What is a Christian?
A Christian is a follower of the Christ, Jesus of Nazareth.
(Acts 11:26). Just as a Muslim accepts and promotes the
teachings of Mohammed or a Buddhist accepts and promotes the
teachings of Buddha, a Christian consciously decides to accept
and promote the teachings of Jesus (Acts 26:28).
If I've done something really wrong, will God
forgive me?
Yes! The good news from God is that everyone can have a fresh
start with God (2 Peter 3:9). The only requirement is a sincere
desire and intention to turn away from what is wrong and to
follow God (2 Chronicles 7:14; Psalm 51:7; Isaiah 55:6-7; Mark
1:14-15; Acts 3:19; 1 Thessalonians 1:9). In the Bible, God
forgave cheaters (see the story of Jacob in Genesis 27 and 32),
murderers (David in 2 Samuel 12), adulterers (an unnamed woman
in John 8:1-11), and even those who had turned away from God
earlier (Samson in Judges 16 and 17). Today every person is
offered forgiveness in Christ with the opportunity for a fresh
start (Jeremiah 3:12-14; 2 Corinthians 7:8-11).
What is the purpose of my life?
There are two answers to this question. First, God invites us to
experience a personal relationship with Him. That invitation is
offered to every human on earth. Second, God wants each of us to
use our abilities and opportunities to help others. These
purposes are different for each of us.
As part of traditional
Christianity, Nazarenes understand that God created all people
with the same intention: Each one should have a loving
relationship with God that will last for eternity (John 3:16; 1
John 1:3). When we have such a relationship, God intends for us
to become more loving, patient, and self-disciplined; in short,
we are on a journey toward a God-shaped life (2 Corinthians
3:18; Galatians 5:22-23; 1 John 3:2).
In addition, God gives each
person special abilities designed to help others. For example,
some are able to teach others about God, some are able to help
with physical needs, and some are especially effective in
counseling or leadership (Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:7-11).
What do Nazarenes believe about God?
As part of the Christian community, Nazarenes understand that
there is one God, who has always existed and will always exist
(Deuteronomy 6:4). We believe that He is creative (Genesis 1;
Isaiah 40:25-26) and holy (Leviticus 19:2; Isaiah 5:16, 6:1-7)
and that His purposes are carried out in this world (Jeremiah
29:11; Acts 1:6-7).
We also understand that God's
nature is "three-fold": Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew
28:19-20; 2 Corinthians 13:14). This concept of God's three-fold
nature, the Trinity, was understood by the early Christian
Church as the best way to explain what they had experienced.
They knew from their Jewish roots that there is only one God,
but they also knew that Jesus acted as if He were God. In
addition, the Holy Spirit, empowering the church as promised by
Jesus and the Old Testament, seemed to have all of God's power
as well. Thus they understood that Jesus and the Holy Spirit are
parts of the one God who has always existed. Nazarenes embrace
this belief borne out by God's Word.
Who is Jesus Christ?
The New Testament writings state that Jesus of Nazareth was born
to a Jewish family during the early days of the Roman Empire. He
was killed by the Roman occupation forces and truly rose from
the dead. Then He joined God the Father in heaven.
While those of different
faiths consider Him a great religious teacher, the followers of
Jesus understood that He was more than just a teacher. He
forgave sins (Mark 2:1-12; John 8:1-11); He spoke as if He had
always existed (John 8:58); and one of His followers addressed
Him as God (John 20:28). His death was more than a simple
execution; His death makes it possible for humans to have a
restored relationship with God (Colossians 1:21-23). In His
continued life with the Father, He still cares for us humans (1
John 2:1-2).
The Church of the Nazarene
agrees with other Christians that Jesus is God. He is distinct
from God the Father, known to the Jewish nation at the time of
Moses (Deuteronomy 1:31; Proverbs 3:12). He is also distinct
from the Holy Spirit, who has empowered Christians since the
earliest days of the Church (Acts 2:4, 33). The Holy Spirit
continues the work of Jesus through His followers today (John
16:13-15).
