Messianic Judaism
Church of the Brethren
Affirms

Justification by faith; personal conversion required; sanctification ongoing process

The ECC teaches that salvation comes through personal faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Conversion is a voluntary, conscious turning from sin toward Christ, appropriating his redemptive work through repentance and faith. The ECC affirms justification by grace through faith alone — sinners are declared righteous and reconciled to God through Christ's work, not through human merit or works.

However, the ECC occupies a moderate theological position, neither strictly Calvinist nor strictly Arminian. The denomination allows diversity on secondary questions such as the nature of election, the extent of divine predestination, and the mechanism by which salvation is applied to believers. What is binding is the affirmation that salvation is by grace, that faith is necessary, and that Christ is the sole mediator and source of salvation.

Sanctification is understood as an ongoing process of growth in holiness throughout the believer's life. The ECC emphasizes that conversion is not the end of Christian experience but the beginning of a journey of transformation through the Holy Spirit. The church's role is to nurture believers in faith, discipline, and mission. The ECC's motto — 'in essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things charity' — reflects this commitment to core salvific truths while allowing flexibility on matters believers can disagree about in good faith.

Key Distinctions

Justification means:
faith in Christ; personal conversion
Election type:
varies — non-essential within ECC
Baptismal regeneration:
denied — baptism as response or sign
Eternal security:
varies within denomination

Scripture References

Sources

  • ECC Affirmations of Faith
  • ECC Constitution and Bylaws, Doctrine Section