1 We are called into a Christian fellowship by the Lord
Jesus Christ, according to the eternal purpose of God the
Father (Ephesians 3:11) by the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:18-21),
and as members of Christ's Body, the Church, to serve all
people by proclaiming the Gospel and witnessing to our
faith by word and deed.
2 The Triune God as revealed in the Holy Scripture of the
Old and New Testaments is the only source of our life and
salvation; and this Scripture is the sole standard of the
doctrine and faith of the Unitas Fratrum and therefore
shapes our life.
3 With the universal Christian Church, we share our faith
in the Triune God, who revealed Himself in the Lord Jesus
Christ as the only Savior of all people. We particularly
declare His living presence and Lordship over the Church,
joy in the benefits of His life, sufferings, death and
resurrection and emphasize a close bond of fellowship with
each other in His name. We believe that Christ is present
with us in Word and Sacrament. We decline to determine
as binding what the Scriptures have left undetermined, or
to argue about mysteries impenetrable to human reason. In
this regard, we hold to the principle "In essentials, unity;
in non
-essentials, liberty; and in all things, charity."
4 We thankfully recognize the value of the historic creeds
of the Christian Church in calling upon believers in every
age to give an obedient and fearless testimony, recognizing
Jesus Christ as Lord. A Moravian confession of faith is to be
found in the Easter Dawn Liturgy.
I The Witness of the Christian Life
5 We believe that as in baptism we have been united with
Christ in His death and resurrection, so we have died to sin
and should walk in newness of life (Romans 6:1-11).
6 When seeking guidance we find that the simplest
expression of Christian living is contained in the earliest of
Christian confessions, "Jesus Christ is Lord." This implies
that obedience is due Him as the absolute Ruler and Lord
of our lives. Not only His teachings (e.g., Matthew 5-7) but,
even more, the example of His life (Philippians 2:5;
Ephesians 4:20) provide an understanding of the obedience
that He desires. Although the early Church, guided by the
Spirit of Jesus, did not develop a code covering all issues,
it offered guidance in various areas of Christian living (e.g.
Colossians 3:1-46; 1 Peter 2:11- 3:12; Ephesians 4:1-6:20).
7 Living the Christian life depends not only on our own
effort but upon God our Father, who in Jesus Christ
accepts us as heirs of God (Galatians 4:4-7) and strengthens
and sustains us (Philippians 4:13).
8 We realize that our Christian faith must continually be
nourished if it is to remain living and vital. Therefore, we
desire to grow in our Christian lives through family
devotions, personal prayer and study, and the opportunities
for spiritual development offered by the Church.
