wfn.org | Office of Theology and Worship issues statement on Jesus Christ and

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Note #6866 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

salvation
28-September-2001
01349

Office of Theology and Worship issues statement on Jesus Christ and
salvation

"No one is saved apart from God's gracious redemption in Jesus Christ"

by John Filiatreau

Tempe, Ariz. - The Congregational Ministries Division has endorsed a
statement from its Office of Theology, Worship and Discipleship (OTWD)
setting out what Presbyterians believe about the nature of Jesus Christ and
his role in salvation.

The document, prepared in response to a request from the 213th General
Assembly, and titled "Hope in the Lord Jesus Christ," says in part:

"Jesus Christ is the only Savior and Lord, and all people everywhere are
called to place their faith, hope, and love in him. No one is saved by
virtue of inherent goodness or admirable living. ... No one is saved apart
from God's gracious redemption in Jesus Christ. Yet we do not presume to
limit the sovereign freedom of 'God our Savior, who desires everyone to be
saved and come to the knowledge of the truth' (1 Tim. 2:4). Thus, we neither
restrict the grace of God to those who profess explicit faith in Christ nor
assume that all people are saved regardless of faith."

The document now goes on to the full General Assembly Council on Saturday,
which will be asked to affirm it and commend it to the whole Presbyterian
Church (U.S.A.).

The document is signed by all six members of the OTWD staff, including
Joseph Small, the office coordinator and principal writer of the paper. In a
cover letter, the staff members specify that the document is "a concise
articulation of the church's historic faith, which also expresses our own
convictions."

"Mostly we do our work anonymously," Small said. "We don't put our names on
our work. ... But we wanted to make clear that this is not just an abstract,
historical document - that the convictions of the confessions are our
personal convictions, and our professional convictions, something on which
we personally stand."

In its cover letter, the office noted: "The comprehensive witness of The
Book of Confessions is sufficient to lead, instruct, and guide the church.