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Scriptural references have been omitted from this list but can be found in the
Manual of the Church of the Nazarene, 1989.
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ARTICLE I: THE TRIUNE GOD
We believe in one eternally existent, infinite God, Sovereign of
the Universe; that he only is God, creative and administrative,
holy in nature attributes, and purpose; that He, as God, is Tri-
une in essential being, revealed as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
ARTICLE II: JESUS CHRIST
We believe in Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Triune God-
head; that he was eternally one with the Father; that he became
incarnate by the Holy Spirit and was born of the Virgin Mary, so
that two whole and perfect natures, that is to say the Godhead
and manhood, are thus united in one person very God and very man,
the God-man.
We believe that Jesus Christ died for our sins, and that He truly
arose from the dead and took again his body, together with all
things appertaining to the perfection of man's nature, wherewith
He ascended into heaven and is there engaged in intercession for
us.
ARTICLE III: THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Triune God-
head, that he is ever present and efficiently active in and with
the Church of Christ, convincing the world of sin, regenerating
those who repent and believe, sanctifying believers, and guid-
ing into all truth as it is in Jesus.
ARTICLE IV: THE HOLY SCRIPTURES
We believe in the plenary [absolute] inspiration of the Holy Scrip-
tures, by which we understand the sixty-six books of the Old and
New Testaments, given by divine inspiration, inerrantly reveal-
ing the will of God concerning us in all things necessary to our
salvation, so that whatever is not contained therein is not to
be enjoined as an Article of Faith.
ARTICLE V: SIN, ORIGINAL AND PERSONAL
We believe that sin came into the world through the disobedience
of our first parents, and death by sin. We believe that sin is
of two kinds, original sin or depravity, and actual or personal
sin.
We believe that original sin, or depravity, is that corruption
of the nature of all the offspring of Adam by reason of which ev-
ery one is very far gone from original righteousness or the pure
state of our first parents at the time of their creation, is ad-
verse to God, is without spiritual life, and inclined to evil,
and that continually. We further believe that original sin con-
tinues to exist with the new life of the regenerate, until erad-
icated by the baptism with the Holy Spirit.
We believe that original sin differs from actual sin in that it
constitutes an inherited propensity to actual sin for which no
one is accountable until its divinely provided remedy is neglected
or rejected.
We believe that actual or personal sin is a voluntary violation
of a known law of God by a morally responsible person. It is there-
fore not to be confused with involuntary and inescapable short-
comings, infirmities, faults, mistakes, failures, or other de-
viations from a standard of perfect conduct which are the resid-
ual effects of the Fall. However, such innocent effects do not
include attitudes or responses contrary to the spirit of Christ,
which may properly be called sins of the spirit. We believe that
personal sin is primary and essentially a violation of the law
of love; and that in relation to Christ sin may be defined as un-
belief.
ARTICLE VI: ATONEMENT
We believe that Jesus Christ by His sufferings, by the shedding
of His own blood, and by His meritorious death on the Cross, made
a full atonement for all human sin, and that this atonement is
the only ground of salvation, and that it is sufficient for ev-
ery individual of Adam's race. The atonement is graciously ef-
ficacious (capable of producing the desired effect) for the sal-
vation of the irresponsible and for the children in innocency,
but is efficacious for the salvation of those who reach the age
of responsibility only when they repent and believe.
ARTICLE VII: FREE AGENCY
We believe that man's creation in God-likeness included ability
to choose between right and wrong, and that thus he was made morally
responsible; that through the fall of Adam he became depraved so
that he cannot now turn and prepare himself by his own natural
strength and works to faith and calling upon God. But we also be-
lieve that the grace of God through Jesus Christ is freely be-
stowed upon all men, enabling all who will turn from sin to righ-
teousness, believe on Jesus Christ for pardon and cleansing from
sin, and follow good works pleasing and acceptable in His sight.
We believe that man, though in the possession of the experience
of regeneration and entire sanctification, may fall from grace
and apostasize and, unless he repent of his sin, be hopelessly
and eternally lost.
