Fundamental Beliefs of the United Church of God
We trace our origins to the Church that Jesus founded
in the early first century. We follow the same teachings, doctrines and
practices established then. Our commission is to proclaim the gospel of
the coming Kingdom of God to all the world as a witness and teach all
nations to observe what Christ commanded (Matthew 24:14; 28:19, 20).
God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit
We believe in one God, the Father, eternally existing,
who is a Spirit, a personal Being of supreme intelligence, knowledge,
love, justice, power and authority. He, through Jesus Christ, is the
Creator of the heavens and the earth and all that is in them. He is the
Source of life and the One for whom human life exists. We believe in one
Lord, Jesus Christ of Nazareth, who is the Word and has eternally
existed. We believe that He is the Messiah, the Christ, the divine Son
of the living God, conceived of the Holy Spirit, born in the human flesh
of the virgin Mary. We believe that it is by Him that God created all
things and that without Him was not anything made that was made. We
believe in the Holy Spirit, as the Spirit of God and of Christ Jesus.
The Holy Spirit is the power of God and the Spirit of life eternal (2
Timothy 1:7; Ephesians 4:6; 1 Corinthians 8:6; John 1:1-4; Colossians
1:16).
The Word of God
We believe that Scripture, both the Old and the New
Testament, is God's revelation, and His complete, expressed will to
humanity. Scripture is inspired in thought and word, infallible in the
original writings, is the supreme and final authority in faith and in
life, and is the foundation of all truth (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter
1:20-21; John 10:35; 17:17).
Satan the Devil
We believe that Satan is a spirit being who is the
adversary of God and the children of God. Satan has been given dominion
over the world for a specific period of time. Satan has deceived
humanity into rejecting God and His law. Satan has ruled by deception
with the aid of a host of demons who are rebellious angels, spirit
beings, who followed Satan in his rebellion (Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 8:12; 2
Timothy 2:26; John 12:31; 16:11; Revelation 12:4, 9; 20:1-3, 7, 10;
Leviticus 16:21-22; 2 Corinthians 4:4; 11:14; Ephesians 2:2).
Humanity
We believe that humanity was created in the image of
God with the potential to become children of God, partakers of the
divine nature. God formed humanity of flesh, which is material
substance. Human beings live by the breath of life, are mortal, subject
to corruption and decay, without eternal life, except as the gift of God
under God's terms and conditions as expressed in the Bible. We believe
that God placed before Adam and Eve the choice of eternal life through
obedience to God, or death through sin. Adam and Eve yielded to
temptation and disobeyed God. As a result, sin entered the world, and
through sin, death. Death now reigns over all humanity because all have
sinned (Genesis 1:26; 2 Peter 1:4; Hebrews 9:27; 1 Corinthians 15:22;
Romans 5:12; 6:23).
Sin and God's Law
We believe that sin is the transgression of the law.
The law is spiritual, perfect, holy, just and good. The law defines
God's love and is based upon the two great principles of love toward God
and love toward neighbor, and is immutable and binding. The Ten
Commandments are the ten points of God's law of love. We believe that
breaking any one point of the law brings upon a person the penalty of
sin. We believe that this fundamental spiritual law reveals the only way
to true life and the only possible way of happiness, peace and joy. All
unhappiness, misery, anguish and woe have come from transgressing God's
law (1 John 3:4; 5:3; Matthew 5:17-19; 19:17-19; 22:37-40; James
2:10-11; Romans 2:5-9; 7:12-14; 13:8-10).
The Sacrifice of Jesus Christ
We believe God so loved this world of helpless sinners
that He gave His only begotten Son, who, though in all points tempted
as we are, lived without sin in the human flesh. That Son, Jesus Christ,
died as a sacrifice for the sins of humanity. His life, because He is
the Creator of all humanity, is of greater value than the sum total of
all human life. His death is, therefore, sufficient to pay the penalty
for every human being's sins. In paying this penalty He has made it
possible, according to God's plan, for each person and humanity as a
whole to have their sins forgiven and to be released from the death
penalty (Hebrews 4:15; 9:15; 10:12; John 1:18; 3:16; Colossians 1:16-17,
22; 1 John 2:2; 4:10; Ephesians 1:11; Revelation 13:8).