While He is God, He is also
human. Jesus was born to the Virgin Mary when the power of the
Holy Spirit came upon her (Luke 1:26-35). In Him, the nature of
God and the nature of humanity are united in one Person
(Colossians 1:19-20).
What do Nazarenes believe about the Holy Spirit?
Before Jesus died, He told His followers that He would leave
them. He also promised that they would receive "another
Counselor" who would be with them forever (John 7:37-39, 14:16).
After His death and resurrection He told His followers that they
would receive power through the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:49; Acts
1:8). He then left His followers (Acts 1:9).
Days later, Jesus' followers
did receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4, 18, 32-33). The Church
immediately recognized the presence of the Holy Spirit as being
equivalent to God's presence (Acts 15:8-9; Ephesians 3:14-19; 1
John 3:24).
What do Nazarenes mean by "salvation"?
Nazarenes, like other Christians, use the term "salvation" to
mean turning from wrong actions, receiving God's forgiveness,
committing ourselves to God, and living as God directs.
Salvation is from the word
"save." Jesus declared that He came to "save the lost" (Luke
19:10). When a pagan Roman jailer wanted to become a Christian,
he asked, "What must I do to be saved?" (Acts 16:30). When
talking to a religious leader, Jesus said that God intended to
"save the world" through His life (John 3:17).
What are we saved from?
Some scriptures promise salvation from other people and their
evil intentions (Psalm 18:3). More often, God's Word promises
salvation from the evil that is widespread throughout the world
(Isaiah 45:22; Acts 4:12). Many times in the scriptures God
offers to save us when this world is destroyed (Joel 2:31-32; 1
Peter 4:18). However, the most common use of the word may be
"saved from the punishment we deserve" (Romans 5:9; 1
Corinthians 15:2; 1 Timothy 2:4).
What does the Church of the Nazarene believe
about living a holy life?
Nazarenes, with other Wesleyans, believe in entire
sanctification, when God's transforming work is complete and
God's divine love that inhabits the Christian cleanses all sin
from the heart (Romans 6:6, 1 Thessalonians 5:23).
After we are born anew, we
need the fullness of God's Holy Spirit in our hearts (Romans
8:6-8). When we make a complete commitment to Him, He cleanses
our spirit, fills us with His perfect love, and gives us the
power to live a holy life in obedience to Him (Romans 8:5,
9-11).
Sanctification is God's will
for all believers (1 Peter 1:15-16). Through the indwelling
presence of the Holy Spirit, God enables believers to live a
holy life and empowers them for life and service (Acts 1:8) .
Nazarenes distinguish between
a pure heart that is obtained in an instant through the
infilling of the Holy Spirit and a mature character that is the
result of growth in grace.
What is baptism?
Baptism has been a Christian symbol since the time of Jesus
(Matthew 3:1-6). It involves applying water to Christians to
symbolize their death to the old way of life (Romans 6:3-4) and
their new life God provides (Galatians 3:26-27). Baptism, a
sacramental "means of grace," seals one's intention to follow
God (Acts 2:37-41, 8:35-39, 10:44-48). The Bible never defines
how much water was applied or how. Therefore, the Church of the
Nazarene considers immersion, sprinkling, and pouring all to be
acceptable methods of baptism.
Nazarenes also understand
baptism to be a symbol of the new relationship God establishes
with His people. Because of this, some Nazarenes choose to have
their young children baptized as a symbol of their intention to
raise their children in God's Church and their hope to see that
their children choose God's ways when they are older.
What is the Lord's Supper?
On the last night Jesus spent with His disciples, He shared
bread and wine with them as part of the Passover meal (1
Corinthians 11:23-26). This sharing of the bread and wine is
known as Holy Communion or the Lord's Supper.
