
What We Believe
NICENE CREED
I believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead
and his kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins
and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come.
Amen.
Who We are in Christ, Facing the 21st Century
We, the members of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, in order to carry out God’s mission and move forward together into the next century, profess our life together in Christ and our desire to set forth a united strategy for the work of His church. We express our desire to continue to be a Presbyterian and Reformed church committed to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and to the Bible as the Word of God.
Rooted in and shaped by a living tradition, we are part of the new creation in Christ which God is bringing into existence. Therefore, we are committed to:
- The worship of the Triune God.
- The Holy Scriptures as the basis for our faith and activity.
- Unity with other believers in Christ.
- Total stewardship of life, including tithing of time, talents, and money.
- Excellence in education and equipping leaders for tomorrow.
- Loving and caring for one another and for other people.
- Spreading the Gospel to all parts of the world.
- Evaluating and changing church structures and priorities in order to meet the challenges of the future while preserving the best of the past.
To this end and in humble reliance upon the enabling power of the Holy Spirit, we covenant together to pray steadfastly that God will open doors of opportunity so that we may declare the riches of Christ.
“Let us not grow weary in well-doing,
for in due season we shall reap,
if we do not lose heart” (Galatians 6:9).
Minutes, 1990 General Synod, Page 363;
reaffirmed by the General Synod June 13, 2001.
Our foundational doctrinal statements are found in The Standards of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, which we hold to be “the system of doctrine which is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone” (Associate Reformed Synod, May 31, 1799)
Definition of Evangelical
The following definition of evangelical was adopted by the 1976 General Synod (and set forth in the Manual of Authorities and Duties): “The word ‘evangelical’ comes from a Greek root meaning ‘good news’ and it refers to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In a broad sense, evangelicals are people who believe that the Bible is God’s inspired Word and that an individual can become a Christian only by accepting Jesus Christ as his personal Savior. Evangelicals believe:
- The Bible alone, being God-breathed, is the Word of God Written, infallible in all that it teaches, and inerrant in the original manuscripts. (2008 Minutes of Synod).
- That there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
- In the Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, in His Virgin Birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through the shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory.
- That for the salvation of lost and sinful man, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential.
- In the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life.
- In the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; that they that are saved unto the resurrection of life and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.
- In the spiritual unity of believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Abortion
We believe that the Scriptures clearly and plainly testifies to the infinite worth of human life by virtue of man having been created in the image and likeness of God, and that decisions about life and death are God’s prerogatives and not man’s, and that even in the case of rare exceptions such as judgments by medical personnel about highly technical medical problems, human judgement should always stand in submission to the divine judgement and wisdom of God.
We also believe the Scriptures point up a unique relationship between God the Creator and the unborn child. And, therefore, regarding the divine mysteries of the conception and development of human life, we dare make no other inference than the conclusion that it is not for men basically to be the determiners of life and death, even for the unborn child. Therefore, in all instances, one should seek to preserve the life of the unborn child.
(Minutes of the General Synod, 1981, p. 402 & 403)
WHEREAS, the dark and tragic night of abortion continues to overshadow our land, and
WHEREAS, the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church has previously declared its opposition to the hideous practice of elective abortion, and,
WHEREAS, some 22 million preborn children have been “legally” executed in the United States of America since January 22, 1973, and
WHEREAS, God’s law is immutable and we His servants are called upon to be “salt and light”, and
WHEREAS, euthanasia and other practices which diminish the sanctity of human life are now gaining prominence in our nation,
BE IT RESOLVED, that the Northeast Presbytery of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, memorialize the General Synod of said church to designate the Sabbath nearest to January 22 of each year to be recognized as the “Sanctity of Human Life Sunday” in all churches of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, and that every minister of said church be asked to mark the day with appropriate Biblical messages in which the members of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church are exhorted to seek out and practice non-violent measures attempting to oppose abortion and to promote the sanctity of human life.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Principal Clerk of this Church notify the Congress of the United States of America as to the action of this, the highest court of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church.
(Minutes of the General Synod, 1988, p. 567)
“Be it resolved that the General Synod of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, in its 192nd meeting, held at Flat Rock, N.C., June 10-13, 1996, reaffirm its strong position against abortion which was adopted in 1981, and, in light of the horrendous practice of partial-birth abortion being carried out in our society and being recently endorsed by the President of the United States, go on record to protest this evil which is nothing short of the murder of children and an offense to Almighty God in whose image all humanity is made.