Three Days and Three Nights
We believe that the Father raised Jesus Christ from
the dead after His body lay three days and three nights in the grave,
thus making immortality possible for mortal man. He thereafter ascended
into heaven, where He now sits at the right hand of God the Father as
our High Priest and Advocate (1 Peter 1:17-21; 3:22; Matthew 12:40; 1
Corinthians 15:53; 2 Timothy 1:10; John 20:17; Hebrews 8:1; 12:2).
Repentance
We believe that all who truly repent of their sins in
full surrender and willing obedience to God, and who by faith accept
Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, have their sins forgiven by an
act of divine grace. Such individuals are justified, pardoned from the
penalty of sin, and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, which literally
abides within them and supplies the divine love that alone can fulfill
the law and produce righteousness. They are baptized by the Spirit into
the body of Christ, which is the true Church of God. We believe in a
true change in life and attitude. Only those who have the indwelling
presence of and are being led by the Holy Spirit are Christ's (Acts
2:38; 3:19; 5:29-32; 2 Corinthians 7:10; John 3:16; Ephesians 1:7;
2:7-9; Romans 3:21-26; 5:5; 6:6; 8:4, 9-10, 14; 13:1; Jeremiah 33:8;
John 14:16-17; 1 Corinthians 12:12-13; Philippians 2:3-5).
Water Baptism
We believe in the ordinance of water baptism by
immersion following repentance. Through the laying on of hands, with
prayer, the believer receives the Holy Spirit and becomes a part of the
spiritual body of Jesus Christ (Matthew 3:13, 16; John 3:23; Acts 2:38;
8:14-17; 19:5-6; 1 Corinthians 12:13).
The Sabbath Day
We believe that the seventh day of the week is the
Sabbath of the Lord our God. On this day we are commanded to rest from
our labors and worship God, following the teachings and example of
Jesus, the apostles and the New Testament Church (Genesis 2:2-3; Exodus
20:8-11; 31:13-17; Leviticus 23:3; Isaiah 58:13; Hebrews 4:4-10; Mark
1:21; 2:27-28; 6:2; Acts 13:42-44; 17:2; 18:4; Luke 4:31).
The Passover
We believe in observing the New Testament Passover on
the night of the 14th of Abib, the anniversary of the death of our
Savior (Leviticus 23:5; Luke 22:13-14).
The Festivals of God
We believe in the commanded observance of the seven
annual Holy Days given to ancient Israel by God and kept by Jesus
Christ, the apostles and the New Testament Church. These Holy Days
reveal God's plan of salvation (Colossians 2:16-17; 1 Peter 1:19-20; 1
Corinthians 5:8; 15:22-26; 16:8; James 1:18; Exodus 23:14-17; Leviticus
23; Luke 2:41-42; 22:14-15; John 7:2, 8, 10, 14; Acts 2:1; 18:21; 20:16;
Zechariah 14:16-21).
God's Food Laws
We believe that those meats that are designated "unclean" by God in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14 are not to be eaten.
Military Service and War
We believe that Christians are forbidden by the
commandments of God from taking human life, directly or indirectly, and
that bearing arms is contrary to this fundamental belief. Therefore, we
believe that Christians should not voluntarily become engaged in
military service. If they are involuntarily engaged in military service,
we believe they should refuse conscientiously to bear arms and, to the
extent possible, to refuse to come under military authority (Exodus
20:13; Matthew 5:21-22; 1 Corinthians 7:21-23; Acts 5:29).
