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The Evangelical Methodist Church

catechism the journey of faith __________

“We should so work as if we were to be saved by our works; And so rely on Jesus Christ, as if we did no works.” —Francis Asbury: God’s Circuit Rider (1745-1816)

The Evangelical Methodist Church

CATECHISM Published by the authority of the 30th General Conference of the Evangelical Methodist Church, held in Indianapolis, Indiana March 12-15, 2010 General Editor: Dr. Edward W. Williamson, General Superintendent Department of Publications Editor: Mrs. Peggy Trim, Deaconess

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from the Department of Publications. All Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (NIV) of the Bible unless otherwise noted. Printed in USA by 48HrBooks (www.48HrBooks.com)

Evangelical Methodist Church International Headquarters P. O. Box 17070 Indianapolis, IN 46217 Location: 6838 South Gray Road Indianapolis, IN 46237

Additional copies of this publication may be ordered by contacting the Department of Publications at:

Phone: 317-780-8017 Email: publications@emchurch.org www.emchurch.org

Table of Contents Foreword .................................................................................. 6 Lesson 1: Our History and Commitment ............................... 7 Lesson 2: The Articles of Religion ....................................... 15 Lesson 3: A Biblical View of the Scriptures ........................ 39 Lesson 4: A Biblical View of God and Humanity ................. 41 Lesson 5: A Biblical View of Sin and Redemption .............. 47 Lesson 6: A Biblical View of God’s Plan for Salvation ........ 51 Lesson 7: Sanctification ..................................................... 55 Lesson 8: A Biblical View of the Church and the Sacraments ......................................................... 59 Lesson 9: A Biblical View of Eternity .................................. 65 Lesson 10: Missions ............................................................ 69 Lesson 11: Our Government: Congregational and Connectional ............................................... 79 Lesson 12: Membership Responsibility ………. .................... 83 Lesson 13: Membership ...................................................... 89 Membership Covenant ...................................... 90 Appendix A: John Wesley’s The Scripture Way of Salvation A Break-Through Sermon .................................... 91 Appendix B: The Scripture Way of Salvation, John Wesley’s Sermon in Modern English … ............... 99 Appendix C: Explanatory Notes, Evangelical Methodist Articles of Faith ……………………… ................. 113 Appendix D: Basic Denominational Principles .................. …..127 Answers to Lesson Questions ................................................ 129

Forward The General Board of Christian Education congratulates you for taking this step in expanding your knowledge of the basic doctrinal teachings to which the Evangelical Methodist Church adheres. The EMC is Wesleyan in doctrine which promotes purity of heart and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It is the desire of this Board that as you embark upon your journey through this study you will come to know the EMC better and appreciate its stand for holiness. While this study perhaps will not answer all your questions, it will serve as a foundation upon which you, as a student, may build your understanding of the Wesleyan tradition. As you work your way through this study, you will not only develop a better understanding of what the EMC is, but also establish personal disciplines of study which will serve you well as you grow in your personal relationship with the Lord. While this study gives you a basic understanding of the EMC, it also gives you information for becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ. Another study, Discipleship Training, A Venture in Learning and Accountability offered by the General Board of Christian Education, will help you become more disciplined in your daily walk with the Lord. It will also give you tools to disciple others, thus fulfilling the Great Commission that Jesus gave the Church while it waits for His return. The pastor and lay leaders will enlarge and supplement this material to accommodate their local church mission statement and unique missional ministries. 2010-2014 General Board of Christian Education Members: Rev. Debbie Miller, Chair Rev. Dan Cottrell Dr. William Dean Rev. John Gentry Mr. Benoit Kitenge Rev. Robert Perkins Rev. Daniel Stiles

esson 2 The Articles of Religion of the Evangelical Methodist Church

Just what do Christians believe? That question has led to the writing of the historic creeds of Christianity: the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene Creed*, the Athanasian Creed*, Irenaeus' Rule of Faith*, the various confessions of faith, the Anglican 39 Articles of Religion, The Southern Baptist Faith and Message and other such statements of faith, some of which are well known and some of which are not. The Apostles' Creed is the most widely accepted Christian creed, or definition of Christianity. It is included here in its traditional wording: I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. You may be thinking, thatâ€™s a pretty good definition of what a real Christian believes, and you'd be right, but did you really read it closely? If you did, you might also be thinking, wait a minute; I know I'm not Catholic, and I'm not sure I know what that communion of the saints really means and what is this stuff about Jesus in hell? Those are the most common objections to this creed, and they all stem from using words that, over the years, have been redefined. Some people even completely leave out he descended into hell and then use other words to replace the word catholic, so even this most basic creed needs explanation. First, we have to remember that the basic biblical definition of the word saint is believer, so the communion of the saints begins to 15

