Statement of Faith
Confession of the Armenian Evangelical Church
CONFESSION OF FAITH
THE ARMENIAN EVANGELICAL CHURCH
CONSTANTINOPLE, TURKEY
JULY 1, 1846
Preamble
We, the Armenian Evangelical Church—rooted in an ancient heritage extending to the apostles, yet affirming the legacy of the Reformation; planted in the rich soil of Ararat, yet blossoming across oceans and continents; parched by the winds of persecution, yet bearing the fruit of perseverance—proclaim the faith received from our ancestors.
We believe in one God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, to Whom alone belongs all glory and worship:
Father, our Creator, Maker of all things in heaven and earth; Son, our Savior, Only-begotten of the Father, Who was born of the Virgin Mary, suffered death on the cross, was resurrected and ascended into heaven, and Whose triumphant return all creation awaits; and Holy Spirit, our Comforter, Who inspired the sacred scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, Our supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct, and Who breathes new life into all believers.
We believe that though humanity was created good in God’s image, through our disobedience, we all have fallen into sin and become worthy of condemnation and eternal separation from God.
Yet the Father in grace sent His Son Jesus Christ, the atoning sacrifice for our salvation. This free gift is received only through repentance and faith in Christ, is displayed in our loving service to God and those around us, and is enjoyed eternally in the presence of God.
We believe the universal church to be the Body of Christ, through Whom every church receives its identity and mission: to proclaim the Gospel in word and deed, to administer the sacraments of baptism and communion, and to nurture believers through teaching the Word and equipping the saints for service.
To further this mission, the Spirit leads us in continual growth through worship, prayer, and study of Scripture, in partnership with all who confess Christ as Lord and accept the Nicene and Apostles’ Creeds.
We believe our particular calling to be the leading of our people and all peoples into a commitment to Christ and a growing relationship with God, and to this task we commit our lives.
Glory to God from generation to generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus our Lord, for ever and ever. Amen.
Nicene Creed
We 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-
And He shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.
And we believe in the Holy Ghost; the Lord giver of life; who proceedeth from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets.
And we believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church. We acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins. And we look for the resurrection of the dead; and the life of the world to come.
- The Scriptures
We believe that the entire Bible, including 39 books of the Old Testament and the 27 books of the New Testament, is the inspired and infallible Word of God. All believers are exhorted to study the Scriptures and diligently apply them to their lives. The Scriptures are the final authority for faith and life, providing encouragement, guidance, comfort and instruction for training in righteousness. (2 Tim. 3:16-17)
- God is Triune
We believe in one true God eternally existing in three distinct persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit each of Whom is fully and equally God; possesses all of the divine nature and attributes, and is totally worthy of our worship and service. (Deut. 6:4, Matt. 28:19, John 1:14, John 10:30, 2 Corinthians 13:14).
- God the Father
We believe in God, the Father, an infinite, personal spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power and love. He is the first person of the Trinity and is the eternal, unchanging, all-powerful, all-knowing, all-wise, all-loving, completely just and perfectly holy, sovereign Ruler and Sustainer of the universe. We believe that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of all people, that He heeds and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ. (Gen. 1:1, Job 4:24, John 3:16, Rom. 5:8-11)
- God the Son
We believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He was perfect in nature, teaching, and obedience. He is fully God and fully man. We believe in His substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, perpetual intercession for His people, and personal visible return to earth. He is the Head of his body, the Church, and should be adored, loved, served, and obeyed by all. (John 1:1, John 10:30, 1 John 5:20, Luke 1:31, Matt. 28:6-7, Acts 1:9).
- The Holy Spirit
We believe in the Holy Spirit who came forth from the Father and the Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. The Holy Spirit came to glorify the Son, who in turn came to glorify the Father. He is the primary agent for the conviction of sin and for regeneration. He imparts new life, baptizes the believer into the body of Christ (His church), permanently indwells the believer, and securely seals the believer unto the day of redemption. We also believe the Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts to believers for the purpose of edifying the church. (Acts 5:3-4, Titus 3:1, Eph. 1:13-14, 1 Cor. 12:13, Heb. 2:1-4).
