Reworded by Peter VanderKam
Discussion starter.

Article I. Of God. 

We believe in the one only living and true God, a Spirit, infinite, eternal and unchangeable, in His being and perfections; the Lord Almighty, who is love, most just in all His ways, most glorious in holiness, un-searchable in wisdom, plenteous in mercy, full of compassion, and abundant in goodness and truth. We worship Him in the unity of the Godhead and the mystery of the Holy Trinity, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, three persons of the same substance, equal in power and glory.
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Article l: In the beginning, GOD!

We believe in the one only living and true God, the Ground of all being. God is spirit, infinite, eternal and unchangeable in its being and perfections. God is love, just in its ways, glorious and holy, un-searchable in wisdom, plenteous in mercy, full of compassion, and abundant in goodness and truth.

We worship God in the mystery of its diversity in unity.

Article II. Of Revelation. 

We believe that God has revealed Himself in nature, in history , and in the heart of man; that He has been graciously pleased to make clearer revelation of Himself to men of God who spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit; and that in the fullness of time He has perfectly revealed Himself in Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, who is the brightness of the Father's glory and the express image of His person. We receive he Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, given by inspiration of God, as containing the only infallible rule of faith and life, a faithful record of God's gracious revelations, and as the sure witness of Christ.
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Article ll: Of Revelation.

We believe that God is revealed in all of creation, both large and small, and in the events that constitute Its creative process.

We believe that human beings can know God in their heart, and we believe that, from time to time, outstanding human beings have revealed God more clearly to humanity. To Christians, Jesus of Nazareth is the example “par excellence”.

We believe that the chapters of the Old and New Testament were written by men and women who felt inspired to preserve the record of the interaction between their communities and God.

Article III. Of the Divine Purpose. 

We believe that the eternal, wise, holy and loving purpose of God so embraces all events that, while the freedom of man is not taken away, nor is God the author of sin, yet in His providence He makes all thing work together in the fulfillment of His sovereign design and the manifestation of His glory.
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Article lll: Of the Divine purpose.

We believe that the wise, eternal, holy and loving purpose of God so embraces all events that Creation is harmonious.  This manifests God's glory.

We believe that human beings, being endowed with consciousness, self-awareness, and the freedom to choose and act, are invited to participate in this process.

Article IV. Of Creation and Providence. 

We believe that God is the creator, upholder and governor of all things; that He is above all His works and in them all; and that He made man in His own image, meet for fellowship with Him, free and able to choose between good and evil, and responsible to his Maker and Lord.
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Article lV: Of Creation and Providence.

We believe that God is the Ground of being and the source of all creative energy. God is above all works as well as within them. 

We believe that humanity shares with God this creative energy, is therefore meet for fellowship with God and is free and able to choose between good and evil.

Human beings, by virtue of their self-consciousness, are co-responsible for the maintenance of creation.

Article V. Of the Sin of Man. 

We believe that our first parents, being tempted, chose evil, and so fell away from God and came under the power of sin, the penalty of which is eternal death; and that, by reason of this disobedience, all men are born with a sinful nature, that we have broken God's law and that no man can be saved but by His grace.
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Article V: Of the Imperfection of Humanity.

We believe that our ancestors over eons of time developed self-awareness and a conscience. Having developed these attributes, humanity learned to distinguish between “Good” and “Evil”. All human beings are born with certain traits which cause them on occasion to choose the “bad” over the “good”. As it seems self evident that humanity has difficulties getting rid of these traits it is equally evident that human beings need a greater “force” to assist them to withstand negative impulses. Christians believe that “force” to be God‘s Grace.

Article VI. Of the Grace of God. 

We believe that God, out of His great love for the world, has given His Only begotten Son to be the Saviour of sinners, and in the Gospel freely offers His all sufficient salvation to all men. We believe also that God, in His own good pleasure, gave to His Son a people, an innumerable multitude, chosen in Christ unto holiness, service and salvation.
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Article Vl: Of the Grace of God.

We believe that God’s great love and compassion for this world is clearly demonstrated in the person of Jesus of Nazareth.