make more sense now. Next, remember that the basic biblical definition of the word hell is place of the dead (AKA Hades, or Sheol, etc), not the lake of fire (Revelation 19:20, 20:10, etc KJV) or what imaginations have conjured up since even before Dante's Inferno. Using the phrase, he descended into hell reinforces that Jesus actually died on that cross; it was not just a swoon or a coma, but death in every sense of the word. Finally, the word catholic doesn't mean Roman Catholic, it means universal, undivided, full and for all mankind, so replacing catholic with just one word doesn't get the full meaning across. The Apostles Creed really is a very good basic statement of what a Christian believes; so why do we need anything else? Creeds (statements of faith, confessions, catechisms, articles of religion, etc) are meant to summarize our Christian experience and emphasis in our own words. Every Christian group has distinct experience and emphasis, and they each have a creed, even if they don't call it that. Some even go as far as saying they are against creeds, but they will show you their statement of faith or at least tell you what they believe. That's a type of creed. *The Nicene Creed, the Athanasian Creed, and others are included at the end of this lesson. The 25 Articles of Religion proposed by John Wesley at the first conference of the people who would become known as Methodists are a type of creed for us Evangelical Methodists. For us, they do not replace the other historic creeds, but they do define what it means to be Christian, using Methodist traditions, experiences and emphases. Articles are specific sections of a written document, and to John Wesley, true religion was all about evangelical (Bible-believing) Christianity. He adapted the 39 Articles of Religion from the Anglican Church (in which he was a priest), and cut out or modified those he thought went beyond basic, Bible-believing Christianity. Wesley and the original Methodists settled on 25 Articles; we in the EMC have added a 26th Article and modified one other. These 26 Articles of Religion of the Evangelical Methodist Church are the 26 things we feel are the most important beliefs of Christianity, and how we should best express that faith. We feel so strongly about them that they are the first chapter of our Constitution and changing them would be very hard. 16

Several of these 26 Articles are aimed directly at distinguishing our beliefs from other major branches of Christianity, including Calvinism and Roman Catholicism. The first four Articles, 1-4, discuss the nature of God. The next two, 5-6, examine the authority of Scripture. Articles 7-8 explain our fallen human nature; how we are (and are not) reconciled to God, Articles 9-11; the nature of the Sacraments, Articles 16-20); and all the rest distinguish what we do and do not believe as Christians in the Wesleyan/Methodist tradition. A short explanation, in parentheses, will follow each one. Article 1—Of Faith in the Holy Trinity There is but one living and true God, everlasting, without body or parts, of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness; the maker and preserver of all things, both visible and invisible. And in unity of this Godhead there are three persons, of one substance, power, and eternity—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. (We believe there is one God; the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are three persons of the same God. It is one of the hardest ideas and greatest mysteries to understand. One of the best examples of how this is possible is in Matthew 28:19. It is also important to understand that throughout the Old Testament, the Hebrew word most often used for God is a plural word.) Article 2—Of the Word, or Son of God, Who Was Made Very Man The Son, who is the Word of the Father, the very and eternal God, of one substance with the Father, took man's nature in the womb of the blessed Virgin; so that two whole and perfect natures, that is to say, the Godhead and Manhood, were joined together in one person, never to be divided; whereof is one Christ, very God and very Man, who truly suffered, was crucified, dead, and buried, to reconcile His Father to us, and to be a sacrifice, not only for original guilt, but also for actual sins of men. (We believe that Jesus is God the Son, fully God and fully man; that He was born of Mary, who was a virgin. That means He was not conceived as you, but by the Holy Spirit; and that He came so that He could pay our debt of sin and make us right again before God the Father. See Luke 1:35) 17

Article 3—Of the Resurrection of Christ Christ did truly rise again from the dead, and took again His body, with all things appertaining to the perfection of man's nature, wherewith He ascended into heaven, and there sitteth until He returns to judge all men at the last day. (We believe Jesus was really and completely dead, and that God raised Him to complete life again to show us how we will be raised to perfection in glory. See John 20:26-29.) Article 4—Of the Holy Ghost The Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the Son, is of one substance, majesty and glory with the Father and the Son, very and eternal God. (We believe the Holy Ghost, or Holy Spirit, is just as much God as the Father and the Son, and that He is truly one with them. See Genesis 1:2.) Article 5—Of the Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures for Salvation The Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation; so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man that it should be believed as an article of faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation. In the name of the Holy Scripture we do understand those canonical books of the Old and New Testament of whose authority was never any doubt in the church. The names of the canonical books are: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, The First Book of Samuel, The Second Book of Samuel, The First Book of Kings, The Second Book of Kings, The First Book of Chronicles, The Second Book of Chronicles, The Book of Ezra, The Book of Nehemiah, The Book of Esther, The Book of Job, The Psalms, The Proverbs, Ecclesiastes or the Preacher, Cantica or Songs of Solomon, Four Prophets the Greater, Twelve Prophets the Less. All the books of the New Testament, as they are commonly received, we do receive and account canonical.

