This page includes the official statement of faith adopted by the body for the Meridian Church of God Seventh Day.

STATEMENT OF FAITH

1. THE SCRIPTURES

We believe that the Bible, both the 39 books of the Old Testament and the 27 books of the New Testament, is given by inspiration of God. We believe that the Holy Spirit inspired the thoughts of the writers with the results that the original documents were inerrant as to fact and infallible as to truth. We further believe that the Bible is the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds and opinions shall be tried. (II Timothy 3:16, 17; 11 Peter 1:20, 21; 1 Corinthians 10:11; Psalm 12:6, 7)

2.  THE GODHEAD

We believe, as revealed in the Bible

a. In the one true God the Father who is the eternal and supreme Deity. He is infinite in His wisdom, love and power, the Creator and Sustainer of all things, "in whom we live, and move, and have our being." (Genesis 1:1; Isaiah 40:28; Matthew 19:26; Jeremiah 23:23, 24; Romans 11:33; Acts 17:24-28)

b. And in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, the only begotten Son of God, who came into the world to seek and to save that which was lost. We believe in His deity, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death on Calvary, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of God in heaven, in His ministry as our High Priest and Mediator, in His personal return to the earth at the end of this age to establish His kingdom and rule this earth in great power and glory, judging the living and the dead. (I Timothy 3:16; John 3:16; Matthew 1:21-23)

c. And in the Holy Spirit, the promised Comforter, which is the agency of the Father and the Son to convince the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment to come. By this same Spirit of God we are sanctified and sealed unto the day of redemption. For those who diligently seek the Spirit, it will lead and guide into all truth and empower the believer for witnessing and service. (John 14:16, 17, 26; 16:7-11; Ephesians 1:13, 14; Acts 2:38, 39)

3. CRUCIFIXION AND RESURRECTION OF CHRIST

We believe the Scriptures plainly teach that Jesus Christ was crucified and buried in the middle of the week, on the day we call Wednesday, and He was in the tomb three days and three nights. He arose towards the end of the Sabbath day (Saturday) and thus fulfilled the sign given by Jesus in Matthew 12:39-40.

4. MAN'S CONDITION

We believe man was created for immortality, but through sin he forfeited his divine birthright; that because of sin, death entered into the world and passed upon all men, and that only through faith in Jesus Christ can depraved man become "partakers of the divine nature," and live forever. (I Corinthians 15:22; Genesis 3:22; Romans 3:23; 5:12; 11 Peter 1:4)

5. MAN'S SALVATION

We believe that man in his state of depravity cannot extricate himself and therefore God provided salvation free to all those who accept it on God's condition that he repent before God, receive by faith the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Savior, accept His precious blood as his payment for sin, and obey the command to be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. At this time his sins are forgiven and he receives a full pardon from God. This is called justification. Now he is a new person in Christ. (John 3:16; 11 Corinthians 6:2; Acts 2:38; John 14:6; Romans 6:23; Acts 4:12; 11 Corinthians 5:17)

6. A HOLY LIFE AND SANCTIFICATION

We believe to know God's will and become more like Him is a natural consequence of salvation. God is holy and requires that His children be holy and sanctified. Sanctification means a separation from worldly influences and consecration to God. This is attained through prayer, Bible study, church attendance and fellowship with other Christians. Sanctification happens as we grow in grace and knowledge, which commences at conversion and continues through one's whole life. (Ephesians 4:12, 13; Hebrews 10:25; 11 Peter 2:20; I Peter 2:2, 9; Ephesians 6:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:17; Matthew 7:7; 26:41; I Peter 1:13-16; 11 Timothy 2:21; Colossians 1:9, 10)

7. STATE OF THE DEAD

We believe at death a person truly dies and his thoughts, feelings emotions perish. His body goes to the grave (sheol, hades) and his spirit (breath) returns to God who gave it. The Bible talks about this time that will seem but a moment as sleep, that will only be disrupted when Jesus returns, calling all from the grave who trusted in Him. (Ecclesiastes 9:5, 6; 12:7; Job 14:10-14; Daniel 12:2; 1 Corinthians 15:12-58; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17; Psalm 146:4)

8. ETERNAL REWARDS

a. The Just: will receive eternal life at the return of Jesus bringing to pass the saying, "death is swallowed up in victory," and, "this mortal must put on immortality." The righteous will reign with Christ on earth and receive the reward He has prepared for them that love Him. (Revelation 5:10; 21:1-3; 1 Corinthians 15:53, 54; John 14:1-3; 11 Timothy 1:10)

b. The Unjust: will be "punished with everlasting destruction," suffering the complete extinction of being. This is the second death. (Revelation 20:6, 12-15; 11 Thessalonians 1:9; Matthew 10:28; John 5:28-29)

9. THE CHURCH

We believe the church is of divine origin, established upon the foundation of the prophets and apostles with Jesus Christ being the chief cornerstone. This spiritual body includes all who have received forgiveness of their sins, through Christ, and placed themselves under His headship. This is the universal church.

