Our Beliefs
Our Beliefs...
•The Bible is the infallible Word of God and the only reliable guide to what we should believe and how we should conduct our lives. (2 Timothy. 3:14-17)
•God loves us and reigns over this world. (Psalm 2)
•We all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)
•God loves us so much that He sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins, so that we can be reconciled with Him. (John 3:16)
•If we believe that Christ died for us, rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven, we will receive eternal life. (John 3:16-18)
•Eternal life is a free gift from God. (Ephesians 2:8-10)
•Out of gratitude we will follow God's plan for our lives. Nothing we do can spoil God's wonderful plan for us. (Romans 8:28)
Where we fit within the family of Churches?
The Christian Reformed Church calls itself Christian because it forms one small part of Christ's church on earth. It recognizes as fellow Christians all people who accept the teachings of the Bible. This includes believers from many denominations, such as Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran, Baptist, Presbyterian, and Pentecostal. We may disagree with these believers on some practices or teachings, but we recognize them as brothers and sisters in Christ if they believe in God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and if they confess that Jesus died for their sins, rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven.
The Christian Reformed Church calls itself “Reformed” because it stands in the tradition of the Reformed churches. These churches follow the teachings of the sixteenth-century church reformer John Calvin. Calvin struggled valiantly to return Christianity back to its biblical roots.
Distinctive Teachings We Hold Dear: The Christian Reformed Church shares some distinctive teachings with other churches in the Reformed tradition.
Our God Reigns
The CRC teaches that nothing in this world happens outside of God's will. Our Creator is in control of all things. No forces in heaven, earth or hell can frustrate what God promises to do for us (Psalm 2). That does not mean that everything is God's will. We do many things God does not want. Our disobedience sets into motion many disastrous events that are our own doing. In spite of that, we may still exercise our human freedom. But our actions and decisions are under our heavenly Father's restraining, providing care. Our Provider's loving, guiding hand will sustain us in good times, and in hard times as well.
Jesus is Lord
The CRC emphasizes Christ's authority over all creation. Jesus is not only our crucified Savior, but He is also our Lord. He not only rose from the dead, but he also ascended into heaven. From there He now rules the whole world (Ephesians. 1:22). He will not only rescue our souls from hell, but also raise us from the dead and give us eternal life. When He returns, Jesus will restore this spoiled creation. He will make it truly good and glorifying to God. Through God's Word and Spirit, Jesus has already begun this work and claims our lives as his own. In our worship, work, relationships, and recreation, our Lord calls us to be disciples and to live our whole lives under his leadership (Colossians. 3:1-17).
God Gives Us Assurance
The CRC teaches that we belong to God, and through Jesus’ redemptive work on the cross and God’s grace, we are confident that we shall inherit eternal life. Of course we do not base this certainty on our own ability or strength. We know ourselves too well for that. We base our conviction on God's faithfulness. Our heavenly Father has chosen us and rescued us through Christ (Romans 8:29-30). God assures us that we are safe in the protecting, sheltering care of our Good Shepherd. No one can tear us from Jesus' hand (John 10:27-29), not even our own failings or the weakness of our faith (Luke 22:31-32). This teaching does not make us complacent about living our lives in God's service. Rather, it fills us daily with deep gratitude and an earnest desire to live as God's joyful, obedient children (Romans 8:12-17).
God With Us
The CRC believes that our Lord speaks to us through the faithful preaching and teaching of His Word. He confirms what is spoken through baptism and the Lord's Supper. Unlike some Christians, we do not believe that the elements of the Lord's Supper turn into Jesus' actual body and blood. But we do believe that this celebration is more than just a reminder of Jesus' sacrifice. Jesus is present with us through the Holy Spirit in our hearts (John 14:15-18). Christ, our host, strengthens our faith as we participate, remember, and believe.
Statements of Faith We Have Adopted
The CRC holds the following three creeds in common with most other Christian churches:
• The Nicene Creed
• The Apostles' Creed
• The Athanasian Creed
The CRC subscribes to three Reformed Confessions:
• The Belgic Confession
• The Heidelberg Catechism
• The Canons of Dort
For more information on the Christian Reformed Church, visit the denominational web site at http://www.crcna.org/
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