Marquee at Greater St. James Sanctuary of Greater St. James AME Historical Marker Greater St. James AME Church of Lake City, SC




 

Affirmation of Faith

Origin of the AME Church

History of Greater St. James
























Faith not by Sight- by Alix Beaujour

 





Our Affirmation of Faith...

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ his only son our Lord who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead; and buried.  The third day he arose from the dead' he ascended into heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.  I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Church Universal, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting.  Amen.


The Twenty Five Articles of Religion


  1. The Holy Trinity - We experience the one God through the three aspects of His personality; namely, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
  2. The Incarnation of Christ - In Christ there are two natures, The Divine and the Human joined together in one person.
  3. The Resurrection of Christ - Christ truly arose from the dead and ascended into heaven.
  4. The Holy Spirit - The Holy Spirit is of one substance with the Father and the Son.
  5. The Holy Scriptures - The Bible contains all we need to know to be saved.
  6. The Old Testament - The Old Testament is not contrary to the New; in both the Old and the New Testament eternal life is offered to mankind.
  7. "Original Sin" - This corruption of the nature of every man is called "Original Sin." It goes back to Adam, the first man.
  8. Free Will - Every person is free to choose right or wrong; but even if you choose right, you must have God's help to live a good and holy life.
  9. The Justifcation of Man - We are saved by faith in Christ and by that faith alone. Good works cannot save us.
  10. Good Works - Good works are fruits of our faith in Christ
  11. Works of Supererogation - The belief one can do more good than God requires is called "works of supererogation."
  12. Sin After Justification - Christians who truly repent receive God's forgiveness and rise again to a good and holy life.
  13. The Church - The Church of Christ is a congregation of faithful men and women in which the pure word of God is preached and the sacraments duly administered.
  14. Purgatory - we do not believe in the idea of purgatory, which is the doctrine that here is a place other than heaven or hell where souls go to be cleansed.
  15. Familiar Speech - Public worship and the sacraments should be conducted in a language the people can understand.
  16. The Sacraments - There are only two sacraments: Baptism and the Lord's Supper.
  17. Baptism - Baptism is the sign of regeneration or the new birth.
  18. The Lord's Supper - The supper of the Lord is a symbol of Christ's suffering and death for us.
  19. Communion in Both Kinds - Both the bread and wine are to be given to the people in the Lord's Supper.
  20. The Sacrifice of Christ - The sacrifice of Christ is for the sins of the whole world, both original and actual.
  21. The Marriage of Ministers - The ministers of Christ are not commanded by God's law to abstain from marriage.
  22. Rites and Ceremonies of the Church - It is not necessary that the rites and ceremonies should in all places be the same or exactly alike.
  23. The Government of the United States - All righteous government should be supported and defended by Christians.
  24. Christian Men's Goods - Christians have a right to own private property. However, every man should give liberally of his possessions to help others.
  25. A Christian Man's Oath - Christians should not swear. They may take oath, however, as may be required by the courts of the land.