- Man
We believe God made man –male and female–in the image of God so that man might have fellowship with Him. Man fell through sin by disobeying God, thus incurring both physical and spiritual death which separated him from God. Therefore, we believe that man is “dead in trespasses and sins,” and totally incapable of saving himself and coming back into right relationship with God by his own merit or effort. (Gen. 1:26, Gen. 2:6,17, Rom. 5:8, Eph. 2:13)
- Angels, Fallen and Unfallen
We believe that God created an innumerable company of sinless, spiritual beings, known as angels; that one, “Lucifer, son of the morning”––the highest in rank––sinned through pride, thereby becoming Satan; that a company of the angels followed him in his moral fall. (Isa. 14:12-17; Ezek. 28:11-19; 1 Tim. 3:6; 2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6).
We believe a great company of the angels kept their holy estate and are before the throne of God and are sent to minister to believers. (Luke 15:10; Eph. 1:21; Heb. 1:14; Rev. 7:12).
- Salvation
We believe that the shed blood of Jesus Christ on the cross provides the sole basis for forgiveness of sins and salvation, which is the free gift of God’s sovereign grace and is eternally secured by the Holy Spirit. Salvation is effected by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit and cannot be secured by man’s works or personal merit. Salvation is only appropriated by a person placing his faith in the finished work of Christ. Repentance is a turning toward God and away from sin and is a party of but not separate from believing faith. (Eph. 1:7:13-14, John 1:12-13, John 3:1-7, John 14:16, 2 Cor. 5:17, Rom. 1:14, Rom. 10:9-10, Eph. 2:8-10, Rom. 8:14-17, Rom. 31-39, John 10:27-29, Rom. 14:6, Acts 26:20, 1 Pet. 1:3-5).
- The Church
We believe that the church is the body of Christ of which Jesus is the Head and whose members are those who have truly received Christ by faith. The local church is a tangible expression of the body of Christ in a particular location, consisting of a company of believers in Jesus Christ, baptized on a credible profession of faith, and associated for worship, work and fellowship. Since all members of the body of Christ are united in Christ by the same Spirit, they should live in love, harmony and unity. The purpose of the church is to make Christ known to lost men and to make disciples, and glorify God on earth. (Acts 1:8, 1 Cor. 12:12-27, Eph. 1:20-23, Eph. 4:1-6, Eph. 4:12-16, Matt. 28:18-20, John 17, Col. 1:24-29).
- The Sacraments or Ordinances
We believe that water baptism and the Lord’s Supper are the only sacraments and ordinances of the church and that they are a scriptural means of testimony for the church in this age (Matt. 28:19; Luke 22:19-20; Acts 10:47-48; 16:32-33; 18:7-8; 1 Cor. 11:26). Marriage is a rite and has been ordained by God. We believe marriage to be the exclusive legal union of one man and one woman in which such union is a lifetime commitment.
- The Christian Life
We believe that every Christian should live for Christ and not for himself and should, but the power of the indwelling Spirit, allow Christ to manifest His life through him to God’s glory. By ever increasing obedience to the Word of God, each believer should mature and progressively become more like Jesus. In the power of the Spirit, each believer should live a holy life; not fulfill the lusts of the flesh; exercise his spiritual gifts to build up the body of Christ; witness for Christ; be personally involved in making disciples to fulfill the great commission; perform good works and bear fruit to the glory of God (Gal. 2:20; 1 Pet. 1:15-16, 1 Pet. 2:11; 2 Cor. 5:14-15; Rom. 6:11-13, Eph. 2:10, Eph. 4:11-12, Eph. 4:22-24; 1 Pet. 4:10-11; Acts 1:8; Matt. 28:18-20; Col. 1:10; John 15:8,16).
- The Last Things
We believe in the rapture of the church and the visible, personal and glorious return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth and the establishment of His kingdom. We believe in the resurrection of the body and the translation of those alive in Christ, the judgment of the just and the unjust, and the fulfillment of Christ’s kingdom in the new heavens and the new earth. At the Consummation, Satan with his hosts and all those outside Christ are finally separated from the glorious presence of God, enduring eternal punishment, but the righteous, in glorious bodies, shall live and reign with him forever. Then shall the eager expectation of creation be fulfilled and the whole earth shall proclaim the glory of God who makes all things new. (Luke 16:19-31, John 14:1-3, Matt. 10:28, Rev. 20:1-2, Rev. 21:1-4).