For Christians it is Jesus who most profoundly became as one with God and in so doing, became transparent to the attributes of God. This example has enabled and is enabling millions of people to turn their life around as they work to emulate the life of Jesus of Nazareth.

Article VII. Of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

We believe in and confess the Lord Jesus Christ, the only Mediator between God and man, who, being the Eternal Son of God, for us men and for our salvation became truly man, being conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, yet without sin. Unto us He has revealed the Father, by His word and Spirit, making known the perfect will of God. For our redemption, He fulfilled all righteousness, offered Himself a perfect sacrifice on the Cross, satisfied Divine justice and made propitiation for the sins of the whole world. He rose from the dead and ascended into Heaven, where He ever intercedes for us. In the hearts of believers He abides for ever as the indwelling Christ; above us and over us all He rules; wherefore, unto Him we render love, obedience and adoration as our Prophet, Priest and King.
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Article Vll: Of Jesus of Nazareth.

We believe in and acknowledge Jesus of Nazareth as a guide to God. It is he who had a clear understanding of the attributes of God (an understanding that is valid to this day). He taught that God could be approached on the most intimate terms available in the family, that of the “Father”. His whole life was dedicated to spreading the message of the “Father’s” unconditional love for each and every being in its creation and for creation itself.

By his example he has caused untold millions to accept the “Good News” that one can have a direct and intimate relationship with God, the “Father”. Because of the depth of his understanding, his teachings and his example, we revere him.
 
 

Article VIII. Of the Holy Spirit. 

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who moves upon the hearts of men to restrain them from evil and to incite them unto good, and whom the Father is ever willing to give unto all who ask Him. We believe that He has spoken by holy men of God in making known His truth to men for their salvation; that, through our exalted Saviour, He was sent forth in power to convict the world of sin, to enlighten men's minds in the knowledge of Christ, and to persuade and enable them to obey the call of the Gospel; and that He abides with the Church, dwelling in every believer as the spirit of truth, of power, of holiness, of comfort and of love.
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Article Vlll: Of the Holy Spirit.

We believe that the Spirit is an ever present aspect/attribute of God in creation. We believe that the Spirit can be said to be the enlivening and empowering energy of God which is unceasingly at work in creation and the human heart. 

We believe the Spirit to be that aspect of God which makes the world aware of the contrast good-evil and informs men and women about the relationship one can have with God. It persuades and enables human beings to respond positively to the invitation of the “Good News” 

We believe the Spirit to abide with us as we are the Church, dwelling in every being as the spirit of truth, of power, of holiness, of comfort and of love.

Article IX. Of Regeneration. 
 
 

We believe in the necessity of regeneration, whereby we are made new creatures in Christ Jesus by the Spirit of God, who imparts spiritual life by the gracious and mysterious operation of His power, using as the ordinary means the truths of His word and the ordinances of divine appointment in ways agreeable to the nature of man.
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Article lX: Of Continued Growth. (Of Regeneration)

We believe that we are part of an evolutionary process. Being part of that process, we believe in continued growth toward the goal of our human potential. 

In our journey towards that goal, we will, with the help of God’s grace and power, continue to develop in graciousness and stature as children of God.

Article X: Of Faith & Repentance.

We believe that faith in Christ is a saving grace whereby we receive Him, trust in Him and rest upon Him alone for salvation as He is offered to us in the Gospel, and that this saving faith is always accompanied by repentance, wherein we confess and forsake our sins with full purpose of and endeavor after a new obedience to God.
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Article X: Of Faith & Sharing (Repentance).

We believe that faith in God is a saving grace. By it we receive the ground of our being, trust the creative source and rest upon the Holy One alone for growth and sustenance. We therefore continuously share our wishes and dreams with God in order to hone & develop our creative skills and to learn to forego bad opportunities.

Article XI. Of Justification and Sonship. 

We believe that God, on the sole ground of the perfect obedience and sacrifice of Christ, pardons those who by faith receive Him as their Saviour and Lord, accepts them as righteous and bestows upon them the adoption of sons, with a right to all privileges therein implied, including a conscious assurance of their sonship.
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Article Xl: Of justification and Sonship.

