What do we believe?

The Catechism of the Methodist Church is a series of questions and answers that will hopefully explain what the Christian Faith is to many denominations of the Christian Church 

and more specifically what it is to Methodists

Click on the question below

to follow the link

1. What is a Christian?  

Christians are those who believe that God has revealed ­ himself in Jesus Christ, accept Jesus Christ as  their Lord and Saviour, live in communion with God and in the power of the Holy Spirit, and take their place in the fellowship of Christ's Church.

2. 

 2. 2. What is a Christian's calling?

A Christian is called by God to trust and follow Jesus Christ; to keep company with him; to learn from his words and actions; and to share in his mission, in the power of the Holy Spirit, in company with other Christians

3. What is the mission of Jesus Christ?

To proclaim the coming of God's Kingdom, to call people to repent and to receive the Kingdom of God, to turn from their sins and believe the Good News.

TOP

4. What is repentance?

Repentance is turning in sorrow away from sin and turning to God to seek forgiveness and new life in Jesus Christ.

    5.  What is sin?

Sin is the condition of estrangement from God which affects the whole human race. Sins are specific actions, words or thoughts which arise from our sinful condition and deny the presence, power and purpose of God.

 6. What are the effects of sin?

TOP

7. What is the Good News?

That God has acted decisively in Jesus Christ to deal with our sinful condition: that is, he has acted to save us. God offers us his love, forgiveness, acceptance and new life in Christ

8. What is salvation?

Salvation is the forgiveness of our sin, deliverance from guilt, and the gift of new life in Christ It is a process that begins now, gives us victory over death and is completed with God in heaven.

9. What is faith in Jesus Christ?

Faith in Jesus Christ is trusting that through him alone God gives us his salvation. We demonstrate our faith by desiring to do God's will and by the practical love we show to others

TOP

 1. 

   1. God: see 56, 57

 Jesus Christ "Christ" comes from the Greek word christos which means" anointed" and is a translation of the Hebrew word from which we get "Messiah". Jesus is called the Christ because he is the one chosen by God to fulfil his purposes, recorded in the Old Testament, the holy book of the Jewish nation. The Jews looked forward to a promised King who would serve God's people and establish a reign of peace for the whole human race.

See also: 58, 59,60,61

Holy Spirit: see 62 Communion with God: see 37 Church: see 43

Acts 11: 26 John 1: 1-5, 14-18 John 14: 8-11 Hebrews 1: 1-3

2. Mark 1: 16-20; 3: 13-15

John 20: 21-22 Acts 1: 8

3. Kingdom of God: see 22 Good News: see 7 Repentance: see 4 Sin: see 5

Mark 1: 14-15

4. Luke 3: 1-14; 15: 17-20       Psalm 51: 1-14

Amos 5: 10-15

5. Romans 3: 9-18, 23; 7: 13-20  Psalm 51: 1-5

Note: Various words are used in the Bible for sin, with different shades of meaning, for example: offence (against moral laws), injustice, failure, lawlessness, godlessness.

Bible: see 52

 6. Grace: see 10    Genesis 3: 14-19

  James 4: 1-3

7. John 3:16             Acts 10: 36-43

   Heaven:

   Mark 2: 1-4; 10: 28-31, 45

2 Corinthians 5: 18-21 Romans 5: 15-21