Cumberland Presbyterian Church Doctrine

 The Bible

Cumberland Presbyterians accept the Bible as the only infallible rule of faith and practice

The Godhead

We believe in the divinity of Jesus and the Holy Spirit as well as in God the Father; the three persons making up the Trinity.

The Church

We believe in our denomination as a part of the Church of which Christ is the head and all believers in Christ are a part. We believe in cooperation with all who accept Jesus as Christ and Lord.

Salvation

We believe that every person needs regeneration and must make a personal commitment of his life to Christ in order to be saved

Preservation of Believers

We believe that a person who is truly regenerated will not totally fall away from a state of grace, but will be preserved to everlasting life

Sanctification

We believe that every child of God will use every means possible to grow in grace. We do not believe that a state of sinless perfection is possible in this life

The Sacraments

We believe that there are just two sacraments of the Church.

WATER BAPTISM is one sacrament. It is a sign or symbol of the baptism of the Holy Spirit and a seal of the Covenant of Grace.  There is no saving power in water baptism, yet it is the duty of all believers not previously baptized to confess Christ in this solemn ordinance and to present their infant children for baptism.

THE LORD'S SUPPER is the second sacrament. The symbols to be used are bread and grape juice, which remain after consecration literal bread and juice. All who acknowledge Jesus as Christ and who have faith to understand the significance of this sacrament are invited to partake of it with us, regardless of their denominational affiliation.

Marriage and Divorce

We believe that although marriage is not a sacrament of the Church, yet it is a very sacred institution and should be so regarded by all people. The marriage relation should not be dissolved for any cause not justified by the teachings of the word of God.

Things to Come

We believe that the bodies of men after death return to dust; but their spirits return to God who gave them. The spirits of the righteous are received into heaven, and the spirits of the wicked are cast into hell. The Scriptures speak of no other place for departed spirits.

Complete Statement of Doctrine

The official statement of doctrine of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church is called THE CONFESSION OF FAITH, which the reader is invited to consult for a more complete statement and the Scriptural supporting texts. The above statements are partly in the words of THE CONFESSION OF FAITH and are in part an interpretation of it. http://www.cumberland.org/gao/confession/