WCS Fundamental Beliefs

The Holy Scriptures, Old and New Testaments, are the written Word of God, given by divine inspiration. In His Word,  God has committed to man the knowledge necessary for salvation. The Holy Scriptures are the authoritative, infallible revelation of His will. They are the standard of character, and the trustworthy record of God’s acts in history. (2 Peter 1:20, 21; 2 Tim. 3:16, 17; Ps. 119:105; Isa. 8:20; Heb. 4:12.)

There is one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, a unity of three co-eternal Persons.  God is immortal, all-powerful, all-knowing, above all, and ever present.  He is infinite and beyond human comprehension, yet He chooses to reveal Himself through His Word, and through His Son Jesus Christ. (Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14; Eph. 4:4-6; 1 Tim. 1:17; Rev. 14:7; John 14:9; John 5:19.)

God the eternal Father is the Creator, Source,  Sustainer, and Sovereign of all creation. He is just and holy, merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. The qualities and powers exhibited in the Son and the Holy Spirit are also revelations of the Father. (Gen. 1:1; Rev. 4:11; John 3:16; 1 John 4:8; 1 Tim. 1:17; Ex. 34:6, 7; John 14:9.)

God the eternal Son became incarnate in Jesus Christ. Through Him all things were created, the character of God is revealed, the salvation of humanity is accomplished, and the world is judged.  Jesus was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, hence He is both fully God and fully Man.  He lived and experienced temptation as a human being, but perfectly exemplified the righteousness and love of God.  By His miracles He manifested God’s power and was attested as God’s promised Messiah.  He suffered and died voluntarily on the cross for our sins and in our place, was raised from the dead, and ascended to minister in the heavenly sanctuary in our behalf.  He will come again in glory for the final deliverance of His people and the restoration of all things. (John 1:1-3, 14; Col. 1:15-19; John 10:30; 14:9; Rom. 6:23; 2 Cor. 5:17-19; John 5:22; Luke 1:35; Phil. 2:5-11; Heb. 2:9-18; 1 Cor. 15:3, 4; Heb. 8:1, 2; John 14:1-3.)

God the eternal Spirit was active with the Father and the Son in Creation, incarnation, and redemption. He inspired the writers of Scripture. He filled Christ’s life with power. He draws and convicts human beings and is the agent of sanctification through faith. He extends spiritual gifts to believers and empowers them to bear witness to Christ, and in harmony with the Scriptures leads it into all truth. (Gen. 1:1, 2; Luke 1:35; 4:18; Acts 10:38; 2 Peter 1:21; 2 Cor. 3:18; Eph. 4:11, 12; Acts 1:8; John 14:16-18, 26; 15:26, 27; 16:7-13.)

God is Creator of all things.  In six days the Lord made “the heaven and the earth” and all living things upon the earth, and rested on the seventh day of that first week. God blessed and sanctified the seventh day, establishing the Sabbath as a perpetual memorial of His completed creative work.  The first man and woman were made in the image of God. (Gen. 1; 2; Ex. 20:8-11; Ps. 33:6, 9; Heb. 11:3.)

Man and woman were made in the image of God with individuality and freedom of will.  When our first parents disobeyed God, they denied their dependence upon Him. The image of God in them was marred and they became subject to death.  Their descendants share this fallen nature and its consequences. They are born with weaknesses and tendencies to evil.  But God in Christ reconciled the world to Himself, and by His Spirit through faith He restores in believers the image of God and enables them to resist the temptations of Satan. Created for the glory of God, they are called to love Him and one another. (Gen. 1:26-28; 2:7; Gen. 3; Ps. 51:5; Rom. 5:12-17; 2 Cor. 5:19, 20; Ps. 51:10; 1 John 4:7, 8, 11, 20; Eph. 6:10-17.)

