What We Believe
What We Believe
In the transformational power of the gospel
The
message of the gospel is that Christ has done what is necessary to
bring us into a relationship with God. That means that our sinfulness
does not count against us and it also means that our religious efforts
don't count for us. The good news is that Christ hasn't given us a
philosophy or list of rules to follow, but that he has given us
Himself, and that His life of perfect obedience is credited to all that
repent and believe.
In the truth and authority of Scripture
We not
only believe that the Scriptures are true, but that through them God is
"at work in those who believe" (I Thessalonians 2:13). It is also
through the Scripture that God changes the hearts of those unconvinced
of the truth of the gospel. Therefore, the Bible isn't just to be held
in high regard, it is to be used in every aspect of life.
In the Church
The Christian faith is not
something that can be lived out alone. The Christian is called to live
within community--the Church. We face our struggles together, we taste
the life of heaven together. But the glory of this distinct community
is not her people. Her glory is her redeemer, Christ the Lord! Because
Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her we are then
delighted to gather under her care. RUF is a ministry of the
Presbyterian Church in America, but we welcome students from a wide
variety of backgrounds.
The church is the institution through which God is building His kingdom and is renewing every aspect of life. Every Christian has a unique calling and a unique giftedness to serve others in his or her community. Christians should demonstrated this by serving others and working with excellence, for God's glory, in all that they do.
Our great confidence is that Jesus said that He would build His church. Our hope is not in ourselves and our abilities, but in the goodness and grace of God. We are not called to "get things started", but rather to recognize and participate in what God is already doing in our midst. That the gospel changes people and places While the historic message of Christianity is unchanging, the context of our ministry constantly changes. But in any context, we believe that the gospel speaks to the whole person, whether religious or irreligious, and that it can transform any place, bringing the healing and restoration of Christ's Kingdom. Jesus said, "I am making all things new!"