The St. Thomas Evangelical Church of India (STECI) is a fellowship committed to the historical Christian faith and the tenets of the Evangelical tradition. Our beliefs are comprehensively outlined in our Declaration and Fundamental Teachings, centered on the inerrant authority of the Holy Bible.
Our Church affirms that the purpose and work of the Church is the stewardship of the divine doctrines and teachings, as revealed through Jesus Christ and proclaimed by the Holy Apostles, and the preservation of these in their pristine purity, and the enrichment of the spiritual life of the members of the Church.
Our Church believes that the Holy Bible Consisting of 66 books 39 in the Old Testaments and 27 in the New Testaments is the sole authority for all matters concerning our faith and doctrines and that nobody has any authority to add to, or subtract from, the contents of the Bible, In other words, all questions regarding our faith and conduct have to be judged strictly in accordance with the word of God. We subscribe to the Nicene Creed because it is in conformity with the word of God. The uniqueness of an evangelical is that the/she will always stand within the four squares of the 66 books contained in the Bible. This is all the more reason why we should study the Bible very carefully.
While almost all the Churches believe in missionary work in one form or the other, our Church believes that evangelization (i.e. preaching, discipling and Church planting) is the main task of the Church. Each one belonging to the Church, irrespective of his/her age or position in life, has to proclaim the good news and live as His witness. The task of proclaiming the good news should not be left to be accomplished only by a few full-time evangelists. Each one of us is duty bound to supplement the efforts being made by full-time gospel-workers.
Our Church believes that salvation can be obtained only by grace through faith and not through rituals/good work. When a person confesses his/her sins and believes that Jesus died for his/her sins and that God has raised Jesus from the dead for the salvation of mankind, he/she will be saved. This is not by any work but by faith. Salvation that is offered to the believer is to be preserved by continuously abiding in the Lord with fear and trembling.
Our Church believes in the Royal priesthood of all those who have accepted Christ. We believe that no bishop or clergy or other functionary of the church can be infallible. All these functionaries are expected to abide strictly by the provisions of the constitution of the Church and the articles of faith expressly declared at the time the Church was constituted. It may be noted that while constitution may be amended by complying with its provisions, no one has the right to change the above mentioned article of faith.
Our Church believes that every Christian has the right to communicate directly with our savior Jesus Christ and no intermediary is necessary or permitted. The Bible teaches that the Christ is the one and only mediator between man and God. Therefore, our church strictly prohibits prayer to Virgin Mary or saints.
We believe that every human being is afforded their earthly lifetime as the sole opportunity to make the critical choice: to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. If an individual declines to accept Christ during their lifetime, that spiritual condition becomes permanently and irrevocably fixed upon their death. The status of the deceased can in no way be rectified or improved by subsequent rituals, observances, or prayers offered by their children, relatives, or any other living persons. The efficacy of personal choice terminates with the conclusion of the mortal life.
We officially forbid the practice of prayer for the dead, as such intercession is deemed ineffective and contrary to the principles of individual accountability and the final eternal state.
Our spiritual efforts must be concentrated entirely on those who still possess the opportunity to choose Christ. We strongly encourage and mandate intercessory prayer for the living.
We are called upon to actively pray for and endeavor to aid all people within our sphere of influence, that they may accept Christ during this present lifetime.
We believe in the Holy Trinity
God the Father,
God the Son, and
God the Holy Spirit.
We believe that the Sovereign God created the universe out of nothing.
We believe in the personal return of Lord Jesus Christ with glory to judge both the living and the dead.
We believe in the final establishment of the Kingdom of God in its fullness.
We believe in the bodily resurrection of the dead the just will rise to live, and the unjust will rise to be condemned.
Our Church recognize the Lord s Supper and Baptism, both instituted by the Christ, as the two sacraments obligatory to all Christians. We believe that the bread and wine used in the Lords Supper are only the signs and symbols of the body and blood of Christ. We categorically reject the teaching that there is any mysterious or other presence of Christ in the bread and wine. The Lord s Supper is a thanks offering instituted by the Lord Himself to be observed till His coming, for the faithful to proclaim His death, remember Him and have communion with him and fellowship with the believers.
Baptism is the sign of dying for our sins with the Lord and of being resurrected with Him unto the newness of life, and a service of acceptance into the membership of the Church. Those who openly declare their faith in Jesus Christ should be baptized and accepted into the membership of the church. Our Church believes that children of Christian parents born again are also part of the Church and this is the reason why parents are allowed to opt for baptising their children. Baptism can be had only once and therefore, a second baptism which disparages the duly administered first baptism is totally unacceptable. Baptised children should be brought up in the Christian faith and they should confess their faith in the Lord openly and be confirmed before completing the age of 14.
If parents desire that their children personally confess their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ before being baptized, they may choose to do so. In such cases, the parents should dedicate their children during infancy. Before the children reach the age of 14, they should openly profess their faith in the Lord and receive baptism.
Finally, let us remind ourselves of the vital importance of staying spiritually alert and guarding our faith with unwavering devotion. In a world of distractions and shifting values, may we hold fast to the truth and walk faithfully with the Lord.
Let us remember the warning administered by St. Paul; It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourself be burdened again by a yoke of slavery - Galatians 5:1
(Excerpt from Late Very Rev. P. T Chandapilla)