Beliefs
Young, Restless, and Reformed...
RUF is Evangelical. Evangelicalism is basically another name for "Biblical Christianity." This term refers to our belief in two essential truths. First, we believe in the inspiration, infallibility, authority, inerrancy and sufficiency of the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. This core belief about the Bible fuels everything we do, as we seek the Word of God as our only rule of faith and practice. Second, we believe in the substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ. This means that Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son of God, lived a perfect, sinless life and died an innocent death on the cross as a substitution for those sinners who trust in Him by faith.
1. Sola Scriptura - We believe that the Scriptures alone are our rule of faith and practice (Psalm 19:7; 2 Timothy 3:16-17). We must seek to be like the Bereans in our ministry (Acts 17:10-11). 2. Sola Christus - We believe that it is by Jesus alone that people can be saved from their sin and misery. His work is what saves, not ours (Acts 4:12; 1 Timothy 2:5-6).
3. Sola Fide - We believe that only by faith alone can one be justified in the sight of God. We must trust God to do what we cannot (Romans 5:1-2; Ephesians 2:8-9).
4. Sola Gratia - We believe that we are saved by God's grace alone and that even our best works cannot make us right with God (Romans 5:15; Titus 3:7).
5. Sola Deo Gloria - We believe that every aspect of our lives must be lived for God's glory alone (Romans 11:33-36).
More information on Reformed Theology can be found in our two governing documents, the Westminster Confession of Faith and the Westminster Larger and Shorter Catechisms.
RUF is Presbyterian. Presbyterianism is a form of church government. It focuses on the idea that the church is governed by Jesus as its head with a plurality of elders as His under-shepherds. RUF is the official college ministry of the Presbyterian Church in America, but students do not have to be Presbyterian to be involved (in fact, most are not).