Promises to Abraham
We believe in God's enduring righteousness. That
righteousness is demonstrated by God's faithfulness in fulfilling all of
the promises He made to the father of the faithful, Abraham. As
promised, God multiplied Abraham's lineal descendants so that Abraham
literally became the "father" of many nations. We believe that God, as
promised, materially prospered Abraham's lineal descendants Isaac and
Jacob (whose name He later changed to Israel). We believe that God,
through Abraham's Seed, Jesus Christ, is making salvation available to
all humanity regardless of their physical lineage. Salvation is not
therefore a right of birth. It is freely open to all whom God calls, and
those who are regarded as descendants of Abraham are those of the
faith, heirs according to the promises. We believe that the knowledge
that God has fulfilled and continues to fulfill the physical promises
made to Abraham and his children, and is fulfilling the spiritual
promise through Jesus Christ, is critical to understanding the message
of the prophets and its application to the world in which we live (Psalm
111:1-10; Romans 4:16; 9:7-8; Galatians 3:16; Genesis 32:28).
God's Purpose for Mankind
We believe God's purpose for mankind is to prepare
those whom He calls, and who elect through a life of overcoming sin,
developing righteous character, and growing in grace and knowledge, to
possess the Kingdom and to become kings and priests reigning with Christ
on this earth after His return. We believe that the reason for
mankind's existence is literally to be born as spirit beings into the
family of God (Romans 6:15-16; 8:14-17, 30; Acts 2:39; 2 Peter 3:18;
Revelation 3:5; 5:10).
The Church
We believe that the Church is that body of believers
who have received, and are being led by, the Holy Spirit. The true
Church of God is a spiritual organism. Its biblical name is "The Church
of God." We believe that the mission of the Church is to preach the
gospel (good news) of the coming Kingdom of God to all nations as a
witness, and to help reconcile to God such people as are now being
called. We believe that it is also the mission of the Church of God to
strengthen, edify and nurture the children of God in the love and
admonition of our Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 2:38-39, 47; 20:28; Romans
8:14; 14:19; Ephesians 1:22-23; 3:14; 4:11-16; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 10:32;
11:16, 22; 12:27; 14:26; 15:9; 2 Corinthians 1:1-2; 5:18-20; Galatians
1:13; 1 Thessalonians 2:14; 2 Thessalonians 1:4; 1 Timothy 3:5, 15; Mark
16:15; Matthew 24:14; 28:18-20; John 6:44, 65; 17:11, 16).
Tithing
We believe in tithing as a way of honoring God with
our substance and as a means of serving Him in the preaching of the
gospel, the care of the Church, attending the festivals and helping the
needy (Proverbs 3:9-10; Genesis 14:17-20; 1 Corinthians 9:7-14; Numbers
18:21; Deuteronomy 14:22-29).
The Resurrections
We believe that the only hope of eternal life for
mortal humans lies in the resurrection through the indwelling of the
Holy Spirit. We believe that at the return of Jesus Christ a
resurrection to spirit life will take place for all who have been God's
faithful servants. We believe that after Jesus Christ has ruled on this
earth for 1,000 years, there will be a resurrection to physical life of
the vast majority of all people who have ever lived. We believe that
after these people have had an opportunity to live a physical life, if
they become converted, they too will receive eternal life. We also
believe that those who reject God's offer of salvation will reap eternal
death (1 Corinthians 15:19, 42-52; Acts 23:6; John 5:21-29; Romans
6:23; 8:10-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; Ezekiel 37:1-14; Revelation 20:4-5,
11-15; John 3:16; Matthew 25:46).
Jesus Christ's Return
We believe in the personal, visible, premillennial
return of the Lord Jesus Christ to rule the nations on earth as King of
kings and to continue His priestly office as Lord of lords. At that
time, He will sit upon the throne of David. During His thousand-year
reign upon the earth, He will restore all things and establish the
Kingdom of God forever (Matthew 24:30, 44; Revelation 1:7; 11:15; 19:16;
20:4-6; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-16; John 14:3; Isaiah 9:7; 40:10-12;
Hebrews 7:24; Jeremiah 23:5; Luke 1:32-33; Acts 1:11; 3:21; 15:16;
Daniel 7:14, 18, 27).