“Be it further resolved that this protest be sent to the President of the United States with the humble but fervent request that he reconsider his position on this issue and that he do all that is in his power to save and protect these defenseless children.
“And be it further resolved that the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church be in prayer for the President of the United States, to the end that the One who holds the heart of the king in His sovereign hand might turn that heart to the path of justice and truth.”
(Minutes of the General Synod, 1996, p. 325)
Homosexuality
Sexuality, Sin, and the ARP – A Brief Explanation of the Statement
(Approved during the 2019 General Synod)
Our Shorter Catechism in Q.1 begins with a focus on the purpose of God’s making humanity out of nothing that centers our minds and thoughts on the relation between the Triune God and his creation. In every way God is God, and we are not. Therefore, when beginning to consider the question of humanity’s relation to one another in regards to the 7th Commandment all things must begin with his revelation to us.
William Whitaker, A Disputation on Holy Scripture, expresses it this way: “. . . Scripture has for its author God himself; from whom it first proceeded and came forth.Therefore, the authority of Scripture may be proved from the author himself, since the authority of God himself shines forth in it.”
While humanity was created without sin (Gen. 1:27-28), the Bible declares the way in which humanity fell into sin and misery (Gen. 3:6), and the manner in which we are to be redeemed from sin (Gen. 3:15, 21). The effect of sin is more than just the division between God and his creation. Adam’s transgression damages the image of God in humanity (Rom. 1:23), and thereby our ability to obey the law of God in heart and life (Rom. 2:15, 8:7). The work of Christ restores this image (Rom. 5:1-2, 17, 8:29). Part and parcel of the Christian life is the call to be transformed into the image of the Son (Rom. 12:1-2). This means that the believer is to love the Law of God and to loathe sin in all its forms (Rom. 13:14). This abhorrence of sin includes not just the physical separation of the Christian from those things that bring uncleanness, but also in our thoughts and desires (Matt. 5:28). The 10th Commandment marks out particularly the way in which our heart is involved in the violation of God’s Law (Ex. 20:17). This is especially the case when we consider our spiritual union with Christ (1 Cor. 6:15-20, 1 Peter 1:13). In the aforementioned thirteenth chapter of the Paul’s letter to Rome the Apostle makes it clear that the approach of the Christian is to be different from the world around them. In the closing verse cited above he writes, “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.” Earlier in this same chapter Paul will list the 7th, 6th, 8th, 9th, and 10th Commandments and testify that to sum them up in the 2nd greatest commandment (Matt. 22:39) means to love your neighbor as yourself (Lev. 19:18).
Loving oneself in the context of the Christian life means self-control, by faith and trusting in the power of the Holy Spirit, to sanctify the flesh and the heart (1 Thess. 5:23-24). There is no sense whereby we can separate these two realities. To sin in thought is to sin in act (Deut. 15:9). The Bible knows no doctrine which would make it acceptable to not only divide thoughts from acts, but that would make it acceptable to understand oneself as being able to accept certain sins as incapable of mortification (Col. 3:1-7). This goes for every one of the Ten Commandments, as thoughts and deeds are inherently linked. Likewise, the Apostle makes it clear that there is no part of our being which is outside the Lordship of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 10:5). Therefore, teaching that it is possible to entertain sin in any form is to go against the counsel of God (Mark 7:21-22, James 1:14-15) and goes against our call of bringing those in danger of hellfire out from the flames (Jude 1:23), as well as truly loving ourselves enough to flee from unrighteousness and to love all that is good (1 Cor. 10:14, Amos 5:14-15, Rom. 12:9, Titus 1:8).
Thinking biblically about the particular issue of sexual orientation is itself grounded in the bonds of Gospel love of neighbor, self, and of God. If it be the case that the believer is to love the commandments (John 14:15), then any kind of intercourse outside the bonds of marriage set by the Lord Jesus Christ is in and of itself always sin (Gen. 2:24, Ex. 20:14, Lev. 18:22, Deut 7:2-4, Matt. 19:4-5, Rom. 1:24-27, 1 Cor. 5:1, 1 Cor. 6:18-20, 2 Cor. 6:14-5, Gal. 5:19-21, 1 Thess. 4:3-5, Heb. 13:4). As was noted before, this includes not only the act of fornication, but the consideration of concupiscence, i.e., the lusts of the flesh by the heart and the mind (Jer. 13:27). The only orientation recognized as lawful by the Holy Scriptures is that which places our being to the glory of God and His Word.
For the full statement, click here .