When Jesus shared the bread
and wine with His disciples, the bread symbolized His body, and
the wine symbolized His blood (Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25;
Luke 22:17-20). The disciples understood this to mean that He
was giving up His life (body and blood) for their benefit. The
earliest records of the Church show that His followers regularly
shared bread and wine together, reminding themselves that Jesus
had died for them (1 Corinthians 10:14-16) and will come again.
When Nazarene churches offer
the Lord's Supper today, all believers are invited to
participate regardless of membership in the church. The Lord's
Supper is not appropriate for those who have not yet accepted
the new life God offers (I Corinthians 11:28-29).
Do Nazarenes take official positions on social or
political issues?
The Church of the Nazarene understands that Christians are
expected to oppose evil and promote good. In our complex world,
we also understand that few issues are completely evil or
completely good.
We express our opposition to
underlying evils such as dishonesty (Leviticus 19:11; Romans
12:17), slander and vengeance (2 Corinthians 12:20; Galatians
5:15; Ephesians 4:30-32; James 3:5-18; 1 Peter 3:9-10), and
sexual immorality (Exodus 20:14; Matthew 5:27-32; 1 Corinthians
6:9-11; Galatians 5:19; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-7).
We also affirm our support for
good actions, such as helping those in need (Matthew 25:35-36; 2
Corinthians 9:8-10; Galatians 2:10; James 2:15-16; 1 John
3:17-18), being courteous and helpful (Romans 12:13; Galatians
6:2, 10; Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 3:12-14; Titus 3:2; 1 Peter
2:17; 1 John 3:18), and honoring God (Exodus 20:3-6; Deuteronomy
5:7-10, 6:4-5; Mark 12:28-31).
"The Covenant of Christian Conduct" in the
Manual of the Church of the
Nazarene provides guidelines concerning Christian conduct
on some specific matters. Rather
than taking official stands, on most issues the Church of the
Nazarene encourages its members to apply God's principles and
act accordingly. All Christians are promised God's guidance when
we truly seek it (John 16:13; 1 Corinthians 2:16; James 1:5).
How does being a Nazarene affect people's
actions?
It is difficult to say that all the people in any group "always"
or "never" act in certain ways. Within a church body, this is
especially difficult, because God works with each believer a
little differently. Some people have lived through extremely
difficult circumstances, so we cannot say that all Nazarenes are
always happy. Some people have naturally shy natures, so we
cannot say that all Nazarenes are outgoing in a crowd. However,
those who are Nazarenes have decided to follow God as best they
can, and they intend to be more like God tomorrow than they were
yesterday.
Nazarenes actively encourage
each other to become more like Jesus. We donate time, money, and
energy to causes that will show God's love to the world (Matthew
25:31-40; Acts 2:45). We tell others about the ways God has
worked in our lives, giving Him credit for the positive changes
that the Holy Spirit has made (Acts 1:8). Nazarenes invite
others to attend church services because we believe that God
works through such gatherings to teach us more about himself
(Acts 2:46; Hebrews 10:25). In short, we live our lives to show
how God has made a difference (Matthew 5:13-16; Philippians
4:4-5).
How does the Nazarene understanding of God make a
difference in the lives of Nazarene members?
Nazarenes understand that God intends to make us like Jesus (2
Corinthians 3:18; 1 John 3:2). This means that we are to become
holy and Christlike (Leviticus 11:44; Matthew 5:48). After we
have received our new spiritual lives (John 3:5-7), we
experience the Holy Spirit teaching us how to live in a way that
will please God (Galatians 5:22-23).
This means that Nazarenes are
not content with knowing that God has met them once. They
actively seek to learn more about Him and His plans by reading
the Bible, by gathering with other believers, and by spending
time communicating with God in prayer.
How can I learn more about the Church of the
Nazarene?
By following the links on these web pages, a person can learn
about Nazarene practices and beliefs.
Nazarene Publishing House
offers further materials in English and Spanish.
The best way to learn about
any person or group is personal interaction. Please contact
Pastor Terry if you would like to know more about the Church of
the Nazarene by calling him at 330-859-2724.