Through Christ’s life of perfect obedience to God’s will, His suffering, death, and resurrection, God provided the only means of atonement for human sin, so that those who by faith accept this atonement may have eternal life.  This perfect atonement vindicates the righteousness of God’s law, expresses His infinite love for us and the graciousness of His character.  The death of Christ is substitutionary and expiatory, reconciling and transforming. The resurrection of Christ proclaims God’s triumph over the forces of evil,  and for those who accept the atonement through faith, it assures their final victory over sin and death. ( John 3:16; Isa. 53; 1 Peter 2:21, 22; 1 Cor. 15:3, 4, 20-22; 2 Cor. 5:14, 15, 19-21; Rom. 1:4; 3:25; 4:25; 8:3, 4; 1 John 2:2; 4:10; Phil. 2:6-11.)

In infinite love and mercy God made Christ, who knew no sin, to be sin for us, so that in Him we might be made the righteousness of God.  Led by the Holy Spirit we sense our need, acknowledge our sinfulness, repent of our transgressions, and exercise faith in Jesus as Lord and Christ, as Substitute and Example.  This faith which receives salvation comes through the divine power of the Word and is the gift of God’s grace.  Through Christ we are justified, adopted as God’s sons and daughters, and delivered from the lordship of sin. Through the Spirit we are born again and sanctified; the Spirit renews our minds, writes God’s law of love in our hearts, and we are given the power to live a holy life.   Abiding in Him we become partakers of the divine nature and have the assurance of salvation now and in the judgment. (2 Cor. 5:17-21; John 3:16; Gal. 1:4; 4:4-7; Titus 3:3-7; John 16:8; Gal. 3:13, 14; 1 Peter 2:21, 22; Rom. 10:17; Luke 17:5; Mark 9:23, 24; Eph. 2:5-10; Rom. 3:21-26; Col. 1:13, 14; Rom. 8:14-17; Gal. 3:26; John 3:3-8; 1 Peter 1:23; Rom. 12:2; Heb. 8:7-12; Ezek. 36:25-27; 2 Peter 1:3, 4; Rom. 8:1-4; 5:6-10.)

By His death on the cross Jesus triumphed over the forces of evil.   Jesus’ victory gives us victory over the evil forces that still seek to control us, as we walk with Him in peace,  joy, and assurance of His love.   He gave us the Holy Spirit to dwell within us and empower us.  Continually committed to Jesus as our Savior and Lord, we are set free from the burden of our past deeds.  No longer do we live in the darkness, fear of evil powers, ignorance, and meaninglessness of our former way of life.   By abiding in Jesus, we are called to grow into the likeness of His character, communing with Him daily in prayer, feeding on His Word, meditating on it and on His providence, singing His praises, gathering together for worship, and participating in the mission of the Church.  As we give ourselves in loving service to those around us and in witnessing to His salvation, His constant presence with us through the Spirit transforms every moment and every task into a spiritual experience. (Ps 1:1, 2; 23:4; Col 1:13, 14; 2:6, 14, 15; Luke 10:17-20; Eph. 6:12-18; 1 Thess. 5:23; 2 Peter 2:9; 3:18;Phil 3:7-14; John 20:21; Gal 5:22-25; Rom 8:38, 39; 1 John 4:4; Heb. 10:25.)

The church is one body with many members, called from every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. In Christ we are a new creation; distinctions of race, culture, learning, and nationality, and differences between young and old, rich and poor, male and female, must not be divisive among us.  We are all equal in Christ, who by one Spirit has bonded us into one fellowship with Him and with one another; we are to serve and be served without partiality or reservation. Through the revelation of Jesus Christ in the Scriptures we share the same faith and hope, and reach out in one witness to all. This unity has its source in the oneness of the triune God, who has adopted us as His children. (Rom. 12:4, 5; 1 Cor. 12:12-14; 2 Cor. 5:16, 17; Acts 17:26, 27; Gal. 3:27, 29; Col. 3:10-15; Eph. 4:14-16; 4:1-6; John 17:20-23.)

