We Believe in Christ
The doctrine of the Free Church of England is founded in the Holy Scriptures and, following the example of the Reformers, in such teaching of the ancient Fathers and Councils of the Church as are agreeable to the said Scriptures.
In particular such doctrine is to be found in the Declaration of Principles, the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion, and the authorised liturgies of this Church.
(Article III of the Constitution of the Free Church of England)
The Creed:
I believe in one God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, And of all things visible and invisible:
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, Begotten of his Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, Very God of Very God, Begotten, not made, Being of one substance with the Father, By whom all things were made: Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, And was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, And was made man, And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried, And the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures, And ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of the Father. And he shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead: Whose kingdom shall have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Ghost, The Lord and giver of life, Who proceedeth from the Father and the Son, Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, Who spake by the Prophets. And I believe one Catholick and Apostolick Church. I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins. And I look for the Resurrection of the dead, And the life of the world to come. Amen.
The Gospel
The Gospel is the good news about God’s love for everyone, especially as it is made known in Jesus.
Christians believe that:
The human race is uniquely made in the image of God. That isn’t a physical image, it is a moral image so that we are free to choose and know the difference between right and wrong.
Forgiveness is at the heart of the Gospel, the good news. People may be able to forgive one another for the things they do to each other, but when we offend God we need his forgiveness. In ancient Judaism forgiveness was achieved by transferring the guilt to an animal and the cost of forgiveness, blood, was paid by the animal on behalf of the individual or the community. The problem was that this had to be repeated as often as a person sinned.
Jesus’ death on the cross so that forgiveness for our sins past, present and future wasn’t the end of the story. Good Friday, the day that Jesus died, is followed by Easter Sunday and Christians celebrate the fact that in rising from the dead Jesus conquered death; the resurrection of Jesus makes certain the simple truth that death wasn’t the end for him and it isn’t the end for us either.
To make this Good News ours we must be honest about our sin and we say sorry; we ask that Jesus forgives us; we ask that God will give us the strength to live a new life as a Christian – for that he gives us the Holy Spirit, God’s continuing and constant presence with us.
Once you have made this Good News your own your Christian life is shaped by a number of things. By reading your Bible and by committing time to pray every day. You follow the example of Jesus in being willing to serve your neighbour. You take the opportunities God gives to share the Gospel, the Good News, with family and friends (and anyone who will listen). You find what you can do in the life of the Church and become useful in supporting its work in giving your time, your money and your talents in God’s service. Finally, you have a responsibility for changing the world – with others – in making it the place God wants it to be.
In the Biblical account of Adam and Eve, as well as in our own experience, we know that people have made the wrong choices; choices and that harm themselves and offend God – this is what we call sin.
God took the initiative in sending his only Son, Jesus, who was equally God in the one God that we know as the Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) who had been with him before time began and was there when time and the universe we know came into being, who was born of a mother who was a virgin and brought up in a family in Nazareth. Little is known about Jesus before he began to fulfill the mission God had given him. What we do know is that he lived a life without sin so that he could become that unique and perfect substitution for all of us.
To make this Good News ours we must be honest about our sin and we say sorry; we ask that Jesus forgives us; we ask that God will give us the strength to live a new life as a Christian – for that he gives us the Holy Spirit, God’s continuing and constant presence with us.
If you have been Baptised as an infant the moment you make this faith your own fulfils the promises made by your parents, godparents and the Church at that time. If you have not you follow this commitment with the public witness of your Baptism. The next stage is to be Confirmed when the Bishop lays hands on you and your are formally received into the Church.
What do you get for this? You are forgiven; you have no more guilt (that can take a bit of getting used to); you live a new life; you know that God will be with you; you have no need to fear death; you have the certain promise that you will be with God forever; and you are part of the family, the Church, which isn’t perfect but is working at it.
If you need any questions answered or some support in becoming a Christian then contact one of the Churches listed on this website or use the contact details.
