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All
About the Nazarene Church
THEOLOGY -- WHAT WE BELIEVE / LOOKING
FOR JESUS?
The Church of the Nazarene is the largest denomination in the Wesleyan-Armenian
theological tradition. The doctrine that distinguishes the Church of the
Nazarene and other Wesleyan denominations from most other Christian
denominations is that of entire sanctification. Nazarenes believe that God calls
Christians to a life of holy living that is marked by an act of God, cleansing
the heart from original sin and filling the individual with love for God and
humankind. This experience is marked by entire consecration of the believer to
do God’s will and is followed by a life of seeking to serve God through service
to others. Our pursuant service to God is an act of love whereby we show our
appreciation for the grace that has been extended to us through the death and
resurrection of Jesus Christ.
AGREED STATEMENT OF BELIEF
Recognizing that the right and privilege of persons to church membership rest
upon the fact of their being regenerate, we would require only such avowals of
belief as are essential to Christian experience. We, therefore, deem belief in
the following brief statements to be sufficient. We believe:
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In one God--the Father, Son,
and Holy Spirit
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That the Old and New Testament Scriptures, given by plenary inspiration,
contain all truth necessary to faith and Christian living.
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That man is born with a fallen nature, and is, therefore, inclined to
evil, and that continually
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That the finally impenitent are hopelessly and eternally lost
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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.
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That believers are to be sanctified wholly, subsequent to regeneration,
through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ
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That the Holy Spirit bears witness to the new birth, and also to the
entire sanctification of believers.
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That our Lord will return,
the dead will be raised, and the final judgment will take place.
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LOOKING FOR JESUS?
There is a difference between religion and Christianity;
religion is spelled "D-O". It consists of trying to do enough
good things to somehow please God, earn His forgiveness, and gain entrance into
Heaven. This self-effort plan can take on many forms, from trying to be a
good, moral person, to becoming an active participant in an organized
religion--Christian or otherwise.
The problem is, we can never know
when we have done enough. Even worse, the Bible makes it clear that we can
never do enough. It says in Romans3:23: "For all have sinned and fall
short of the glory of God." Simply put, the "D-O" plan
cannot bring us peace with God, or even peace with ourselves.
Christianity, however, is spelled
"D-O-N-E". In other words, that which we could never do for
ourselves, Christ has already done for us. He lived the perfect life we
could never live, and He died on the cross to pay for each of our
wrongdoings. And now He freely offers us His gift of forgiveness and
leadership for our lives. But it's not enough just to know this. We
have to humbly receive what He has done for us. And we do that by asking
for His forgiveness and leadership in our lives.
It's not enough to intellectually
agree with Jesus' claims. If you read the Bible and recognize Jesus as the
true Son of God, a man who walked the earth, lived a perfect life, died, and
rose again from the dead, you must choose to cross the line of faith and receive
Him. This is a once-for-all decision. A "process" follows,
but you have to start by inviting Him into your life and accepting that He paid
the debt you owe for your sin but could never pay yourself.
Salvation from Jesus is a totally free gift,
and receiving it is as easy as saying, "Jesus, I acknowledge my sin and
Your payment for it on the cross. I now ask You to be my forgiver and my
God."
But you must respond personally and deliberately, or the gift
will remain unopened and unenjoyed.
Keeping in mind the above questions, here are some practical
ideas to guide you in your spiritual search:
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Read the Bible--start with the New Testament books of
John, Acts, and Romans
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Talk to people who display a genuine relationship with
God--those who obviously love Him and who live by a different set of
principles.
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Ask God-followers why they believe what they believe and how
they know their beliefs are true.
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