What We Believe
Our Beliefs
Rooted in scripture, tradition, Reason, and Experience
What We Believe at St. Paul UMC
At St. Paul United Methodist Church in Muskogee, our faith is rooted in Scripture, shaped by the Wesleyan tradition, and expressed in a life of grace, service, and love. We believe in a God who pursues every person, a salvation that is open to all, and a church called to transform the world.
Deuteronomy 6:4
God the Father
We believe in one living and true God — eternal, all-powerful, all-wise, and perfectly good. God is the creator and sustainer of all things, seen and unseen. Within the unity of God there are three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, co-equal in substance, power, and eternity. This is the God who made us, loves us, and calls us into relationship with himself.
John 1:14
Jesus Christ, God the Son
We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, fully divine and fully human. Born of the Virgin Mary, he lived among us, suffered, died on the cross for our sins, and rose bodily from the dead. He ascended to the Father and reigns in glory, and he will come again to judge the living and the dead. In Jesus Christ, God has made a way for every person to be forgiven, restored, and brought into eternal life.
John 14:26
God the Holy Spirit
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, draws people to faith, and dwells within all who believe. It is the Spirit who transforms us, empowers us for service, and guides the church into all truth.
2 Timothy 3:16
Holy Scripture
We believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God and the primary authority for Christian faith and practice. United Methodists read Scripture through the lens of tradition, reason, and experience — what United Methodists call the Wesleyan Quadrilateral — seeking to understand God’s living word afresh in every generation.
Romans 3:23
Sin and Human Nature
We believe that human beings are created in the image of God, with inherent dignity and worth. Yet we also acknowledge that all people are fallen — prone to selfishness, pride, and rebellion against God. This condition, which the church calls original sin, means that apart from God’s grace we are unable to save ourselves. It is precisely this human need that makes the good news of Jesus Christ so vital and so urgent.
Ephesians 2:8-9
Salvation
We believe that all people are in need of God’s saving grace. Through faith in Jesus Christ — his life, death, and resurrection — we are forgiven, reconciled to God, and made new. Salvation is not earned by human effort but received as a gift, available to every person who turns to God in faith and repentance.
Romans 5:8
Grace
Grace is at the heart of Wesleyan theology. We believe God’s grace is at work in every human life before we are even aware of it, drawing us toward faith. This prevenient grace prepares the heart to receive the justifying grace of salvation and the sanctifying grace that shapes us into the image of Christ throughout our lives.
Matthew 16:18
The Church
We believe the church is the community of all true believers under the lordship of Jesus Christ. The church is called to worship God, make disciples, serve the poor, seek justice, and bear witness to the kingdom of God in the world. St. Paul United Methodist Church in Muskogee is committed to being that kind of community.
Matthew 28:19
The Sacraments
United Methodists recognize two sacraments instituted by Jesus Christ — Baptism and Holy Communion. In Baptism we are initiated into the body of Christ and marked by God’s grace. In Holy Communion we encounter the living Christ, are nourished for the journey of faith, and are renewed in our covenant with God and one another.
James 2:17
Living the Faith
We believe that genuine faith expresses itself in love — love for God and love for neighbor. John Wesley’s vision of social holiness calls us beyond private piety into active engagement with the world. At St. Paul we seek to live out our faith through service, generosity, advocacy for the vulnerable, and care for our community in Muskogee.
1 Corinthians 15:20
The Hope of Resurrection
We believe in the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Because Jesus Christ rose from the dead, we have confident hope that death is not the end. Those who trust in Christ will share in his resurrection, and all of creation will one day be made new. This hope sustains us in suffering, grounds us in joy, and sends us into the world with purpose.
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Believing the right things is only the beginning. Come and see what it looks like when these beliefs take shape in a community of real people seeking to follow Jesus together in Muskogee.