About First United Methodist Church
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At First United Methodist Church, we know that walking into a church for the first time can be a bit intimidating. We really strive to be a church that meets people where they are, whether you've been following Jesus for many years or are just starting to investigate faith. Our hope is that you will discover First United Methodist Church in Westfield, New Jersey to be a place where you can find community, grow in your relationship with Jesus and discover the mission for your life.
We believe that, moved by love and in obedience to his Father, the eternal Son became human: the Word became flesh, fully God and fully human being, one Person in two natures. The man Jesus, the promised Messiah of Israel, was conceived through the miraculous agency of the Holy Spirit, and was born of the virgin Mary. He perfectly obeyed his heavenly Father, lived a sinless life, performed miraculous signs, was crucified under Pontius Pilate, arose bodily from the dead on the third day, and ascended into heaven. As the mediatorial King, he is seated at the right hand of God the Father, exercising in heaven and on earth all of God's sovereignty, and is our High Priest and righteous Advocate. We believe that by his incarnation, life, death, resurrection, and ascension, Jesus Christ acted as our representative and substitute. He did this so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
About the truth of The Bible: We believe that although God in His fullness is beyond comprehension, He reveals in the Scriptures everything we need to know about Him, everything we need to know in order to be saved, and everything we need to know to live a godly life. We believe that the Bible is the final authority for all matters of faith, truth, morality, and Christian living.
About Separation of Church and State: We believe that each local church is self-governing, and must be free from interference by any external ecclesiastical or political authority; that every human being is ultimately responsible to God in matters of faith and life; and that each person is free to worship God according to the dictates of his/her conscience. We further believe that governments are established by God; that Christians, as good citizens, should be subject to governing authorities insofar as possible, recognizing our greater allegiance to God and His kingdom in matters wherein human authorities conflict with clear, biblical mandates.