(We believe, first, that the Bible tells us everything we need to know for salvation and that anything not in it, or proven by it, is not something we have to believe. Second, this Article hints at our belief that what is in the Scriptures is really true. Another thing this Article doesn't talk about is the Apocrypha. The 39 Anglican Articles of Religion went further; they said that the old traditional position of the Church, as stated by Saint Jerome, was correct and the Apocrypha should be read “for example of life and instruction of manners; yet it does not apply them to establish any doctrine.” Wesley did not dispute that, but since nothing in these books was necessary to salvation, he chose to leave out any mention of it.) Article 6—Of the Old Testament The Old Testament is not contrary to the New; for both in the Old and New Testament everlasting life is offered to mankind by Christ, who is the only Mediator between God and man, being both God and Man. Wherefore they are not to be heard who feign that the old fathers did look only for transitory promises. Although the law given from God by Moses as touching ceremonies and rites doth not bind Christians, nor ought the civil precepts thereof of necessity be received in any commonwealth; yet notwithstanding, no Christian whatsoever is free from the obedience of the commandments which are called moral. (Some people teach that the Old Testament does not matter anymore. We believe that the Old and the New Testaments go hand in hand; that the Old points to the New and that the New fulfills the Old; that the ceremonies and rites of the Old were fulfilled in Christ and are no longer binding on Christians, but that we are obligated to obey the moral commandments because they are key to loving God and also our neighbor. See Matthew 5:17.) Article 7—Of Original or Birth Sin Original sin standeth not in the following of Adam (as the Pelagians do vainly talk), but it is the corruption of the nature of every man, that naturally is engendered of the offspring of Adam, whereby man is very far gone from original righteousness, and of his own nature inclined to evil, and that continually. (Pelagianism is a heresy that says human beings are capable of choosing God by exercising their own inherent free will without the necessity of His grace helping them. While Wesley never held this 19

position in even a modified form, he was often accused of doing so by Calvinists who promoted total predestination and the lack of any role for the human will in salvation. We believe, as do the Calvinists, that all of mankind is born into sin, with a sinful nature that desires to live contrary to the design and will of God. Only in Christ can that bondage to sin be broken, the sinful nature be transformed into a life led by the Holy Spirit, and the believer be saved to eternal life. See Genesis 8:21.) Article 8—Of Free Will The condition of man after the fall of Adam is such, that he cannot turn and prepare himself, by his own natural strength and works, to faith, and calling upon God; wherefore we have no power to do good works, pleasant and acceptable to God without the grace of God by Christ enabling (preventing*) us, that we may have a good will, and working with us, when we have that good will. (This article goes on to clearly reject Pelagianism, and explain how God enables us to choose Him. *The word preventing is an old word that means going before. We believe the grace of God, by Christ, goes before us so that we can choose Him. See John 6:44.) Article 9—Of the Justification of Man We are accounted righteous before God only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, by faith, and not for our own works or deservings; whereof, that we are justified by faith, only, is a most wholesome doctrine, and very full of comfort. (There is nothing we can do to earn salvation; we are saved when we believe that Jesus saves us! See Romans 3:28.) Article 10—Of Good Works Although good works, which are the fruits of faith, and follow after justification, cannot put away our sins, and endure the severity of God's judgment; yet are they pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ, and spring out of a true and lively faith, insomuch that by them a lively faith may be as evidently known as a tree is discerned by its fruit.

(Even though there is nothing we can do to save ourselves, we show our love for God when we do good things for others simply because of our love for Him and His command to “love each other.” See Romans 3:20.) Article 11—Of Works of Supererogation Voluntary works—besides, over and above God's commandments—which they call works of supererogation, cannot be taught without arrogancy and impiety. For by them men do declare that they do not only render unto God as much as they are bound to do, but that they do more for His sake than of bounden duty is required; whereas Christ saith plainly: When you have done all that is commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants. (Supererogation means more than is asked for or more than is required. Even though we should do good works because we love Him, and because we love each other, we can not build up any credit of good works, and we can not give them to anyone else. See Ephesians 2:8-9.) Article 12—Of Sin after Justification Not every sin willingly committed after justification is the sin against the Holy Ghost, and unpardonable. Wherefore, the grant of repentance is not to be denied to such as fall into sin after justification. After we have received the Holy Ghost, we may depart from grace given, and fall into sin, and, by the grace of God, rise again and amend our lives. And therefore they are to be condemned who say they can no more sin as long as they live here; or deny the place of forgiveness to such as truly repent. (If you sin after justification, being forgiven and in a right relationship with God, Jesus is faithful to allow you [and help you] to repent and be reconciled to Him again. See Matthew 24:12-13.) Article 13—Of the Church The visible church of Christ is a congregation of faithful men in which the pure Word of God is preached, and the Sacraments duly administered according to Christ's ordinance, in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same.

