OUR BELIEFS
Druid Hills United Methodist Church shares many beliefs which are common among Christians of various denominations.
As United Methodists, we have an obligation to bear a faithful Christian witness to Jesus Christ, the living reality at the center of the Church’s life and witness. To fulfill this obligation, we reflect critically on our biblical and theological inheritance, striving to express faithfully the witness we make in our own time. We gain our beliefs primarily from scripture. To further understand and express our beliefs, we also look to the ancient creeds of the church - such as the Apostles' Creed and Nicene Creed - as well as John Wesley's sermons and his notes on the New Testament, the General Rules of the Methodist Church, and The Confession of Faith. A summary of our core beliefs is presented below. For more information, visit the United Methodist Church's beliefs section by clicking here.
We believe that there is but one true living God without form or substance that is the maker and sustainer of all things visible and invisible. We believe that God has infinite wisdom, knowledge, and power. We believe that God is ever-present in the world today. We believe in the Trinity, God in three persons: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
We believe that Jesus Christ, in union with and of one substance of the Father, came and took on flesh, coming into this world as a human baby born to the Virgin Mary. We, therefore, believe that Jesus was both divine and human - very God and very man. We believe he was crucified, died, and was placed in a borrowed tomb. This was a sacrifice for original sin and the sins of all people who were, are and are to come. We believe on the third day, he rose again, ascended to heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. We believe that Jesus Christ will return and that all people will then be judged.
We believe that the Holy Spirit descends from the Father and Son and is of one substance with them. We believe that the Holy Spirit is our companion and guide until Christ returns.
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We believe that all people are created in God's image and that all people are of sacred worth. We further believe that God's gift of reconciliation, healing, grace, and mercy is available to all persons no matter what they look like, where they come from, or who they are.
We believe that the Holy Bible is in the inspired word of God, authoritative on all subjects to which it speaks. We recognize the canonical books of the Old and New Testaments as they are commonly received. We further believe that scripture contains all things necessary for salvation and Christian living.
We believe that all people are born under original sin and that all people commit sin due to the separation of original righteousness that occurred at the fall of the first people (Adam and Eve). Because we all descend from these common ancestors and due to their taking on sinful nature, we believe that all people are corrupt and prone to evil.
We believe that one can not earn salvation through any action of their own and that reconciliation to God only occurs by faith in the saving work of Jesus Christ.
We believe that all people have free will and that this free will is a gift from God.
We believe that the sacrament of baptism is a person's initiation into the family of God and to the care of the church at whatever age the baptism takes place. Baptism is a mark of regeneration and new birth which is confirmed when a person accepts God's offer of reconciliation, grace, and mercy through faith in Jesus Christ.
We believe that the sacrament of Holy Communion - also called The Lord's Supper and Eucharist - is a proclamation of Christ's death until he returns again. We believe that Christ is present in the elements of bread and juice but that the elements do not become the actual body and blood of Christ. How this occurs is not understood and is referred to a holy mystery. We further believe that the table belongs to Christ, therefore all who are present and willing to partake are welcome to take the sacrament regardless of church affiliation or the lack thereof.