What Christians Believe

A Non-Denominational, Bible-teaching Church

Sunday Service 9:30am | 301 Clinton St. Hudson, IL

What is Christianity? What are the beliefs of salvation? What are those beliefs that can be said to be held by all Christians everywhere? Historical documents confirm that for nearly two millennia Christians have held the same set of essential doctrines. Those who affirm these truths that God has revealed in Scripture are considered “inside the faith”; brothers and sisters in Christ. Those who deny these truths are non-Christian; outsiders and strangers to the faith. This same set of teaching has been expressed in different words and collected in different ways, but the substance has been the same. Together these doctrines summarize "the faith once delivered."

"Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God's holy people." - Jude 1:3

From very early times, these essential beliefs have been expressed in various creeds that would be confessed together by the church in the weekly assembly, or during baptism as a summary statement of belief. Around the third century, we see one such creed become the standard for Christians everywhere. It is known as the Apostles’ Creed. Not because it is believed to be written by the apostles,but because it is a short summary of what they taught and defended against heresy.

Even today, millions of Christians use the Apostles’ Creed in their public worship and teaching across the lines of denominations, languages, and continents. It plays a unifying role in the global and historical church. While not all Christians agree that biblical truth should be collected into creeds, all can agree with thetruth of the statements found in the Apostle’s Creed. These statements are not true and authoritative because they are in this historic creed, but because they are an accurate representation of the authoritative truth God has revealed in Scripture.

We at Hudson Christian Church happily affirm:

The Apostle’s Creed:

I believe in God the Father Almighty,

maker of heaven and earth;

And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,

who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,

born of the virgin Mary,

suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, dead, and buried:

he descended into hell; (a)

the third day he rose again from the dead;

he ascended into heaven,

and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty,

from thence he shall come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit;

the holy catholic church; (b)

the communion of saints;

the forgiveness of sins;

the resurrection of the body;

and the life everlasting. Amen.

(a) This controversial line is known to have been added at a later date and is therefore omitted by many believers. Some have suggested it be retained to teach that in his death the wrath of God was poured out on Christ because our sin was laid on him - this punishment being the substantive part of Hell. It should not be understood as Christ having gone to Hell on our behalf following his death because he told the thief on the cross “today you will be with me in Paradise” and he committed his spirit into his Father’s hands upon his last breath.

(b) This refers to the literal definition of Catholic: universal, wide variety, all-embracing. Inthat sense the holy Catholic Church is the set-apart collection of all God’s people who are redeemed in Christ throughout history.

For a more complete listing of our beliefs read our Doctrinal Statement.