We believe that people who work at promoting and furthering the works of the “Father”, develop a special relationship with God. They become aware of having the rights and privileges of family members. They proceed in the knowledge that they are called “children and heirs of God”.

Article XII. Of Sanctification. 

We believe that those who are regenerated and justified grow in the likeness of Christ through fellowship with Him, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and obedience to the truth; that a holy life is the fruit and evidence of saving faith; and that the believer's hope of continuance in such a life is in the preserving grace of God. And we believe that in this growth in grace Christians may attain that maturity and full assurance of faith whereby the love of God is made perfect to us.
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Article Xll: Of Sanctification.

We believe that those who have chosen to align themselves with God will grow in likeness to God. Through the work of the spirit and the fellowship of God, they lead lifes which are a reflection of that relationship. We further believe that such lifes lead to the human lifestyle which is our ultimate goal.

Article XIII. Of Prayer. 

We believe that we are encouraged to draw near to God, our Heavenly Father, in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and on our own behalf and that of others to pour out our hearts humbly yet freely before Him, as becomes His beloved children, giving Him the Honour and praise due His holy name, asking Him to glorify Himself on earth as in Heaven, confessing unto Him our sins and seeking of Him every gift needful for this life and for our everlasting salvation. We believe also that, inasmuch as all true prayer is prompted by His Spirit, He will in response thereto grant us every blessing according to His unsearchable wisdom and the riches of His grace in Jesus Christ.
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Article Xlll: Of Prayer.

We believe that we are expected to draw near to God, our heavenly “Father”. As beloved children we are encouraged to pray on our own behalf as well as that of others. Similarly, as beloved children, we are encouraged to share our gratitude and our anxieties and frustrations with God. Doing so helps us focus on the good gifts we receive on a daily basis, and on the difficulties we have to face. In sincere prayer we can rest assured that our gratitude is accepted and that we will receive guidance on how to deal with our difficulties.

Article XIV. Of the Law of God. 

We believe that the moral law of God, summarized in the Ten Commandments, testified to by the prophets and unfolded in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, stands for ever in truth and equity, and is not made void by faith, but on the contrary is established thereby. We believe that God requires of every man to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God; and that only through this harmony with the will of God shall be fulfilled that brotherhood of man wherein the Kingdom of God is to be made manifest.
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Article XlV: Of the Law of God.

We believe that the moral law of God, summarized in the Ten Commandments, testified to by the prophets and unfolded in the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth stands for ever in truth and equity, and is not made void by faith, but on the contrary is established thereby. We believe that God requires of every man to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God; and that only through this harmony with the will of God the full potential of humanity will be attained.

Article XV. Of the Church. 

We acknowledge one holy Catholic Church the innumerable company of saints of every age and nation, who being united by the Holy Spirit to Christ their Head are one body in Him and have communion with their Lord and with one another. Further, we receive it as the will of Christ, that His Church on earth should exist as a visible and sacred brotherhood, consisting of those who profess faith in Jesus Christ and obedience to Him, together with their children, and other baptized children, and organized for the confession of His name, for the public worship of God, for the administration of the sacraments, for the upbuilding of the saints, and for the universal propagation of the Gospel; and we acknowledge as a part, more or less pure, of this universal brotherhood, every particular Church throughout the world which professes this faith in Jesus Christ and obedience to Him as divine Lord and Saviour.
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Article XV: Of the Church.

We acknowledge one Christian Church. This Church, formed by the innumerable company of saints of every age and nation, as well as all denominations, is one body and has communion with God and with one another.

Further, we receive it as God’s will, that the Church on earth should exist as a visible and sacred religious community which is to lead humanity towards a life dedicated to the confession of God’s name, the spreading of the “Good News” and the encouragement and upbuilding of each human being. 
 
 
 
 

Article XVI. Of the Sacraments. 

