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What We Believe

The Church of the Nazarene has 16 Articles of Faith. However, recognizing that the right and privilege of persons into church membership rest upon the fact of their being regenerate, we require only such avowals of belief as are essential to Christian experience. We, therefore, ask all members to agree only on the following eight brief statements:
1. We believe in one God – the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
2. We believe that the Old and New Testament Scriptures, given by plenary inspiration, contain all truth necessary to faith and Christian living.
3. We believe that man is born with a fallen nature, and is therefore, inclined to evil, and that continually.
4. We believe that the finally impenitent are hopelessly and eternally lost.
5. We believe that the atonement through Jesus Christ is for the whole human race; and that whosoever repents and believes on the Lord Jesus Christ is justified and regenerated and saved from the dominion of sin.
6. We believe that believers are to be sanctified wholly, subsequent to regeneration, through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
7. We believe that the Holy Spirit bears witness to the new birth, and also to the entire sanctification of believers.
8. We believe that our Lord will return, the dead will be raised, and the final judgment will take place.

Our philosophy concerning these beliefs can be summed in the following:
  • In Essential Beliefs – we have Unity.  
    There is one Body and one Spirit…there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of us all… (Ephesians 4:4-6)
  • In Non-Essential Beliefs – we have Liberty.
    Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters…Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls…So then each of us will give an account of himself to God…So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. (Romans 14:1, 4, 12, 22)
  • In All our Beliefs – we show Love.
    …If I hold in my mind not only all human knowledge but also the very secrets of God, and if I have the faith that can move mountains – but have no love, I amount to nothing at all. (1 Corinthians 13:2 PHILLIPS)

To read all 16 Articles of Faith of the Church of the Nazarene, go to: http://nazarene.org/ministries/administration/visitorcenter/articles/display.html