Scripture
The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the Word of God without error in all that it teaches.
(Minutes of the General Synod, 1979, p. 23)
We believe Christ is the Son of God. We believe God the Father gave His Son to save us from our sins. We believe that the Holy Spirit reveals Christ to us through the Holy Scripture which is the Word of God written. While we do not have the original autographs as evidence, we believe on faith that God’s Word in its entirety was accurately recorded by the original writers through divine inspiration and reliably transmitted to us. We affirm that salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ and Him alone.
(Minutes of the General Synod, 1979, p. 76)
The position of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church on Scripture is that the Bible alone, being God-breathed, is the word of God written, infallible in all that it teaches, and inerrant in the original manuscripts.
(Minutes of the General Synod, 2008, p. 514)
New Perspective/Federal Vision Theology
Synod adopted the Position Statement from the Theological and Social Concerns Committee, Minutes of Synod 2009. Click here to read the statement.
Women in the Life of the Church
Everywhere there are winds of change in modern culture and society. In the secular world, time-honored role patterns for men and women have undergone considerable change as women have begun to fill roles which were traditionally reserved for men. The church has not been isolated from these changes and, because of this, the church is faced with both a danger and an opportunity. On the one hand, the church faces the ever-present temptation to conform to the dictates of modern culture. This must be resisted if God’s Word is to continue to speak with full authority to us. On the other hand, the church has the opportunity to reexamine issues that were long thought, perhaps wrongly, to have been settled. Through such reexamination, teachings of Scripture that have been hidden or distorted may be recovered and speak to us with a new power. This report will examine the role of women in the life of the church and the question of women serving in ordained church office.
Download the Women in the Church position paper (PDF).
Historicity of Adam
That The Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church adopt the following affirmations and denials:
- We affirm that Adam and Eve were special, unique direct creations of God, created in His image, with Adam being formed from the dust of the ground and Eve being made from his side; as such, they were real human beings and the first man and woman;
- We affirm that the account of the creation of Adam and Eve as found in Genesis 1 and 2 is history;
- We deny any teaching that claims that the account of creation of Adam and Eve, as found in Genesis 1 and 2, is mythology;
- We deny any theory that teaches that Adam and Eve descended from other biological life forms and that such a theory can be reasonably reconciled with either the Standards of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church or Holy Scripture.
(Minutes of the General Synod, 2012, pp. 503, 505)
Marriage
The General Synod of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church affirms the Biblical standard for marriage, one man and one woman.
(Minutes of the General Synod, 2012, p. 564)
Slavery and Racism
We, the General Synod of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, do confess the sinful failings of our church in the past in regard to slavery and racism.
We reaffirm that all people are created in the image of God.
We also reaffirm our historic stance that the Gospel should be offered freely to all sinners regardless of race or ethnicity through the preaching and teaching of God’s holy, inerrant and infallible Word.
(212th General Synod, June 2016)
Report to Synod on Women Being Required to Register for Selective Service and Service in Combat
That the following position statement be adopted by the General Synod: The Word of God gives no warrant expressed or implied that women are to be conscripted into military service or required to participate in military combat. Therefore, the General Synod of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church opposes the registration of women for Selective Service and the assignment of women to combat duty or to duties which involve a significant risk of engaging in combat.
The 211th meeting of the General Synod adopted a recommendation from the Committee on the Minister and His Work “That Synod have the Committee on Theological and Social Concerns study the matter of women being required to register for Selective Service and being required to serve in combat.”
Since the meeting of Synod the Defense Department has acted to open all combat roles to qualified women service members. Senior military leaders and members of Congress have recommended requiring women to register for Selective Service. This action removed the rationale used in the most recent Supreme Court decision upholding the restriction of Selective Service registration to men, and it is widely believed that changing the Selective Service Act to include women is only a matter of time.
The Committee on Theological and Social Concerns reviewed major reports adopted by the Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC) and the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) regarding the matters assigned to us. These reports deal with exegetical, confessional, ecclesiastical, historical and practical issues related to women being drafted and/or serving in combat, and both clearly state opposition to both of these actions. However, both reports also serve to illustrate the complexity of these issues, and both reports included strong minority dissent. Among the issues raised was: whether or not the positions taken by the assemblies constituted counsel or mandates, matters which impact women who might volunteer for combat or for military service when involuntary assignment to combat was possible; and pastors, churches, and chaplains who counsel prospective or existing service members.
