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Verse:
John 3:16; Jn 3:16; John 3

Keyword:
Salvation, Jesus, Gospel

With Operators:
AND, OR, NOT, “ ”

CONFESSIONAL STATEMENT OF FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF CASTLE SHANNON

The First Presbyterian Church of Castle Shannon hereby makes the following confession of belief. We resonate with the words of Mordecai when he told Esther, "Who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14). We believe it is our time and duty as slaves of Jesus (Romans 1:1, Titus 1:1 and Philippians 1:1) to stand up and confess the truth.

  1. We confess that Jesus is the only way to salvation and a relationship with God. Scripture reveals Jesus to be God's only Son (Luke 9:35, Luke 3:22). Jesus claims that He and the Father are one (John 10:30) and the only way to the Father is through the Son (John 14:6). We confess that Jesus came into the world to die on a cross for the sins of the world (John 3:16, John 1:29, Rom. 5:6-10). One cannot know God, have fellowship with God and be God's child unless one believes in his/her heart and confesses with his/her lips that Jesus Christ is Lord (Rom. 10:9-10). We believe that His death offers forgiveness of sins and eternal life (Heb. 7:26-28; Heb. 9:1ff).
    1. We profess and believe that Jesus and the Father and the Holy Spirit are one!
    2. We profess and believe that salvation can only be attained through Jesus' atoning sacrifice.
    3. We profess and believe that one cannot have a relationship with God outside of Jesus.
    4. This church professes that these beliefs are a standard for ordination/installation of a minister of the Word and Sacrament, Elder or Deacon.
  2. We confess that the Bible is the unique and authoritative witness for the church's life. We believe that II Timothy 3:16 is true and that "All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness." We confess that the Bible is God's authoritative word for us. We do not correct the Bible, but through study, prayer and reflection, allow God's Word to correct and instruct us.
    1. We profess and believe that all parts of the Bible in its original form are applicable to us and are the final rule of faith and life.
    2. We profess and believe that as the ages pass, there are no new revelations that show the Bible to be wrong or outdated.
    3. We profess and believe that we should only ordain or install as a Minister of the Word and Sacrament, Elder, or Deacon, a person who believes in the Bible as God's unique and authoritative Word for us.
  3. We confess that the Bible and Jesus Christ are clear that any sexual expression outside of a man and woman within the confines of marriage is a sin. We profess that all other forms of sexual expression are clearly defined as sin (I Cor. 6:9-11). We confess that unrepentant sinners should not be ordained or installed as Minister of the Word and Sacrament, Elder, or Deacon.
    1. We profess and believe that we should not ordain or install any Minister of the Word and Sacrament who will officiate in any same sex unions, blessing services, marriages, or any other ceremony which invokes the blessing of God on sinful relationships.
    2. We profess and believe that we should not ordain or install any Minister of the Word and Sacrament, Elder or Deacons who are involved in any known unrepentant sinful behavior, sexual or otherwise, from which Scripture calls us away.

We confess our faith in God who works wonders, pardons our iniquity, heals our diseases and redeems our life from the pit (Ps. 102:3-4). God loves us so much that He gave His only Son Jesus, that those who confess and repent of their sin, and place their faith in Christ, will be forgiven and cleansed by Christ's blood, and by God's grace empowered to walk in newness of life! Lord, let your salvation and your kingdom come and your will be done in us your people called by your Name.

We hereby make this confession and announce our commitment to the Confessing Church Movement not so that people will leave or be removed, for it is our desire and a longing in our hearts, that people living in sin would repent from their sinful ways and receive Jesus' forgiveness (1 John 1:6-7). We call on all of us to look at our own lives and humbly confess our sins to God, who will abundantly pardon.

Approved unanimously on June 4, 2001 by the Session of the First Presbyterian Church of Castle Shannon, Pittsburgh, PA.