of Christ in the power of the Spirit through holy living, evangelism, discipleship, and service.
The Church is a historical reality, which organizes itself in culturally conditioned forms; exists both as local congregations and as a universal body; sets apart persons called of God for specific ministries. God calls the Church to live under His rule in anticipation of the consummation at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(Exodus 19:3; Jeremiah 31:33; Matthew 8:11; 10:7; 16:13-19, 24; 18:15-20; 28:19-20; John 17:14-26; 20:21-23; Acts 1:7-8; 2:32-47; 6:1-2; 13:1; 14:23; Romans 2:28-29; 4:16; 10:9-15; 11:13-32; 12:1-8; 15:1-3; 1 Corinthians 3:5-9; 7:17; 11:1, 17-33; 12:3, 12-31; 14:26-40; 2 Corinthians 5:11-6:1; Galatians 5:6, 13-14; 6:1-5, 15; Ephesians 4:1-17; 5:25-27; Philippians 2:1-16; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12; 1 Timothy 4:13; Hebrews 10:19-25; 1 Peter 1:1-2, 13; 2:4-12, 21; 4:1-2, 10-11; 1 John 4:17; Jude 24; Revelation 5:9-10)
The word Church actually means the called out ones.
Has nothing to do with a building or facility used for religious purposes.
It has everything to do with people.
Those people who have been reconciled to God the Father
through God the Son, by the power of God the Spirit
working within them,
are the Church.
1 Peter 2:9-10 (MSG)
But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God's instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you—from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted.
The called out ones are called out for the purpose of glorifying God on the Earth.
Recall the one idea of glory is a physical manifestation of God.
Hence the metaphor of the Church being the Body of Christ.
The called out ones are to be the instrument through which God manifests
Himself to the world.
As such the Church, believers,
regardless of the branch on the faith family tree they can be
located,
continue the redemptive work that Jesus started.
The Work of the Church is holy living, evangelism, discipleship and service.
Somehow we’ve gotten it into our heads the having your name
on some religious organizations membership roll makes
you part of the Church.
To be a part of the Church is to be in a right relationship with God, as
demonstrated by your living a holy life,
helping others enter into a right relationship with God,
guiding younger believers in the faith even as you
are maturing and being lead yourself,
and ministering to meet the needs of
others.
The Church are the ones called out to do ministry.
Ministry is really another way of saying love.
So I could ask you: Are you a member of the Church?
By which I would mean are you experiencing a right relationship with God
right now?
Are you living a holy life?
Are you telling people about salvation?
Are you teaching others to mature in their faith even as you are
learning yourself?
Are you ministering to the needs of others?
Friends live up to the high privilege which God has given you opportunity to thrive
in.
There are two rituals every member to the church are to observe the first is baptism
XII. Baptism
16. We believe that Christian baptism, commanded by our Lord, is a sacrament signifying acceptance of the benefits of the atonement of Jesus Christ, to be administered to believers and declarative of their faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior, and full purpose of obedience in holiness and righteousness.
Baptism being a symbol of the new covenant, young children may be baptized, upon request of parents or guardians who shall give assurance for them of necessary Christian training.
Baptism may be administered by sprinkling, pouring, or immersion, according to the choice of the applicant.
(Matthew 3:1-7; 28:16-20; Acts 2:37-41; 8:35-39; 10:44-48; 16:29-34; 19:1-6; Romans 6:3-4; Galatians 3:26-28; Colossians 2:12; 1 Peter 3:18-22)
“Baptism is the sacrament of initiation into the Church.” (Leonard, p. 73)
That’s Church with a capital “C” the universal community of God’s children
that we just looked at in article 11.
A sacrament is an act of worship that Jesus specifically instructed His
followers to observe.
Our faith community observes to sacraments,
Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
This sacrament of baptism is an initiation ritual.
It is a public declaration of your faith
acknowledging that God has accepted you as His own.
Acts 18:8 (NIV)
Crispus, the synagogue ruler, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard him believed and were baptized.
You believed and you were baptized,
Baptism symbolizes your identification with the death and
resurrection of Jesus and becoming a part of His Body the
Church
Baptism is one of the unifying sacraments of the Church,
The baptized person publicly receives the Church as family with all of
those benefits of care and discipleship the faith family can
offer.
The Church in turn receives the baptized person, with their gifts and
graces and integrates them
into its mission and witness to the
world. (Leonard p 73)
Baptism acknowledges you inclusion is the Church.
Baptism involves water.
Water is what we use for cleaning.
So the water represents ceremonial cleansing.
God accepts our faith and purifies us from our sins.
That’s what the water represents.
In our tradition we have three methods of outwardly symbolizing this
inward work of God in the life of the new believer.
We will sprinkle water over you,
We will pour water over you,
Or we will immerse you under water.
I personally prefer immersion,
Because of the symbolism of being united with Jesus in his death,
Going under the water,
And being united with Jesus in his resurrection,
Coming back up from the water.
Is a powerful picture of the Gospel.
