What We Believe

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The Christian Reformed Church was established as a denomination in 1857.

Together with other Protestant churches, the CRC teaches…

  • The Bible is our only reliable guide to what we should believe and how we should conduct our lives (2 Tim. 3:14-17). The Bible is God’s inspired and unfailing word to us. It shows us who God is by telling us the great things God has done for us in Christ. The Bible leads us to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. The Bible orders our faith and life.
  • God saves us by grace, by His unfailing kindness and love that we do not deserve. Only Jesus’ atoning sacrifice on the cross can make us right with God (Eph. 2:8-10). The good we do is the result of our salvation, not its cause.
  • We can be saved only by faith in Jesus Christ (John 3:16-18).
  • We can only grow in Christ likeness through the sanctifying work of the Word and Holy Spirit (John 17:17; 1 Corinthians 6:11; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Peter 1:2).

The CRC calls itself Reformed because it stands in the tradition of the Reformed churches. These churches are in agreement with the teaching of the sixteenth-century church reformer, John Calvin. Calvin struggled valiantly to return Christianity back to its Biblical roots. CRC teachings are closely akin to Presbyterian and other Reformed churches, and it enjoys solid relationships with many of them.

The CRC holds three creeds in common with most other Christian churches...

  • The Nicene Creed comes from the fourth century in response to false teaching that Jesus was only a created being. This creed boldly emphasizes the Biblical message that Jesus is truly, fully God.
  • The Apostles’ Creed also comes from the fourth century. It clearly expresses our faith in God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
  • The Athanasian Creed affirms the Biblical teaching that the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God. It expresses the Trinitarian teaching that God is one in three persons. It also confesses that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully human.

There are also three confessions that the CRC shares with other churches of the Reformed faith. These distinguish its teachings from that of other denominations...

  • The Belgic Confession was written as a defense against accusations that the Reformed churches promoted false teachings. It summarizes what the Bible teaches about itself, our fall into sin, Christ, salvation, the church, civil government, and our Lord’s return.
  • The Heidelberg Catechism provides an excellent tool for teaching the Reformed faith. It teaches about the guilt of our sin, God’s grace in our salvation, and gratitude we express in our service to God.
  • The Canons of Dort assert that we cannot save ourselves because sin has affected every part of our nature. We cannot come to faith by ourselves. God must break through our stubborn rejection. God takes the initiative in choosing us in Christ. God’s Spirit alone can work in us the miracle of saving faith that gives us new life in Christ.