(The Church is not a building, but the people of God who come together to hear His Word, worship and praise Him, be baptized into Him, participate in His communion, and do those things He has commanded. See 1 Corinthians 1:2.) Article 14—Of Purgatory The Romish doctrine concerning purgatory, pardon, worshiping, and adoration, as well of images as of relics, and also invocation of saints, is a fond thing, vainly invented, and grounded upon no warrant of Scripture, but repugnant to the Word of God. (We do not believe in purgatory, buying forgiveness, worshiping [or adoring] images or bones or other relics of great Christians who went before, or even calling on these great Christians who have passed on for specialized help with prayer. There is no basis for any of this in Scripture; in fact, Scripture speaks against it. See Hebrews 9:27.) Article 15—Of Speaking in the Congregation in Such a Tongue as the People Understand It is a thing plainly repugnant to the Word of God, and the custom of the primitive church, to have public prayer in the church, or to minister the Sacraments, in a tongue not understood by the people. (We believe that preaching, prayer and the Sacraments are to be done in a language the people in that congregation understand. This article was originally written about the Roman Church requiring priests to use only Latin. Article 16—Of the Sacraments Sacraments ordained of Christ are not only badges or tokens of Christian men's profession, but rather they are certain signs of grace, and God's good will toward us, by which he doth work invisibly in us, and doth not only quicken, but also strengthen and confirm, our faith in him. There are two Sacraments ordained of Christ our Lord in the Gospel; that is to say, Baptism and the Supper of the Lord. Those five commonly called sacraments, that is to say, confirmation, penance, orders, matrimony, and extreme unction, are not to be counted for Sacraments of the

Gospel; being such as have partly grown out of the corrupt following of the apostles, and partly are states of life allowed in the Scriptures, but yet have not the like nature of Baptism and the Lord's Supper, because they have not any visible sign or ceremony ordained of God. The Sacraments were not ordained of Christ to be gazed upon, or to be carried about; but that we should duly use them. And in such only as worthily receive the same, they have a wholesome effect or operation; but they that receive them unworthily, purchase to themselves condemnation, as St. Paul saith. (We believe that there are only two Sacraments: Baptism and the Lord's Supper. The remainder of what others label as Sacraments is positive rituals and part of a Christian life, but does not rise to the level of Sacrament. Baptism is not merely water, but it is water used according to Godâ€™s command and connected with Godâ€™s Word as recorded in Matthew 28:19, using the Trinitarian formula of in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.) Article 17â€”Of Baptism Baptism is not only a sign of profession and mark of difference whereby Christians are distinguished from others that are not baptized; but it is also a sign of regeneration or the new birth. The baptism of young children is to be retained in the Church. (We believe the Sacrament of Baptism is something that clearly distinguishes a Christian from the world. Even the word itself, which comes from the textile industry and deals with dying cloth, was carefully chosen to show just how much this Sacrament means. Baptism is a visible sign of the grace which: cleanses you of sin and its guilt, brings you through the waters of a new birth, saves you from certain death, changes your colors [dyes you] so that you now wear the uniform and banner of Christ rather than the world, and much more. We believe that Scripture allows for the baptism of children of believers [1 Corinthians 7:14], which has been practiced from the earliest days of the church. Water baptism in the New Testament replaces the circumcision of the Old Testament [Colossians 2:11-12], so we believe in the baptism of infants/children and adults. Due to such a variety of views, parents should consult with their pastor as their conscience dictates. It is to be noted that all baptized and dedicated children of a believer must add their personal faith in the affirmation of their baptism 23

[Acts 8:12]. Baptism affects forgiveness of sins, delivers from death [Romans 6:1ff] and the devil, and grants eternal salvation to all who believe [have faith] as the Word and promises of God declare.) Article 18—Of the Lord's Supper The Supper of the Lord is not only a sign of the love that Christians ought to have among themselves one to another, but rather is a Sacrament of our redemption by Christ's death; insomuch that, to such as rightly, worthily, and with faith receive the same, the bread which we break is a partaking of the body of Christ; and likewise the cup of blessing is a partaking of the blood of Christ. Transubstantiation, or the change of the substance of bread and wine in the Supper of our Lord, cannot be proved by Holy Writ, but is repugnant to the plain words of Scripture, overthroweth the nature of a Sacrament, and hath given occasion to many superstitions. The body of Christ is given, taken and eaten, in the Supper, only after a heavenly and spiritual manner. And the means whereby the Body of Christ is received and eaten in the Supper, is faith. The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was not by Christ's ordinance reserved, carried about, lifted up or worshipped. (We believe the Lord's Supper is more than just a ritual, more than just a memorial, more than just a symbol; it is all of these things, but more than just these things. We believe that when we are eating the bread and drinking the wine of Holy Communion, we are taking Christ into ourselves again. We do not believe that the bread and wine physically change into flesh and blood, but that Christ is really present in them, and therefore in us. The Holy Spirit’s presence extends the grace of Christ through the Sacrament. Because of that, we participate in faith in God’s Word and promises after examining our lives. See Matthew 26:26-30; 1 Corinthians 11:23-25.) Article 19—Of Both Kinds The cup of the Lord is not to be denied to the lay people; for both the parts of the Lord's Supper, by Christ's ordinance and commandment, ought to be administered to all Christians alike. (We believe that all of Christ's Eucharist [His good gift of Holy 24

