Methodists; Friends of All, Enemies of None

As Methodists, our primary beliefs are based on the following tenets:

A. Methodism as part of the Worldwide Church

The Methodist Church as part of the worldwide church shares those core beliefs passed down from the time of the Apostles. Those beliefs are founded on the Bible and are summed up in the creeds, which are regularly used in Christian services of all denominations. The word 'creed' comes from the Latin, 'credo', meaning 'I believe'. The two better-known creeds are the 4th century Nicene Creed and this, the simpler Apostles' Creed:

I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of the saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.

B. Methodism as part of the Protestant Tradition

It is widely accepted that the Protestant Reformation focused on three main matters of belief: the supreme authority of scripture; salvation by faith through faith in Christ, and; the priesthood of all believers. The Methodist Church continues to affirm the importance of these matters.

C. Distinctive Emphases of Methodist Belief

John Wesley (the founder of Methodism) believed that certain aspects of the Christian Faith required special emphasis. Methodists today still hold to these emphases. There is no more simple or indeed better way of presenting these than by using the four statements that collectively are called the 'Four Alls'. Although this is a 20th Century creation it admirably represents Wesley's mind and is certainly more comprehensive than any single statement of his:

• All need to be saved - "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23) - Sin is a deep-seated self-seeking from which no-one is immune.
• All can be saved - We can be saved from the consequences of our sin through the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. This is a Gospel ('good news') for everyone - "God sent the Son into the world... that the world might be saved through him" (John 3:17)
• All may know themselves saved - through the promises in scripture, the intense conviction of God's graciousness to us individually, and a different outlook on life leading to a changed quality of living - "If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord', and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:9)
• All may be completely saved - there can be no limits on what God can do in our lives, as we are continually becoming more perfect in love for God and our fellow humans.

With thanks to the Methodist Church in Ireland for permission to use their material here.

© BMC