What I Believe – Revisited
I recently went through and redid my “What We Believe” to be much more detailed by basically reformatting the main document outside of the Holy Scripture that explains my core beliefs. It is the 1689 London Baptist Confession. I have considered myself Reformed to a point for quite a while, but there were still some incongruencies I had to resolve. This document addresses them all in a form I can agree with.
I believe knowing what you believe, and why you believe it is important for every believer. If you don’t know what you believe, read the bible. Do you have to believe what I believe? No. I doubt many will. That doesn’t hurt my feelings. I believe what I believe, and I know why I believe it. I use Scripture as the source of all my beliefs. Scripture is the innerant divine revelation of God to the world.
In Essential Beliefs – We have unity
[bibleblock]Ephesians 4:4-6[/bibleblock]
In Non-Essential Beliefs – We have liberty within the Spirit and His Word
[bibleblock] Romans 14:1 [/bibleblock]
[bibleblock] Romans 14:4[/bibleblock]
[bibleblock]Romans 14:12[/bibleblock]
[bibleblock]Romans 14:22[/bibleblock]
In All our Beliefs – We show love
[bibleblock]1 Corinthians 13:2[/bibleblock]
The Basic Essentials We Believe:
About God:
The Lord our God is the one and only living and true God. His substance is in and of himself, he is infinite in being and perfection. His essence cannot be understood by any but himself. He is an absolutely pure spirit, invisible, without body, parts or passions. He alone has immortality, living in light which no one can approach. He is immutable, immense, eternal, incomprehensible, almighty, in every way infinite, perfectly holy, perfectly wise, absolutely free, completely absolute. He works all things according to the counsel of his own immutable and entirely righteous will for his own glory.
( 1 Corinthians 8:4, 6; Deuteronomy 6:4; Jeremiah 10:10; Isaiah 48:12; Exodus 3:14; John 4:24; 1 Timothy 1:17; Deuteronomy 4:15, 16; Malachi 3:6; 1 Kings 8:27; Jeremiah 23:23; Psalms 90:2; Genesis 17:1; Isaiah 6:3; Psalms 115:3; Isaiah 46:10; Proverbs 16:4; Romans 11:36 )
About Jesus Christ:
Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is coequal with the Father and Holy Spirit. Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross. He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven and will return again someday to earth to reign as King.
( Matthew 1:22,23 ; Isaiah 9:6 ; John 1:1-5 , John 14:10-30 ; Hebrews 4:14-15 ; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 ; Romans 1:3-4 ; Acts 1:9-11 ; 1 Timothy 6:14-15 ; Titus 2:13 )
About the Holy Spirit:
The Holy Spirit is coequal with the Father and the Son of God. He is present in the world to make men aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. He provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right. He gives every believer spiritual gifts when they are saved. As Christians we seek to live under His control daily.
( Acts 1:8 ; 2 Corinthians 3:17 ; John 16:7-13 , John 14:16-17 ; Galatians 5:25 ; 1 Corinthians 2:12, 1 Corinthians 3:16 ; Ephesians 1:13 , Ephesians 5:18 )
About the Bible:
The Holy Scriptures are the only sufficient, certain and infallible rule for saving knowledge, faith, and obedience.
Although the light of nature and the works of creation and providence give such clear testimony to the goodness, wisdom and power of God that they leave people without excuse, yet they are not sufficient to give the knowledge of God and his will that is necessary for salvation. Therefore it pleased the Lord to reveal himself at various times and in different ways, and to declare his will to his church. To ensure the preservation and propagation of the truth, and to establish and support the church against human corruption, the malice of Satan, and the world, he committed his complete revelation to writing. The Holy Scriptures are therefore absolutely indispensable, for God’s former ways of revealing his will to his people have now ceased.
( 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Isaiah 8:20; Luke 16:29, 31; Ephesians 2:20; Romans 1:19-21; Romans 2:14,15; Psalms 19:1-3; Hebrews 1:1; Proverbs 22:19-21; Romans 15:4; 2 Peter 1:19,20 )
About Human Beings:
People are made in the spiritual image of God, to be like Him in character. People are the supreme object of God’s creation. Although every person has tremendous potential for good, all of us are marred by an attitude of disobedience toward God called “sin”. Sin separates us from God and causes many problems in our life.
(Genesis 1:27; Psalm 8:3-6; Isaiah 53:6; Romans 3:23; Isaiah 59:1-2)
About Salvation
Salvation is God’s gift to us but we must accept it. We can never make up for our sin by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God’s offer of forgiveness can anyone be saved from sin’s penalty. When we turn from our self-ruled life and turn to Jesus in faith, we are saved. Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into his life by faith. There is no one who does good and does not sin, and the best of people may fall into great sins and provocations [against God] through the power and deceitfulness of their indwelling corruption and the strength of temptation. Therefore God has mercifully provided in the covenant of grace that when believers sin and fall they shall be restored to salvation through repentance.
(Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9; John 14:6, John 1:2; Titus 3:5; Galatians 3:26; Romans 5:1; Romans 10:9-10; Ecclesiastes 7:20; Luke 22:31, 32)
About Eternity
People were created to exist forever. We will either exist eternally separated from God by sin or eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally separated from God is hell. To be eternally in union with Him is eternal life in Heaven. Heaven and hell are real places of eternal existence.
(John 3:16, John 14:17; Romans 6:23, Romans 8:17-18; Revelation 20:15; 1 Corinthians 2:7-9)
