Statement of Faith
Note: The following is a personalised version of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria’s Statement of Faith.
STARTING WITH THE SCRIPTURES
I am committed to the primacy of the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the rule of faith and of practice. I believe the Bible to be both inerrant in the original autographs and infallible in the teachings it contains for our world and life views. My understanding of Scripture is governed by grammar, historical setting and its overall theology – always allowing Scripture to interpret Scripture. While taking into account that the Bible is made up of narrative and history, poetry and song, wisdom and writings; all of which are meant to reveal the history of the redemption of man by a holy God who accomplished such a great Salvation through the sacrifice of His son, Jesus Christ. Jesus is the focus of all of history and His revelation is unveiled in the Scriptures. This is most carefully laid out in the first chapter of the Westminster Confession of Faith (see below) along with the many Scripture verses that attest to the truth of this revelation with God as its author.
THE WESTMINSTER CONFESSION OF FAITH
This famous document expresses the doctrine of the Christian faith and that which is revealed in Scripture in a very clear and concise way.
It comes from a group of men known as the Westminster Divines in England who presented their final edition in 1647 A.D. The Westminster Confession of Faith gives us the system of doctrines contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. While the Bible is the supreme standard of faith, I understand and adhere to the Westminster Confession of Faith as subordinate.
THE WESTMINSTER LARGER AND SHORTER CATECHISMS
The Westminster Catechisms (both written in 1647) offer questions and answers covering a full range of doctrinal topics, but with special focus on the doctrine of salvation and the Christian life. The voice of the catechisms is, for the most part, in the third person, declaring what God’s Word says, instead of the first person, sharing what Christians believe. Nonetheless, passages often carry a tone of praise, awe, or exhortation.
The catechisms are designed to be companion texts to the Westminster Confession of Faith.
THE BASICS OF CHRISTIANITY
I believe in the authority, sufficiency and necessity of God’s revealed Word, the Bible, for all of life. It is the written Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit and without error in the original manuscripts. The Bible is our infallible and divine authority in all matters of faith and life.
I earnestly strive to follow Christ and His apostles. I believe that the best human expression of Scriptural doctrines is found in the Westminster Confession of Faith.
I believe that salvation comes by God drawing people to the Lord Jesus Christ by his Holy Spirit. He convinces them of their sin and enlightens them so that they repent of their sins and trust in Jesus Christ as He is offered in the Gospel.
I believe in the Trinity of the Godhead. There is one God who exists eternally in three Persons–the Father who saves people by drawing them to his Son through the Holy Spirit. These three are one in power and glory.
I believe in the full divinity and the full humanity of Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God. He is the fullest and final revelation of God to mankind.
I believe that Jesus Christ, as the eternal Son of God, became man, lived, died and rose again to atone for the sins of those who trust Him alone for their salvation. Jesus Christ is the only mediator between God and mankind.
I believe that God’s Holy Spirit gives Christians, as they rely on Him, the daily strength and wisdom they need to walk according to His will and to grow in holiness.
I believe that all people are sinners and are unable to save themselves or even co-operate with God in efforts to earn their salvation.
I believe that Jesus Christ shall return personally, visibly and bodily to judge all mankind and to receive His people unto Himself.
Additionally, I believe the following regarding the application of the above doctrine into our present culture:
I believe it to be biblical that we take the teachings of Jesus to wherever people are and not just expecting them to come to us.
Worshipping together in larger groups is desirable and expected because Jesus established local congregations in which Christians are to flourish spiritually and worship God together.
I believe we have a responsibility for the welfare of the poor and disadvantaged around us, welcoming the stranger, refugee and alien within our midst; and tending to the needs of our local community both spiritual and physical.
I believe in a complementarian approach with regard to the role of women in ministry within the church and in the home. Complementarianism is the viewpoint that God restricts women from serving in church leadership roles and instead calls women to serve in equally important, but complementary roles. I emphasise that a difference in role does not equate to a difference in quality, importance, or value. Men and women are equally valued in God’s sight and plan. Women are not inferior to men. Rather, God assigns different roles to men and women in the church and the home because that is how he designed us to function.
I understand that God takes our sins seriously and has given voice to the concept of sin and its specifics. I do not allow our surrounding culture to dictate what is or is not a sin. Sin in all of its forms and manifestations is to be recognised, confessed and repented of in full reliance on God’s Holy Spirit to keep ourselves pure and holy.
Knowing that all people sin, I do not exclude anyone fellowshipping with anyone who genuinely seeks or embraces the saving grace of Jesus Christ. I recognise that some people are just starting their spiritual walk with God and are not at the same levels as those who are more mature in Christ. Thus, patience, love and forbearance are marks to be displayed by a Christian in our dealing with one another in Christ Jesus. There is no one “more righteous” than another. All Christians are equal in Christ Jesus, and therefore should relate to one another with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Love of others is the mark of Jesus and of the Church which He heads.
The following website contains excellent information on the Westminster Standards (Confession of Faith, Catechisms and More)
https://thewestminsterstandard.org/the-westminster-standards/