Personal God; Trinitarian; eternal Creator; God of love and mission
The ECC understands God as a personal Being who reveals himself, communicates, acts in history, and relates to creation with intention and purpose. God is not an impersonal force or abstract principle but a conscious, living reality who knows, loves, and acts. This personal character of God is foundational to the ECC understanding of salvation, prayer, and the Christian's relationship with God.
God is understood as eternal, omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent — the infinite Creator upon whom all existence depends. Yet God is also described as intimately present and loving. The ECC emphasizes that God's nature is fundamentally characterized by love and a desire for relationship with his creation. This is not a sentimental love but a holy love that calls for justice, righteousness, and accountability.
The ECC is characterized by a strong emphasis on mission and the compassionate love of God extended to all humanity. God's nature is revealed in Christ and demonstrated through the gospel's offer of redemption to all people. The ECC's missionary and evangelistic heritage reflects the conviction that God loves the world and desires the salvation of all people. God's creation is good, though fallen, and God's redemptive purpose extends to the renewal and restoration of all things.
Key Distinctions
- Theism type:
- classical personal monotheism
- Primary divine attribute:
- love and holiness; personal engagement with creation
Scripture References
Sources
- ECC Affirmations of Faith
- ECC Statement on the Nature of God