Communion] is for all of Christ's people, pastor and layman alike. This includes the wine as well as the bread. See Matthew 26:2630. There is no closed communion table in the Evangelical Methodist Church.) Article 20—Of the One Oblation of Christ, Finished Upon the Cross The offering of Christ, once made, is that perfect redemption, propitiation, and satisfaction for all the sins of the whole world, both original and actual; and there is none other satisfaction for sin but that alone. Wherefore the sacrifice of masses, in which it is commonly said that the priest doth offer Christ for the quick and the dead, to have remission of pain or guilt, is a blasphemous fable and dangerous deceit. (We believe Jesus Christ died on the cross for our redemption and that in that death He made “a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation [a willing and solemn offering to God the Father], and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world..." See Hebrews 9:1115.) Article 21—Of the Marriage of Ministers The ministers of Christ are not commanded by God's law either to vow the estate of single life or to abstain from marriage; therefore it is lawful for them, as for all other Christians, to marry at their own discretion, as they shall judge the same to serve best to godliness. (We believe it is alright for pastors to be married. There is nothing in Scripture that prohibits it. See 1 Corinthians 9:5.) Article 22—Of the Rites and Ceremonies of Churches It is not necessary that rites and ceremonies should in all places be the same, or exactly alike; for they have been always different, and may be changed according to the diversity of countries, times, and men's manners, so that nothing be ordained against God's Word. Whosoever, through his private judgment, willingly and purposely doth openly break the rites and ceremonies of the church to which he belongs, which are not repugnant to the Word of God, and are ordained and approved by common authority, ought to be rebuked openly, that others may fear to do the like, as one that offendeth against the common order of the 25

church, and woundeth the consciences of weak brethren. Every particular church may ordain, change, or abolish rites and ceremonies, so that all things may be done to edification. (Doctrines are based on Scripture and do not change, but rites and ceremonies need to stay biblical and flexible to meet the needs of the local congregation. The early church services were very simple: praise, prayer, testimony, Scripture reading and closing with the breaking of bread and the sharing of the cup. Even today, a true worship service has in it four basic elements: prayer, praise, thanksgiving and the reading and expounding of the Scriptures. But the order of each is not fixed. Holy Communion, altar calls, baptism, marriages, funerals, membership ceremonies, and ordination of the clergy are important, and the local churches have autonomy in designing their worship experience, striving not to grieve the Holy Spirit with disorder and disharmony, but with a flexibility that is biblical and experiences the Presence of Christ. Communion may be celebrated by intinction with a chalice, individual communion cups; unleavened bread or leavened; some receive it standing, some kneeling at the altar rail, and others sitting in the pews. Some use a baptismal font with sprinkling or pouring, or in a baptistery suitable for immersion. Some preachers wear robes and a stole, some wear a suit and tie, some preach in polo shirts and jeans. As long as it is done in decency and order, as commanded by Saint Paul, and in an attitude of true worship, God will bless it. See Hebrews 13:7.) Article 23â€”Of the Rulers of the United States of America* The president, the congress, the general assemblies, the governors, and the councils of state, as the delegates of the people, are the rulers of the United States, according to the division of power made to them by the Constitution of the United States, and by the Constitution of their respective states. And the said states are a sovereign and independent nation, and ought not to be subject to any foreign jurisdiction. *The twenty-third Article of Religion in the disciplines of all our churches in foreign lands shall read: Article 23â€”Of the Duty of Christians to the Civil Authority 26