We also baptize infants—of course no immersion here,
But instead of the baptism being a sign of their initiation into the Church,
It is more a proclamation of our understanding of grace that teaches us
that God’s atonement saves those not yet able to seek God’s
acceptance of them.
And a promise by the parents, godparents, and church family to do
everything they can to demonstrate the path of faith in Christ to
their little one.
Because of this understanding we more often dedicate babies to God
rather than baptize them but
its all according to the faith and desires of the parents.
The Church is people whom God has made his children,
Baptism is the public declaration that God has done this work in you.
One of the rituals every member of the Church observes,
The next ritual that is universally practiced is the Lord’s supper.
XIII. The Lord’s Supper
17. We believe that the Memorial and Communion Supper instituted by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is essentially a New Testament sacrament, declarative of His sacrificial death, through the merits of which believers have life and salvation and promise of all spiritual blessings in Christ. It is distinctively for those who are prepared for reverent appreciation of its significance, and by it they show forth the Lord’s death till He come again. It being the Communion feast, only those who have faith in Christ and love for the saints should be called to participate therein.
(Exodus 12:1-14; Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:17-20; John 6:28-58; 1 Corinthians 10:14-21; 11:23-32)
The Lord’s Supper or communion is to be a fiesta not a funeral. (Leonard, p. 79)
Here’s why:
First this ritual commemorates or remembers that God loves you so
much that He made atonement for you.
Second this ritual recognizes the presence of Christ in your life right
now. Christ is in you.
Third this ritual proclaims that are looking forward to Christ’s return
to consummate the kingdom and set all things right.
“The Lord’s Supper is a celebration in which we give thanks for our”
relationship with God and his gift of salvation. (Leonard, p 79)
One more thing I want you to know about the Lord’s Supper,
Partaking of the bread and the cup,
Symbols of Jesus broken body and shed blood,
Is also a proclamation that you are willing to make yourself a
living sacrifice for Him.
What He has done for you,
You are willing to do for Him.
In partaking you are saying as Jesus said:
Not my will but Thine
The Church is people whom God has made his children,
Baptism is the public declaration that God has made you His own.
The Lord’s Supper is a celebration of what God has done for the
Church, Is doing now for the Church and will do for Church.
Now our shortest article
XIV. Divine Healing
18. We believe in the Bible doctrine of divine healing and urge our people to seek to offer the prayer of faith for the healing of the sick. We also believe God heals through the means of medical science.
(2 Kings 5:1-19; Psalm 103:1-5; Matthew 4:23-24; 9:18-35; John 4:46-54; Acts 5:12-16; 9:32-42; 14:8-15; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11; 2 Corinthians 12:7-10; James 5:13-16)
At first this sounds like a kind of hedge your bet doctrine,
While I pray that God heals you go see your doctor.
But if we look a little more closely I think you’ll see a bunch more in those
two sentences.
First it refutes Gnosticism.
Remember that the Gnostics taught that the body didn’t matter,
It is material and of no consequence.
Our doctrine tells us that the body is important.
1 Corinthians 6:19 (NIV)
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?
Second it confirms our belief that God intervenes in the natural order
of the universe.
God is not the absentee landlord, He is both
transcendent and immanent able to supernaturally
change His creation.
Third it acknowledges that God sets aside healers in medical science
and uses even the ones who do not believe in Him to do His
will.
Fourth it affirms that we believe that disease, sickness and death are
not a part of God’s original intent for humanity.
Fifth it reminds us to pray because we believe that God hears and
answers the prayers of His children.
Now that doesn’t guarantee that God will always do what we want,
but rather it is belief that God cares enough to act on our behalf
while at the same time trusting in God’s wisdom and
goodness and power to make all things eventually
work for the good.
2 Corinthians 12:8-9 (MSG)
At first I didn't think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me, my grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness.
Sixth that it is the Church that is exhorted to pray affirms our role in
bringing the healing of the nations. (Revelation 22:1-3)
A lot of stuff packed into those two sentences.
Pray for the sick that God would heal them and be willing to drive them
to the doctors after you pray.
Today we’ve considered our doctrine concerning the Church, Baptism,
The Lord’s Supper and Divine healing.
The Church is people whom God has made his children,
Baptism is the public declaration that God has made you His own.
The Lord’s Supper is a celebration of what God has done for the
Church, Is doing now for the Church and will do for Church.
The Church is instrumental in bringing healing to the
world.
Here’s some things to think about:
Are you a member of the Church?
Have you been baptized?
Does your partaking of the Lord’s Supper a demonstration of your attitude:
Not my will but Thine?
What part do you play in bringing healing to this world?
Doctrine that can’t be actualized in your daily life is not worth believing.
Doctrine is supposed to help you live your life to the full by identifying a
historical path that others have trodden in the transformation of
becoming everything God has created them to be.
As a disciple of Christ you should be able to answer “Yes” to the first three
questions and have something concrete, some activity that you do as
an answer to the fourth.
If
not take this as your opportunity to seek God and sort these things out.