ARTICLE VIII: REPENTANCE
We believe that repentance, which is a sincere and thorough change
of the mind in regard to sin, involving a sense of personal guilt
and voluntary turning away from sin, is demanded of all who have
by act or purpose become sinners against God. The Spirit of God
gives to all who will repent the gracious help of penitence of
heart and hope of mercy, that they may believe unto pardon and
spiritual life.
ARTICLE IX: JUSTIFICATION, REGENERATION, AND ADOPTION
We believe that justification is the gracious and judicial act
of God by which He grants full pardon of all guilt and complete
release from the penalty of sins committed, and acceptance as righ-
teous, to all who believe on Jesus Christ and receive Him as Lord
and Savior.
We believe that regeneration, or the new birth, is that gracious
work of God whereby the moral nature of the repentant believer
is spiritually quickened (made come to life) and given a distinc-
tively spiritual life, capable of faith, love, and obedience.
We believe that adoption is that Gracious act of God by which the
justified and regenerated believer is constituted a son of God.
We believe that justification, regeneration, and adoption are si-
multaneous in the experience of seekers after God and are obtained
upon the condition of faith, preceded by repentance; and that to
this work and state of grace the Holy Spirit bears witness.
ARTICLE X: ENTIRE SANCTIFICATION
We believe that entire sanctification is that act of God, sub-
sequent to regeneration, by which believers are made free from
original sin, or depravity, and brought into a state of entire
devotement to God, and the holy obedience of love made perfect.
It is wrought by the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and comprehends
in one experience the cleansing of the heart from sin and the abid-
ing indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, empowering the be-
liever for life and service.
Entire sanctification is provided by the blood of Jesus, is wrought
instantaneously by faith, preceded by entire consecration; and
to this work and state of grace the Holy Spirit bears witness.
This experience is also known by various terms representing its
different phases, such as "Christian perfection," "perfect love,"
"Heart purification,"the baptism of the Holy Spirit," "the full-
ness of the blessing," and "Christian holiness."
We believe that there is a marked distinction between a pure heart
and a mature character. The former is obtained in an instant, the
result of entire sanctification; the latter is the result of growth
in grace.
We believe that the grace of entire sanctification includes the
impulse to grow in grace. However, this impulse must be consciously
nurtured, and careful attention given to the requisites and pro-
cesses of spiritual development and improvement in Christlike-
ness of character and personality. Without such purposeful en-
deavor one's witness may be impaired and the grace itself frus-
trated and ultimately lost.
ARTICLE XI: THE CHURCH
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 an 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.
ARTICLE XII: BAPTISM
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 as declarative
of their faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior, and full purpose
of obedience in holiness and righteousness.
Baptism being the symbol of the new covenant (New Testament), young
children may be baptized, upon request of their parents of guardians
who shall give assurance for them of necessary Christian train-
ing.
Baptism may be administered by sprinkling, pouring, or immersion,
according to the choice of the applicant.
ARTICLE XIII: THE LORD'S SUPPER
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 mer-
its of which believers have life and salvation and the 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.
ARTICLE XIV: DIVINE HEALING
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. Providential means and agencies when deemed necessary
should not be refused.
ARTICLE XV: SECOND COMING OF CHRIST
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ will come again; that we
who are alive at His coming shall not precede them that are asleep
in Christ Jesus; but that, if we are abiding in Him, we shall be
caught up with the risen saints to meet the Lord in the air, so
that we shall ever be with the Lord.
ARTICLE XVI: RESURRECTION, JUDGMENT, AND DESTINY
We believe in the resurrection of the dead, that the bodies both
of the just and of the unjust shall be raised to life and united
with their spirits - "they that have done good, unto the resur-
rection of life, and they that have done evil, unto the resur-
rection of damnation."
We believe in the future judgment in which every man shall ap-
pear before God to be judged according to his deeds in life.
We believe that glorious and ever lasting life is assured to all
who savingly believe in, and obediently follow, Jesus Christ our
Lord; and that the finally impenitent shall suffer eternally in
hell.
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