By baptism we confess our faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and testify of our death to sin and of our purpose to walk in newness of life. Thus we acknowledge Christ as Lord and Savior and become members of the body of Christ.  Baptism is a symbol of our union with Christ, the forgiveness of our sins, and our reception of the Holy Spirit.  Baptism is by immersion in water and is contingent on an affirmation of faith in Jesus and evidence of repentance of sin. (Rom. 6:1-6; Col. 2:12, 13; Acts 16:30-33; 22:16; 2:38; Matt. 28:19, 20.)

God bestows upon all members of His church, in every age, spiritual gifts which each member is to employ in loving ministry for the common good of the church and of humanity.  Given by the agency of the Holy Spirit, who apportions to each member as He wills, the gifts provide all abilities and ministries needed by the church to fulfill its divinely ordained functions.   According to the Scriptures, these gifts include such ministries as faith, healing, prophecy, proclamation, teaching, administration, reconciliation, compassion, and self-sacrificing service and charity for the help and encouragement of people. (Rom. 12:4-8; 1 Cor. 12:9-11, 27, 28; Eph. 4:11-16; 1 Peter 4:10.)

The great principles of God’s law are embodied in the Ten Commandments and exemplified in the life of Christ. They express God’s love, will, and purposes concerning human conduct and relationships and are binding upon all people in every age.  These precepts are the basis of God’s covenant with His people and the standard in God’s judgment. Through the agency of the Holy Spirit they point out sin and awaken a sense of need for a Savior.  Salvation is all of grace and not of works, but its fruitage is obedience. This obedience develops Christian character and results in a sense of well-being.  It is an evidence of our love for the Lord and our concern for our fellow men.  The obedience of faith demonstrates the power of Christ to transform lives, and therefore strengthens Christian witness. (Ex. 20:1-17; Ps. 40:7, 8; Matt. 22:36-40; Deut. 28:1-14; Matt. 5:17-20; Heb. 8:8-10; John 15:7-10; Eph. 2:8-10; 1 John 5:3; Rom. 8:3, 4; Ps. 19:7-14.)

We are called to be a godly people who think, feel, and act in harmony with the principles of heaven.  For the Spirit to recreate in us the character of our Lord we involve ourselves only in those things which will produce Christ-like purity, health, and joy in our lives. This means that our amusement and entertainment should meet the highest standards of Christian taste and beauty. While recognizing cultural differences, our dress is to be simple, modest, and neat, befitting those whose true beauty does not consist of outward adornment but in the imperishable ornament of a gentle and quiet spirit.  It also means that because our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit, we are to care for them intelligently.  Along with adequate exercise and rest, we are to adopt the most healthful diet possible and abstain from the unclean foods identified in the Scriptures.  Since alcoholic beverages, tobacco, and the irresponsible use of drugs and narcotics are harmful to our bodies, we are to abstain from them as well.   Instead, we are to engage in whatever brings our thoughts and bodies into the discipline of Christ, who desires our wholesomeness, joy, and goodness. (Rom. 12:1, 2; 1 John 2:6; Eph. 5:1-21; Phil. 4:8; 2 Cor. 10:5; 6:14-7:1; 1 Peter 3:1-4; 1 Cor. 6:19, 20; 10:31; Lev. 11:1-47; 3 John 2.)

The wages of sin is death.   But God, who alone is immortal, will grant eternal life to His redeemed. The second coming of Christ is the blessed hope of the church, the grand climax of the gospel. When Christ, who is our life, appears, the resurrected righteous and the living righteous will be glorified and caught up to meet their Lord.  The second resurrection, the resurrection of the unrighteous, will take place a thousand years later.   At its close Christ with His saints and the Holy City will descend from heaven to earth.  The unrighteous dead will then be resurrected, and with Satan and his angels will surround the city; but fire from God will consume them and cleanse the earth.  The universe will thus be freed of sin and sinners forever. (Rom. 6:23; 1 Tim. 6:15-16; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; Rev. 20:4-15; Rev. 21:1-5.)