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Confession
of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective, 1995
Article 2. Jesus Christ
We believe in Jesus Christ, the Word of God become flesh. He is the
Savior of the world, who has delivered us from the dominion of sin and
reconciled us to God by humbling himself and becoming obedient unto
death on a cross. [1] He was declared to
be Son of God with power by his resurrection from the dead. [2] He is the head of the church, the exalted
Lord, the Lamb who was slain, coming again to reign with God in glory.
"No other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is
Jesus Christ." [3]
We confess Jesus as the Christ, the Messiah, through whom God has
prepared the new covenant for all peoples. Born of the seed of David,
Jesus Christ fulfills the messianic promises given through Israel. [4] As prophet, he has proclaimed the coming
of God's kingdom and called everyone to repent. As teacher of divine
wisdom, he has made known God's will for human conduct. As faithful
high priest, he has made the final atonement for sin and now intercedes
for us. As king who chose the way of the cross, he has revealed the
servant character of divine power. [5]
We accept Jesus Christ as
the Savior of the world. [6] In his
ministry of preaching, teaching, and healing, he proclaimed forgiveness
of sins and peace to those near at hand and those far off. [7] In calling disciples to follow him, he
began the new community of faith.[8] In his
suffering, he loved his enemies and did not resist them with violence,
thus giving us an example to follow. [9]
In the shedding of his blood on the cross, Jesus offered up his life to
the Father, bore the sins of all, and reconciled us to God. [10] God then raised him from the dead,
thereby conquering death and disarming the powers of sin and evil. [11]
We acknowledge Jesus
Christ as the only Son of God, the Word of God incarnate. He was
conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. As fully
human and tempted as we are, yet without sin, he is the model human
being. [12] As fully divine, he is the one
in whom the fullness of God was pleased to dwell. During his earthly
life, Jesus had an intimate relationship with his heavenly Abba and
taught his disciples to pray "Abba, Father." [13]
He is the image of the invisible God, and "all things have been created
through him and for him, for he is before all things." [14]
We recognize Jesus Christ
as the head of the church, his body.[15] As
members of his body, we are in Christ, and Christ dwells in us.
Empowered by this intimate relationship with Christ, the church
continues his ministry of mercy, justice, and peace in a broken world. [16]
We worship Jesus Christ
as the one whom God has exalted and made Lord over all. He is our Lord
and the not-yet-recognized Lord of the world. We live in the assurance
of his coming again as the one by whom all humanity will be judged. He
is the one who shall be acknowledged Lord of all, and the Lamb who will
reign forever and ever. 17
(1) Phil. 2:5-8.
(2) Rom. 1:4.
(3) 1 Cor. 3:11.
(4) 2 Sam. 7:13-14; Isa. 9:1-6; Rom. 1:3; 2 Cor. 6:18.
(5) Isa. 42:1-9; Matt. 4:17; Luke 4:43f.; Matt. 57; Heb. 2:17; 1 Pet.
3:18; Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25; John 18:36-37; Rev. 5:8-14; 7:17.
(6) Acts 4:12; 1 John 4:14.
(7) Eph. 2:13-22.
(8) Mark 3:13-19.
(9) Matt. 26:50; 1 Pet. 2:21-23.
(10) Luke 23:46; Rom. 5:18; 2 Cor. 5:19.
(11) Col. 2:15; Eph. 1:20-21.
(12) Heb. 4:15; Rom. 5:14-21; 1 Pet. 2:21.
(13) Mark 14:36; Matt. 6:9-13; Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:6.
(14) Col. 1:15-17, 19.
(15) Eph. 1:22-23.
(16) Col. 1:24.
(17) Acts 17:31; Phil. 2:11; Rev. 5:12-14.
Commentary
1. This article reflects biblical understandings of Jesus Christ in an
Anabaptist-Mennonite perspective. It stresses, for example, Jesus'
obedience and suffering in his work of atonement, his humility and
servanthood as the pathway to exaltation, the believers' experience of
Christ in the community of faith, the integration of faith and ethics,
and peace as central to the character of Christ. These themes belong to
the heart of the gospel.
2. In some Protestant traditions, the Messiah (the Anointed One) is
identified as prophet, priest, and king--the offices for which people
were anointed in Old Testament times (Isa. 61:1; Exod. 29:29; 1 Sam.
10:10). This confession also identifies Jesus as teacher, against the
backdrop of Old Testament wisdom literature (for example, some of the
Psalms, Proverbs, Job, and Ecclesiastes). As disciples, we participate
in this fourfold work of Christ.
3. For centuries,
Christian creeds have confessed that Jesus Christ has both a human and
a divine nature. The Bible does not use the language of "natures" to
describe Jesus Christ. When using this language, we should not
overemphasize either the human or the divine side. This way of speaking
about Jesus Christ can be helpful if it upholds what the Bible reveals
to us about him.
4. As Son of God, Jesus
Christ shares fully in the character and work of the triune God (Matt.
11:27; John 1:1-3; 78; Col. 1:15-20; Eph. 1:3-14). For example, the
Bible teaches that Christ participated in creation; he was one with God
from the beginning (Col. 1:16). His intimate unity with the Holy Spirit
through his Father is revealed in Jesus' words of comfort to the
disciples: Jesus said that the Father will send the Advocate, the Holy
Spirit, in Jesus' name, who will teach the disciples and remind them of
what Jesus told them (John 14:26). While on earth, Jesus addressed God
with the Aramaic term of endearment "Abba," used in his day to express
an intimate father-child relationship, much as we might say "Daddy."
Adopted by
the delegates of Mennonite Church General Assembly, and of the General
Conference Mennonite Church Tricentennial Session, July 28, 1995,
Wichita, Kansas. Copyright © 1995 by Herald Press Scottdale PA
15683. Used by permission. Order print copies of Confession of
Faith in a Mennonite Perspective, and Summary Statement,
Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective, From Herald Press, Scottdale,
Pa. Worship resources
based on this confession, and translations
are also available.
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