The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-05-21

/ eeTnlUE inc StdIuS ana use oi any re-
port which IT may make, this com
nittee desires to state that IL does not
understand that the assembly In
strueted it to PROVIDE a statement OF
or an addition or, an amendment TO, any
of the documents contanled in the con-
4 stitution of the church. or of any part
/ thereof
1t respectfully suggests that, in the
event the assembly approves this re-
port, the statement submitted shall be
referred to the executive committee OF
publication, to be printed and circulated
as may be deemed best.
A BRIEF POPULAR STATEMENT
OF THE BELIEF OF THE PRES.
BYTERfAN CHURCH IN THE
UNITED STATES.
I. God.
God Is spirit. Infinite, eternal and
unchangeable: all powerful. holy. wise
good. true and just. hating all sin. He
is merciful and gracious. long suffer
ing. and abundant In goodness and
truth, not willing that any should
perish, but that all should come to
repentance: which Is summed up In
the Bible statement, God is love" He
exists in three persons, Father Son
and Holy Spirit. who are one God, the
same In substance, equal in power and
| glory.
AhE AD1D[.
The Scriptures of the old and new
Testaments are the word of God Writ
ten by men inspired by the Holy
Spirit. They are. the revelation of
| Gods will for man. and of mans duty
to God. and is the only infallible and
authoritive rule of faith and life.
/ III. Gods Purpose.
| The eternal purpose OF God in
cludes- all events: 1t is holy and wise,
] -
dom. nor make God the author of sin.
w. Creation.
For the manifestation of his own
glory, God created the world and all
things therein. whether visible or in
visible. and all very good. He made
man after his own image; male and
female created he them. with immortal
souls, endowed with knowledge, right.
eousness and holiness. having the law
of God in their hearts, and power to
fulfil it; and yet under a possibility OF
transgression. being left to the free
dom of their own will.
/ V. Sin and the Fall.
1 Sin is the violation of Gods law,
either by omission or commission. Our
first parents being tempted by satan
disobeyed Gods command, and so by
their own choice fell from their origi-
I nal state of innocence and communion
with God, and came under the power
of sin. the penalty of which is eternal
death. All men, by reason of their re-
Iationship to Adam as their repre-
sentative head and common ancestor
are born with a sinful nature from
which all actual transgressions pro
coed; and out of this condition no one
is able 10 deliver himself.
VI. Salvation.
God, who is rich in mercy, so loved
the world that he gave his only begot-
/ ten Son to be the Saviour of sinners
| The salvation thus provided is freely
offered to all men, and is sufficient fol-
| all. but becomes effcacious only In
those who believe in Jesus Christ unto
eternal life.
VII. Election.
/ Before the foundation of the world
/ God the Father chose unto himself In
/ Christ a people whom he gave to his
Son. that they should be holy and
without blame before him in love
Those WAC come to years of discretion
receive this salvation only through
| faith in Christ being regenerated by
the Holy Spirl.. All who die in in
fancy, and Ill Others who are incap-
able of exercising choice, are regen-
Grated and saved by Christ through
the Spirit who works when and where
and how he pleases We thus declare
1
heaven with a multitude that no mar
! can number, and has never sent one
| soul tn hell
/ VIII. Christ the Retieemer.
| The Lord Jesus Christ being the
eternal Son of God became truly
man, being conceived by the Holy
Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary
yet without sin; so that he Ia
both God and man, and the only per-
/ Taa lot hot God a nd n
/ by whom alone we can come unto the
! Father BY life of perfect obedi-
ence and by his sacrificial death. he
satisfied divine justice, made a per-
/ feet atonement for sin, and recon
Giles us to God. He rose from the
dead and assembled into heaven. where
he makes continual intercession for
us; and he sits at the right hand OF
| God, clothed with honor and power
subduing his people unto himself. rul-
ing and defending them, and restrain
ing and conquering all his and their
enemies He will come again to
receive and reward his people, and
to Judge the world.
! TX. The Holy Spirit.
t. The Holy Spirit, the third person OF
the Godhead. applies the redemption
purchased by Christ He persuades
and enables men to obey the call OF
I
| every believer as the Spirit OF truth
Of holiness, OF power and OF COM
| fort. and Is thereby the author OF all
Christian experience.
X. Justification by Faith.
Everyone who humply relies upon
Christ alone for salvation and in peni-
tence confesses and forsakes his sins,
is pardoned and accepted as righteous
in Gods sight. solely on the ground
of the perfect obedience and sacrifice
of Jesus Chrast. Everyone thus par
doned and accepted is adopted into
Gods family. and becomes an heir OF
God and a joint heir with Jesus
Christ.
XII. The Christian Life.
The Holy Spirit imparts spiritual
life by the direct operation Of his
power: SO that. being born from
above, we are the children Of God.
created In Christ Jesus unto good
works, which are not the ground but
the fruits of salvation. Dwelling In
Christ's people, ne purifies them more
ana more from sin. enables them to
render a cheerful and loving obedi-
euce to Gods commandments, and
| perrcveres in his sanctifying work in
| their hearts until at last they stand
| perfect in the presence Of Christ In
giory Believers may at times back
| slide, growing Indifferent and cold.