Introduction
National Board Report
Official Statement
Other Statements
Official Reports
Ad Hoc Committee
Commission on Ministry
Sanders Materials
Misrepresenting His Views
Overview of Open Theism
Books
 
Home About Us Resources Missions For Ministers News Links Other Stuff
UBIC Title

A Formal Statement Regarding Divine Foreknowledge and the Destiny of the Unevangelized

The Church of the United Brethren in Christ, USA

April 23-24, 2002

The Church of the United Brethren in Christ, USA, meeting in session as a United States National Board, hereby adopts the following statement with regard to divine foreknowledge and the destiny of the unevangelized:

Divine Foreknowledge

Our Confession of Faith states:

"We believe in the only true God...that this triune God created the heavens and earth and all that in them is, visible as well as invisible, and furthermore sustains, governs, protects, and supports the same."

The Church of the United Brethren in Christ, USA affirms that God's knowledge of all past, present and future events is exhaustive and infallible. God's knowledge includes all future decisions and actions of free moral agents. The openness view denies that God's knowledge is this comprehensive. Thus, the "openness" view of God's foreknowledge is contrary to our denomination's historic understanding.

Destiny of the Unevangelized

Our Confession of Faith states:

"We believe in Jesus Christ...that He is the Savior and Mediator of the whole human race, if they with full faith in Him accept the grace proffered in Jesus....We believe that the Holy Bible, Old and New Testaments, is the Word of God; that it contains the only true way to our salvation; that every true Christian is bound to acknowledge and receive it with the influence of the Spirit of God as the only rule and guide; and that without faith in Jesus Christ, true repentance, forgiveness of sins, and following after Christ, no one can be a true Christian."

The heart of the United Brethren movement is evangelism. We believe in a transformed life made possible through an experiential faith in Jesus Christ. The church believes that God wants all people to come to salvation by hearing the gospel proclaimed and responding to it with personal faith. Salvation is possible only through the atoning work of Jesus Christ.

We recognize that some in our church believe that God may, if He so chooses, save some to whom the gospel message has never been specifically proclaimed, namely, those whose deaths occur prior to an age of accountability, the mentally impaired, or those who have never heard the gospel of Jesus Christ. Even with this understanding, the church has always insisted that salvation is a gift of God, given solely on the basis of the atoning work of Jesus Christ.

We reject a broad application of "inclusivism" that makes possible salvation via a limited understanding of God. All people are lost sinners (Romans 3:23) needing salvation during their lifetime through Jesus Christ (Romans 10:14-15; Hebrews 9:27).

Implications for Ministers, Churches
and Denominational Agencies

Therefore, given the above, we believe:

  1. That no ministerial candidate holding positions different than those expressed above be approved for licensing or ordination in the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, USA.
  2. That no minister holding positions different than those expressed above be approved for conference use (supply or placement) in the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, USA.
  3. That no associate ministry staff holding positions different than those expressed above be employed by congregations of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, USA.
  4. That all currently licensed/ordained ministry personnel should be required to affirm United Brethren positions on divine foreknowledge and the destiny of the unevangelized.

Notes

This is based on a report submitted by the Commission on Ministry. You can also view the original report (without the amendments made by the US National Board).

In adopting this document, the National Board divided it into two parts: the theological statements, and the implications. The theological statements passed with a strong 36-4 vote. On the implications, they were more divided, passing that section 22-18.