Polish brethren Unitarian statement of faith

Confession of the Christian Faith According to the Unitarians
(as one of the four recognized religions in Transylvania, approved and confirmed by the fundamental laws of this land, its diplomas, various imperial rescripts, royal declarations, and princely agreements)

We believe that there is only One Almighty God, who is Spirit, the Creator, Sustainer, and Ruler of all visible and invisible things. He is the Father of all, who is above all, through all, and in us all; to be worshipped in spirit and in truth. We acknowledge Him as the Giver of both present and future life, for He is the Rewarder of those who approach and seek Him in faith. We love Him as the Author of all goodness, and we fear Him as the Source of Wisdom and the Knower of all hearts.

We believe that Jesus Christ was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was revealed in the last times for our sake. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the most chaste Virgin. We believe that He is the only begotten and proper Son of God the Father, the Image of the invisible God, in whom the fullness of Deity dwells, through whom we know the Father. He revealed and confirmed the will of the Supreme Creator, acting as the Prophet and Mediator between God and humanity. In His most holy name, as our greatest High Priest, we call upon the Father, for there is no other name given under heaven by which we must be saved. We worship and invoke Him with divine reverence as our eternal King and Lord, to whom all power in heaven and on earth has been given by God the Father, who raised Him from the dead. From Him, we await eternal salvation, for He is the Judge of the living and the dead. The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, so that all may honor the Son as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, who proceeds from God and His Son, the power of the Most High, and our Comforter. By His inspiration, we pray, and through His power, we are regenerated. He has been given without measure by God to His only begotten Son, and through Him, He is communicated to us as His gift and the pledge of eternal inheritance. He enables us to perform all good works and leads us into all truth.

We believe in the Holy Christian Church, which is the congregation of all God’s elect, from its founding to the end of the world, whose head is the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Its doctrine is based on the teachings of His holy apostles. It is governed by the Word of God, led by the Holy Spirit, and all true Christians are called to be part of it.

We acknowledge that kings, princes, and magistrates are established by God. Therefore, above all, we offer daily devoted prayers before His Divine Majesty on their behalf, as they are His ministers and must be obeyed. They bear the sword to protect the innocent and punish the guilty. For this reason, we must honor them and pay tribute, not only out of fear of punishment but also for conscience’s sake. No one can exempt themselves from this obedience and still claim to be a Christian, for our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Himself paid tribute and did not seek temporal power or dominion, wielding instead the sword of the Heavenly Word.

We believe that water in holy baptism, which we perform in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, is an external and visible sign that represents what God’s power works within us—namely, the renewal of the spirit and the mortification of our flesh in Christ Jesus. Through holy baptism, we are initiated into Christ, made members of His Church, and profess our faith and commitment to a renewed life.

We believe that the Holy Supper of our Lord Jesus Christ is a sacred memorial and thanksgiving for the benefits granted to us through Christ’s death. It is to be celebrated among the pious, with faith, charity, and self-examination. By partaking of the blessed bread and cup, we commune with the body and blood of Christ, and declare our unity, as taught in Holy Scripture.

We believe and confess that all humanity was under sin, and that we remain prone to sin. However, we are justified by God’s grace and mercy, not by the works of the law, and even less by our own merits, but through faith in the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ. This faith is imputed to us as righteousness, so that by it, through God’s grace in Christ Jesus, we receive forgiveness of sins and eternal salvation. For Christ suffered a bloody death for us and for our sins, becoming our sacrifice and atonement. He left us an example to follow, imitating His humility, charity, patience, and virtues, which shone most brightly on the cross.

All who seek forgiveness of sins and entry into the Kingdom of Heaven must truly and sincerely repent of their past transgressions and bear fruits worthy of repentance, arising from living faith. For faith without works is dead. Therefore, we must obey God’s commandments, which are not burdensome, and whose essence is love for God and our neighbor. Faith must be active through love. We must ensure that we do not receive the grace of God in vain, for it has shone upon all men for salvation, teaching them to renounce ungodliness and worldly desires, and to live temperately, justly, and piously in this present age, while awaiting the blessed hope and the glorious coming of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ. He gave Himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and purify for Himself a people of His own, zealous for good works.

We believe and hope for the resurrection of the flesh, both of the just and the unjust. Christ the Lord will come from heaven, in the glory of His Father and His own, with all His holy angels, to judge the living and the dead. All will stand before His tribunal, and He will render to each according to their deeds. The wicked and unjust will be condemned to everlasting punishment in the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels. The righteous, however, freed from mortality and clothed in glorious bodies, will be brought into the place prepared for them by Christ the Lord, where His throne and the throne of God the Father are. There, beholding the face of God and made equal to the holy angels, they will partake of inexpressible joy and eternal happiness, forever dwelling with the Lord.