Of the Sacraments. We acknowledge two sacraments, Baptism and the Lord's Supper, which were instituted by Christ, to be of perpetual obligation as signs and seals of the covenant ratified in His precious blood, as means of grace, by which, working in us, He doth not only quicken, but also strengthen and comfort our faith in Him, and as ordinances through the observance of which His Church is to confess her Lord and be visibly distinguished from the rest of the world. (1) Baptism with water into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit is the sacrament by which are signified and sealed our union to Christ and participation in the blessing of the new covenant. The proper subjects of baptism are believers and infants presented by their parents or guardians in the Christian faith. In the latter case the parents or guardians should train up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord and should expect that their children will, by the operation of the Holy Spirit, receive the benefits which the sacrament is designed and fitted to convey. The Church is under the most solemn obligation to provide for their Christian instruction. (2) The Lord's Supper is the sacrament of communion with Christ and with His people, in which bread and wine are given and received in thankful remembrance of Him and His sacrifice on the Cross; and they who in faith receive the same do, after a spiritual manner, partake of the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ to their comfort, nourishment and growth in grace. All may be admitted to the Lord's Supper who make a credible profession of their faith in the Lord Jesus and of obedience to His law.
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Article XVl: Of the Sacraments.

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Article XVII. Of the Ministry. 

We believe that Jesus Christ, as the Supreme Head of the Church, has appointed therein a ministry of the word and sacraments, and calls men and women to this ministry; that the Church, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, recognizes and chooses those whom He calls, and should thereupon duly ordain them to the work of the ministry.
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Article XVll: Of the Ministry of all believers.

We believe in the “priesthood of all believers”. We believe that each member of the church (UC of C) has talents that can be employed to the education and edification of the whole. We believe that they all have a ministry.

We believe that ongoing efforts are required to select and train members for specific tasks within the body”.

Article XVIII. Of Church Order and Fellowship. 

We believe that the Supreme and only Head of the Church is the Lord Jesus Christ; that its worship, teaching, discipline and government should be administered according to His will by persons chosen for their fitness and duly set apart to their office; and that although the visible Church may contain unworthy members and is liable to err, yet believers ought not lightly to separate themselves from its communion, but are to live in fellowship with their brethren, which fellowship is to be extended, as God gives opportunity, to all who in every place call upon the name of the Lord Jesus.
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Article XVlll: Of Fellowship.

We believe that each human being is a “child of God”. We believe that each “child of God” has certain potentialities that require nourishment to come to fruitition. We also believe and acknowledge that all “children of God” encounter difficulties during the process of their life’s journey. We believe and acknowledge our responsibility (freely undertaken) to be there for our fellow travelers.

We further believe that we are to show and demonstrate solidarity with all of God’s creation.

Article XIX. Of the Resurrection, the Last Judgment and the Future Life. 

We believe that here shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and of the unjust, through the power of the Son of God, who shall come to judge the living and the dead; that the finally impenitent shall go away to eternal punishment and the righteous into life eternal.
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Article XlX: Of Life and Judgment.

We believe that “LIFE” is never ending and is inexhaustible in nature. We believe that judgment takes place, but does so at every moment that passes by. We believe that each of us (human beings) will be given opportunity after opportunity to accept God’s invitation to the “wedding banquet”. We do believe that God “so loved the world” that no one will ultimately be punished for all eternity 

Article XX. Of Christian Service and the Final Triumph. 

We believe that it is our duty as disciples and servants of Christ, to further the extension of His Kingdom, to do good unto all men, to maintain the public and private worship of God, to hallow the Lord's Day, preserve the inviolability of marriage and the sanctity of the family, to uphold the just authority of the State, and so to live in all honesty, purity and charity, that our lives shall testify of Christ. We joyfully receive the word of Christ, bidding His people go into all the world and make disciples of all nations, declaring unto them that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself, and that He will have all men to be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth. We confidently believe that by His power and grace all His enemies shall finally be overcome, and the kingdoms of this word be made the Kingdom of our God and of His Christ.
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Article XX: Of Christian Service and the Final Outcome.

As God fearing people and followers of Jesus, we are committed to promote his teachings and further the expansion of what we perceive to be God’s will. We attempt to live morally and try to show that primarily within our families. We uphold the just laws of the land, and support the authority of the state. In doing so however we place great emphasis on the welfare of the less well endowed.

We believe that the “Word of God” is invitational rather than coercive and wish to make provisions to spread that “Good News” far and wide. 

With regards to the end of history, we can do nothing but have faith in God’s grace and compassion that all will be well.