Subsequent to the adoption of the OPC and PCA reports, the Presbyterian and Reformed Joint Commission on Chaplains and Military Personnel, of which the ARP Church is a member, included in Section V of its handbook a helpful summary of those reports and guidance for chaplains which could also be useful to pastors and sessions. That summary and the OPC and PCA reports themselves are sufficiently comprehensive to provide the pastors and sessions of our General Synod with the information they need to counsel women on decisions regarding military service in the current situation, and appropriate links are attached to this report.
However, because the ARP Church has taken no position on the issue of women being required to register for Selective Service and serve in combat, our pastors and sessions are left without an official denominational policy to guide them in these matters, and perhaps more important, our women are left without an official denominational position upon which to assert a conscientious objection to such requirements.
In 2006, the Committee on Inter-Church Relations informed the meeting of General Synod that NAPARC had requested that member churches affirm the following statement: “The Word of God gives no warrant expressed or implied that women are to be conscripted in or employed for military combat roles, but rather they are to be defended by men and kept from harm’s way that they might fulfill their biblical callings and duties under God.” The first part of the NA- PARC statement is clear and well supported by the OPC and PCA reports, but the second part raises issues that are problematic. For example, does “kept from harm’s way” mean that women should be kept from serving in other potentially hazardous occupations? The ARP Church took no action on the request from NAPARC, but given the possibility that women members of our churches soon may be confronted with these issues, adopting a position is warranted.
Links to Documents: http://www.opc.org/GA/WomenInMilitary.html
http://pcahistory.org/pca/aiscwim.html#2
http://pcamna.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/PRCCMP-
Virtual Communion
(Submitted June 2022 by Committee on Theological & Social Concerns to the General Synod of the Associate Reformed Church. This was approved as a position paper at Synod 2022.)
Communion (hereafter referred to as the Lord’s Supper), by its very name, is a coming together of the people of God in fellowship around a covenant meal, instituted by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, at the Lord’s Table. During the pandemic of 2020, the use of live streaming and other media to broadcast worship services (“virtual worship”) became more prevalent in many of our churches. While this served as a stopgap measure for churches which may not have been meeting together in person, and while this may serve as an aid for those who are not able to attend public worship because of infirmity or similar reasons, the church must not regard such use of media and technology as an acceptable substitute for meeting together. Watching a public service through a TV, computer, or phone screen is not the same as gathering with God’s people for public worship on the Lord’s day, and sessions should encourage the members under their spiritual care to be present for worship whenever possible.
When it comes to the Lord’s Supper, this is especially true. The New Testament assumes that Christians will meet together, in person, to receive the sacrament. When Paul gives instructions to the Corinthian church on how they should be observing the Lord’s Supper, no fewer than four times he points to them meeting/gathering together, in person (1 Corinthians 11:18, 20, 33, 34). Furthermore, the Standards of the ARP Church require the sacrament to be administered by an ordained minister, an action that would be impossible through a video screen (WCF 27.4, 29.3; WLC Q. 169; FOG 9.6.A; DPW 8.c (3)). While extraordinary providential circumstances may prohibit the administration of the sacrament for a time, this should be a cause for lament and prayer by sessions, not a reason to seek out innovations. The public gathering of Christians for worship, including the Lord’s Supper, must be a priority for the spiritual welfare of congregations.
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1Directory of Public Worship II.5 and Form of Government 1.2, 6.8.L and M, and 9.6.A.
2See DPW III.
3The DPW acknowledges that “other days of public worship may be provided besides the Lord’s Day, but it is both the happy privilege and the solemn duty of all God’s people to assemble for worship on the Lord’s Day as they are able” (see DPW IV.4). Such gatherings, however, should also be under the authority of the minister and session, per DPW II.5 (see also FOG 1.2, 9.6, 6.8.L.).
4See DPW III.
5Paul’s argument here seems to be that one of the God-given duties of the civil magistrate is to create a safe, civil environment in which godliness can prosper without the fear or hindrance of man, and through which men may worship God according to the liberty of a conscience ruled by God through the light of Scripture.
6The elements denote the actual activities of public worship (reading the Word, preaching the Word, praying the Word, singing the Word, and watching the Word). By circumstances of worship, we mean those attendant details that make worship possible (time, place, environment, musical accompaniment, length of service, dress code, health and hygiene practices, etc.)
7So for example, the Westminster Confession teaches that “there are some circumstances concerning the worship of God, and government of the Church, common to human actions and societies, which are to be ordered by the light of nature and Christian prudence, according to the general rules of the word, which are always to be observed” (WCF 1:6).