Our local church is a necessary part of this body. The purpose of this local congregation is for people to meet together who have like goals and beliefs, who come together to worship and have fellowship, be built up in the faith, and be prepared to face the challenges of living a victorious Christian life in the home and marketplace. (Acts 2:21, 39, 47; John 3:16; Ephesians 1:19-23; 2:11-22; Galatians 3:28; Colossians 1:18; Acts 14:22, 23; Titus 1:5)

10. ORDINANCES OF THE CHURCH

We believe Christ has given certain ordinances He desires His entire body to observe. These are:

a. Water baptism by immersion. After repenting of and receiving forgiveness for sins, the new believer will want to be baptized. This is a statement, to all who witness it, that Jesus has been accepted as both Savior and Lord. Baptism also symbolizes dying to the old sinful life and an eagerness to walk in "newness of life" in the power of the Spirit. (Matthew 3:13-17; 28:19-21; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:36-38; Romans 6:3-5)

b. The Lord's Supper. This service commemorates the suffering and death of our Lord Jesus Christ "till He comes" and is a memorial that should be observed yearly at the beginning of the 14th of Nisan (Abib) with unleavened bread and "fruit of the vine", which represent the broken body and shed blood of Christ. It is also a loving symbol of Christian fellowship and a pledge of renewed allegiance to our risen Lord and Savior. (I Corinthians 11:23-26)

c. The observance of the act of washing the saint's feet. This service should be held in connection with the Lord's Supper. Jesus said, "If I, then, your Lord and Master have washed your feet, ye also OUGHT to wash one another's feet." (John 13:1-17)

11. THE TEN COMMANDMENT LAW

We believe the Ten Commandments are eternal and portray for us what God is like so we can understand what is expected of us when He tells us to "be holy for I am holy." Some people may view God negatively when they find out how God expects them to live, but each commandment is designed to protect us from an area of sin as well as guide us in right interpersonal relationships. When obeyed, the Ten Commandments give us direction for daily living, protection from the consequences of sin, and confidence to serve God wholeheartedly. (Exodus 20:3-17; 1 Corinthians 7:19; Deuteronomy 9:10; Romans 3:20; Matthew 5:17-19; James 2:8-12; 1 John 3:21-24)

12. THE SABBATH

We believe that the scriptural Sabbath is the seventh day of the week, commonly called Saturday, that it was not a day randomly picked out as a day on which to gather for worship, but rather, it was a day created by God at the culmination of His creation work, and He blessed it and set it apart for a holy purpose. God knew man needed rest, but more importantly, He understood his need for time to develop and maintain a strong relationship with Himself, the Creator. The Sabbath is to be observed from sunset on Friday until sunset on Saturday. (Genesis 2:1-3; Exodus 20:8-11; Luke 4:16; Matthew 24:20; Mark 2:27, 28; Acts 13:42-44; 16:13; 18:4; Hebrews 4:9; Leviticus 23:32)

13. PRAYER AND DIVINE HEALING

We believe prayer is the privilege and duty of every Christian, a drawing near to God, a spiritual communion for the purpose of adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication, intercession and direction. Prayer, anointed by the Spirit, is the most powerful force there is. It is limitless because the power of God is without limit. We believe in the "laying on of hands" by the elders for divine healing. We also believe God delights to see all of His people doing the "greater works", praying the "prayer of faith" and seeing the miraculous hand of God move. We believe miracles are for us today just as they were in the early church. (Matthew 28:19-21; Mark 16:17; John 14:12, 13; 15:1-7, 16; James 5:14-16; Philippians 4:6; 1 Timothy 2:1, 8)

14. THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST AND THE KINGDOM OF GOD

We believe that Jesus Christ, according to His promise, will come again to this earth, even "in like manner" as He went into heaven--personally, visibly and gloriously--to reign here on earth with His holy saints for a thousand years. This coming is the blessed hope of the church, inasmuch as upon that coming depend the resurrection of the dead and the reward of the righteous, the abolition of sin and its fruits, and the renewal of the earth now marred by sin, which will become the eternal home of the redeemed, after which event the earth will forever be free from sin and the curse of death. (Acts 1:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17; Revelation 22:12-20; Matthew 25:31, 32; I Corinthians 15:24-58; Acts 3:21; Revelation 19:11-16; Daniel 7:27; 11 Peter 3:13; Proverbs 10:30; Matthew 5:5)

15. SIGNS OF THE TIMES

We believe that Bible prophecy has indicated the approximate time or season of Christ's return, comparing testimony with the signs of the times (such as the regathering of Israel, famines, earthquakes, wars and rumors of war, and "perilous times") we are confident that He is near, "even at the doors."  We believe that the great duty of the hour is the proclamation of this soon-coming redemption, the defense of the Bible truth and authority warning the nations to flee the wrath to come and following the last command of our Savior to His disciples to preach (teach) this message to all of the world, and to remember His promise that He would be with us even till the end of the age. (II Peter 1:19-21; Matthew 24:27-46; Revelation 22:17; 11:18; 11 Timothy 3:1-7; Romans 15:4)