It is the duty of all Christians, and especially of all Christian ministers, to observe and obey the laws and commands of the governing or supreme authority of the country of which they are citizens or subjects, or in which they reside, and to use all laudable means to encourage and enjoin obedience to the powers that be. (We believe that God provides our civil leadership, and we have a Christian obligation to participate in that governing process; including observing all laws which do not directly conflict with the Word of God. See Titus 3:1.) Article 24â€”Of Christian Men's Goods The riches and goods of Christians are not common as touching the right, title, and possession of the same, as some do falsely boast. Notwithstanding, every man ought, of such things as he possesseth, liberally to give alms to the poor, according to his ability. (We believe that what you own is yours, given to you by God. We also believe that He calls us all to share as we have the ability. John Wesley, in his sermon The Use of Money, wrote "Gain all you can, save all you can, give all you can." By gain all you can, Wesley meant in legal, ethical, and moral employment. Gaining through criminal enterprise, doing harm to others [even if legally], or through any unholy activity [such as the sale or transport of spirituous liquors] was not what he intended. In like manner, saving had nothing to do with the accumulation of wealth or resources; rather it meant not being wasteful or spending on anything beyond the bare necessities! Giving, assumed a wise and responsible distribution to tend to the needs of others. See 1 John 3:17.) Article 25â€”Of a Christian Man's Oath As we confess that vain and rash swearing is forbidden Christian men by our Lord Jesus Christ and James His apostle, so we judge that the Christian religion doth not prohibit, but that a man may swear when the magistrate requireth, in a cause of faith and charity, so it be done according to the prophet's teaching, in justice, judgment, and truth. (Some people believe that you should not swear to an oath or give 27

a pledge of any kind, and they use the passages in Matthew and James as their basis, but we believe these apply to false or trivial swearing. An example of trivial swearing might be the all to common phrase, “I swear to God.” Swearing to tell the truth in court is alright. Swearing to “protect and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic...” is good, too. In Jeremiah 4:2 [KJV] we read, "And thou shalt swear, The LORD liveth, in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness;" so we can see that Scripture does not prohibit a solemn oath.) Article 26—Perfect Love* Perfect love is that renewal of our fallen nature by the Holy Spirit, received through faith in Jesus Christ, whose blood of atonement cleanseth from all sin; whereby we are not only delivered from the guilt of sin, but are washed from its pollution, saved from its power, and are enabled, through grace, to love God with all our hearts and to walk in His holy commandments blameless. [*Explanation: Christian perfection is a state of righteousness and true holiness, which every regenerate believer may obtain. It consists in being cleansed from all sin, loving God with all the heart, soul, mind, and strength, and loving our neighbor as ourselves. This gracious state of perfect love is obtainable in this life by faith, both gradually and instantaneously, and every child of God should earnestly seek to grow in grace. It does not deliver us from temptations, infirmities, ignorance, and mistakes, which are common to man. We accept as our doctrinal interpretation, Wesley’s Sermons, Wesley’s Notes on the New Testament, Wesley’s Journal, and Wesley’s A Plain Account of Christian Perfection.] (This is the only Article in the EMC's Constitution that comes with its own explanation. It is, in fact, an explanation of Christian Perfection, a biblical term Wesley used that many people don't understand and criticize Methodists for using. It is not perfect performance, but the perfect and complete agape of God motivating us to love God and people with a clean heart that has no rivals to God.)

Bibliography: Charles Wesley’s Hymnbook. London: Methodist Publishing House, 1774. Chilcoate, Thomas F. The Articles of Religion. Nashville: Cokesbury Press, 1960. Gibson, C. S. The Thirty-nine Articles. New York: MacMillian Company, 1897. Hudson, Hilary T. The Methodist Armour. 1882. Methodist Conference Minutes of 1783. London: Epworth Press, 1783 Wesley, John. The Works of Wesley. Emory Edition. London: Epworth Press, 1790. Wheeler, Henry. History & Exposition of The Twenty-five Articles of Religion. Cincinnati: Eaton & Main, 1908 Dr. W. W. Breckbill, “John Wesley and What He Believed, A Prologue of Wesley and his Bible,” Published in This We Verily Believe, Kansas City, KS: EMC Publications, 1973 The Appendix includes an additional summary of the Articles of Faith for further reflection. Included is an extended statement on the Doctrine of Scripture.

Lesson 2 - REVIEW The Articles of Religion of the Evangelical Methodist Church TRUE or FALSE: 1. _____ The Articles of Religion of the EMC are a type of creed, like the Apostles Creed or one of the well known confessions of faith. 2. _____ John Wesley published 25 Articles of Religion, which came from the 39 Articles of Religion of the Church of England in which he was a priest. 3. _____ The EMC uses 26 Articles of Religion. 4. _____ In addition to Scripture, we need experience, ancient tradition, and reason to show all that is needed for salvation. 5. _____ The EMC believes in the doctrine of transubstantiation in the Lord's Supper. COMPLETION: 1. What Sacraments do the Scriptures teach us? 2. What do we believe about “original sin” or “birth sin”? 3. What do we believe about sin after justification? 4. What is the “Church”? 5. What is our responsibility to civil authority?

FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION AND DISCUSSION: 1. How do you celebrate the Eucharist (the Lord's Supper, Holy Communion) in your church? Why? 2. How would you respond to someone who claims you Methodists don't trust Jesus for your salvation and believe you have to work for your salvation? 3. How would you respond to someone who claims that you Methodists don't enjoy all of the Sacraments or all of the books of the Bible? Lesson 2: Index of various creeds and creedal documents Nicene Creed (as printed in The Lutheran Book of Worship and The Book of Common Prayer (Episcopal)) We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures;

he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

The "Rule of Faith" as recorded by Irenaeus: . . . this faith: in one God, the Father Almighty, who made the heaven and the earth and the seas and all the things that are in them; and in one Christ Jesus, the Son of God, who was made flesh for our salvation; and in the Holy Spirit, who made known through the prophets the plan of salvation, and the coming, and the birth from a virgin, and the passion, and the resurrection from the dead, and the bodily ascension into heaven of the beloved Christ Jesus, our Lord, and his future appearing from heaven in the glory of the Father to sum up all things and to raise anew all flesh of the whole human race . . . The Athanasian Creed (The Marquess of Bute's English translation of the text of the Creed) Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholic Faith. Which Faith except everyone do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly. And the Catholic Faith is this, that we worship one God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity. Neither confounding the Persons, nor dividing the Substance. For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Ghost. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Ghost is all One, the Glory Equal, the Majesty Co-Eternal. Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Ghost. The Father Uncreate, the Son Uncreate, and the Holy Ghost Uncreate. The Father 32

Incomprehensible, the Son Incomprehensible, and the Holy Ghost Incomprehensible. The Father Eternal, the Son Eternal, and the Holy Ghost Eternal and yet they are not Three Eternals but One Eternal. As also there are not Three Uncreated, nor Three Incomprehensibles, but One Uncreated, and One Uncomprehensible. So likewise the Father is Almighty, the Son Almighty, and the Holy Ghost Almighty. And yet they are not Three Almighties but One Almighty. So the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Ghost is God. And yet they are not Three Gods, but One God. So likewise the Father is Lord, the Son Lord, and the Holy Ghost Lord. And yet not Three Lords but One Lord. For, like as we are compelled by the Christian verity to acknowledge every Person by Himself to be God and Lord, so are we forbidden by the Catholic Religion to say, there be Three Gods or Three Lords. The Father is made of none, neither created, nor begotten. The Son is of the Father alone; not made, nor created, but begotten. The Holy Ghost is of the Father, and of the Son neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding. So there is One Father, not Three Fathers; one Son, not Three Sons; One Holy Ghost, not Three Holy Ghosts. And in this Trinity none is afore or after Other, None is greater or less than Another, but the whole Three Persons are Co-eternal together, and Coequal. So that in all things, as is aforesaid, the Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity, is to be worshipped. He therefore that will be saved, must thus think of the Trinity. Furthermore, it is necessary to everlasting Salvation, that he also believe rightly the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. For the right Faith is, that we believe and confess, that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man. God, of the substance of the Father, begotten before the worlds; and Man, of the substance of His mother, born into the world. Perfect God and Perfect Man, of a reasonable Soul and human Flesh subsisting. Equal to the Father as touching His Godhead, and inferior to the Father as touching His Manhood. Who, although He be God and Man, yet He is not two, but One Christ. One, not by conversion of the Godhead into Flesh, but by taking of the Manhood into God. One altogether, not by confusion of

substance, but by Unity of Person. For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one Man, so God and Man is one Christ. Who suffered for our salvation, descended into Hell, rose again the third day from the dead. He ascended into Heaven, He sitteth on the right hand of the Father, God Almighty, from whence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. At whose coming all men shall rise again with their bodies, and shall give account for their own works. And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting, and they that have done evil into everlasting fire. This is the Catholic Faith, which except a man believe faithfully and firmly, he cannot be saved.

The Statement of Faith of the Franciscan Brothers of Mercy (FBM) We believe the Bible to be the only inerrant Word of God. It is our only authoritative rule for faith and practice. We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We believe the God we serve is holy, righteous, good, just, loving and full of mercy. He is the Creator, Sustainer, and Governor of everything that has been made. We believe in the true deity and full humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father and in His personal return in power and glory. We believe in the full deity of the Holy Spirit, acknowledging Him together with the Father and the Son as Creator and Redeemer. We believe that because of Adamâ€™s sin all mankind is in rebellion against God. For the salvation of such lost and sinful men, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely necessary.

We believe that justification of the sinner is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, and that faith without works is dead. We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit, by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life. We believe that God has entrusted to us the stewardship of His creation and the protection and validation of all human life. We believe in the priesthood of all believers, who form the universal Church, the Body of which Christ is the Head, and which is committed by His command to the proclamation of the Gospel throughout the world. We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and lost: those who are saved to the resurrection of life, and those who are lost to the resurrection of damnation.

Lesson 2: Index of additional Scripture references for the Articles of Religion Article 1 See also: Genesis 1:1, 17:1; Exodus 3:13-15, 33:20; Deuteronomy 6:4; Psalm 9:2, 104:24; Isaiah 9:6; Jeremiah 10:10; John 1:1-2, 4:24, 5:18, 10:30,16:13, 17:3; Acts 5:3-4; Romans 16:27; 1 Corinthians 8:4. 6; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 2:18; Philippians 2:6; Colossians 1:16; 1 Timothy 1:17; 1 John 5:7, 20; and Revelation 19:13. Article 2 See also: Luke 1:27, 31, 35; John 1:1-3,14,18, John 3:16-17; Acts 4:12; Romans 5:10-18; 1 Corinthians 15:3; 2 Corinthians 5:18-19; Galatians 1:4; Galatians 2:20, Galatians 4:4,5; Ephesians 5:2; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 1:19-22; 1 Timothy 1:15; 1 Timothy 2:6; Hebrews 2:17, Hebrews 7:27, Hebrews 9:26, Hebrews 10:12; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1, 1 John 2:2, 1 John 4:14, 1 John 5:7; Revelation 19:13. Article 3 See also: Psalm 16:8-10; Matthew 27:62-66, Matthew 28:5-9, 16,17; Mark 16:6-7,12; Luke 24:4-8, 23; John 20:26-29, John 21; Acts 1:2, Acts 2:24-31; Romans 8:34, Romans 14:9-10; 1 Corinthians 15; Hebrews 13:20. Article 4 See also: Psalm 33:6; Isaiah 61:1; Job 33:4; Matthew 28:19; John 4:24-26; Acts 5:3-4; Romans 8:9; 2 Corinthians 3:17; Galatians 4:6. Article 5 See also: Psalm 19:7; Luke 24:27; John 17:17; Acts 17:2, 11; Romans 1:2; 2 Timothy 3:15-16; Hebrews 4:12; James 1:21; 1 Peter 1:23; 2 Peter 1:19-21; and Revelation 22:14, 19. Article 6 See also: Matthew 5:21-48; Matthew 22:37-40; John 8:58; Romans 13:8-10. Article 7 See also: Psalm 51:5; Jeremiah 17:9; Mark 7:21-23; Romans 3:10-12, 5:12, 18, 19; and Ephesians 2:1-3 36

Article 8 See also: Proverbs 16:1 and 20:24; Jeremiah 10:23; John 15:5; Matthew 16:13; John 6:65; Romans 5:6-8; Ephesians 2:5-9; Philippians 2:13 and 4:13. Article 9 See also: Acts 13:38-39, 15:11, 16:31; Romans 1:17, 4:2-5, 5:1, 29; Ephesians 2:8-9; Philippians 3:9 and Hebrews 11. Article 10 See also: Matthew 5:16; Matthew 7: 16-20; John 15:8; Romans 3:20; 4:2; 4:6; Galatians 2:16; Philippians 1:11; Titus 3:5; James 2:18, 22; 1 Peter 2:9, 12. Article 11 See also: Isaiah 64:6; John 15:5 Article 12 See also: Psalm 32:5 and 95:7, 11; Ecclesiastes 7:20; Jeremiah 3:13-15; Matthew 24:12; John 5:14; Galatians 5:4, 7; Ephesians 5:14; Hebrews 3:7-13, 15; James 3:28; 1 John 1:8-9 and 2:12; Revelation 2:5 Article 13 See also: Deuteronomy 4:10, 9:10, and 18:16; Psalm 22:22; Matthew 16:18 and 18:18; Acts 7:38; 1 Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 1:22; Philippians 3:6; Acts 8:1 and Hebrews 2:12 Article 14 See also: Matthew 5:26, 18:34, 12:32; 1 Corinthians 3:10-15; Revelation 14:13, 6:9-11; Philippians 1:23; Hebrews 11:40; Acts 10:25, 19:10 Article 16 See also: 1 Corinthians 11, and Matthew 28:18-20 Article 17 See also: Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; Mark 10:47, 16:15; and Psalm 51:2 Article 18 See also: 1 Corinthians 10 and 11, especially 11:21-30 37

Article 19 See also: 1 Corinthians 11:25-29 Article 20 See also: Acts 4:12, 5:8, 8:34; Galatians 2:16, 3:2-3, 11; 2 Timothy 2:5-6; Hebrews 7:23-27, 24-28, 10:14 Article 21 See also: 1Timothy 3:1-16, Titus 1:5-9 Article 23 See also: Exodus 18:21; 2 Samuel 23:3; Romans 13:1-7; Exodus 22:28; Ecclesiastes 10:20; Acts 23:5; 1 Peter 2:17; 1 Peter 2:1314; Proverbs 11:11 Article 24 See also: Acts 2:44-45, 4:32; Exodus 22; 1 Corinthians 16:2, 1 Corinthians 9:7; Philemon; 1 Timothy 6:17-19; Matthew 6:1; Luke 2:33; Romans 12:13; Hebrews 13:16 Article 25 See also: Matthew 5:33-37; Hebrews 6:16; 2 Corinthians 1:23; and James 5:12.