The Word of God
I believe that the Bible is the Word of God; fully inspired and without error in all it teaches and affirms; written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit; and that it has supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct.
The Trinity
I believe that there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three persons; that these are equal in every divine perfection; and that they execute distinct but harmonious offices in the work of creation, providence, and redemption.
God the Father
I believe in God, the Father, an infinite, personal spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power, and love. I believe that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of all people; that He hears and answers prayer; and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit. I believe in His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, and teachings. And I believe in His substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, perpetual intercession for His people, and personal visible return to earth.
The Holy Spirit
I believe in the Holy Spirit who came forth from the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment; and to regenerate, sanctify, and empower all who believe in Jesus Christ. I believe that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Christ and that He is an abiding helper, teacher, and guide.
Humanity
I believe that humanity has been made in the image of God and was created to be in a relationship with God. I believe that humans have both a physical component and a spiritual component. But that these two parts are tightly integrated together into a single entity. I believe that God has a purpose for humanity that extends beyond our human lifetime.
Sin
I believe that the definition of sin is twofold. That it is anything we do that is contrary to God’s will for us. And that it is also a part of our nature that inclines us toward sinful activities. I believe that sin infects all of humanity and that it separates us from God.
Salvation
I believe that salvation is the gracious gift of God to a world fallen into sin. I believe the Holy Spirit enables the sinner to receive this gift. And I believe that those who then repent of their sins and trust in Jesus Christ as Savior are regenerated by the Holy Spirit. I believe that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. I do not believe that salvation can be lost. But I do believe salvation only comes to those who endure faithfully to the end.
The Church
I believe in the universal church; a living spiritual body of which Christ is the head and all regenerated persons are members. I believe in the local church; consisting of a community of believers in Jesus Christ, baptized on a credible profession of faith, and associated for worship, work, and fellowship. And I believe that God has laid upon the members of the local church the primary tasks of taking the gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost world. And of developing believers as committed disciples of Christ.
The Last Things
I believe in the personal and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth at the end of the age. That this event will lead to the creation of a new heaven and earth. And this new earth will be the home of the redeemed throughout the ages past and present. I believe in the resurrection of the body, the final judgment, the eternal blessedness of the righteous, and the eternal destruction of the wicked.
Disclaimer
The views expressed here are solely mine and do not necessarily reflect those of any other person, group, or organization. While I believe they reflect the teachings of the Bible, I am a fallible human and subject to misunderstanding. Please feel free to leave any comments or questions about this post in the comments section below. I am always interested in your feedback.
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I was saved at 20 years old. But never got a foundation until a few months ago,I’m 53 now. Now I believe obedience to the word and God is the most important thing we can do. If we obey what is in the bible we are doing God’s will. But flesh has a hold that I did not realize until I started obeying God. The churches and people that call themselves Christians are not what the bible says they should be like. I’m grateful the Holy Spirit led me to your posts. I’m having a difficult time recognizing the Holy Spirit in me and doing His will. I know I need to find a church but the area I live in doesn’t have many churches that believe like I do. But God is lighting up the word for me and is guiding my steps. I just don’t want to miss a path when I don’t have any support from other believers like I believe. Most churches and christians are about love and not obedience. That God punishes the disobedient, it is in the old and new testament. I think their eyes and ears haven’t been opened, like I believe mine have been. May God’s Grace come upon you and yours. Thank you for your posts. I don’t feel so alone in my beliefs.
The fellowship with other believers is important for our growth in Christ. And who knows, God may well use you as an example to other believers if you will join with them. Don’t compromise your faith. But be a witness to the truth.
Brother Jarrett, Interesting story of reply but it creates a whole new set of issues. That is, the use of the word save or saved among believers.
Have you been saved?
Common answer for a believer would be Yes. But you’re saying No, you’re not saved yet, not until you die.
But I want to be saved and I want assurance I’m saved.
Sorry cant do that, you have to keep on doing good works and following all the commandments until the moment you die.
Rob
You misunderstood what I said if you think I implied you have to keep the commandments and do good works in order to be saved.
They replied, “Believe (Active tense, believe and keep on believing) in the Lord Jesus, and you “will be saved” (Future tense)—you and your household.” (Acts 16:31 NIV)
I have have been born again, through no effort on my part. It was simply by faith that I accepted God’s gracious gift. And I have an assurance of my salvation, trusting in God’s faithfulness.
But you stated……. “But I do believe salvation only comes to those who endure faithfully to the end.”
So how is one to define and understand “endure faithfully” ?
Sounds like continually following Jesus and doing what he commanded without faltering up until one’s death.
Clearly “salvation only comes to those who endure faithfully” is an obedience and works statement and philosophy.
I’m not trying to make a case that you are wrong in any way. I’m just trying to have you see that the way you state salvation in your Statement of Beliefs is shockingly ambiguous.
And with that I see no point in quoting scripture because this is not a scriptural issue, it is simply a poorly stated ” Statement of Beliefs” position issue.
Thanks for your attention,
Rob
I fall short all of the time. It is not a matter of never sinning and always doing good things. It is simply a matter of trust. Is he my Lord? Or not?
Brother Jarrett, Thanks for all you do but I’m confused by your statement….”.I do not believe that salvation can be lost. But I do believe salvation only comes to those who endure faithfully to the end.”… Re- stated in the positive, it seems to say that salvation CAN be lost for those who do not ENDURE FAITHFULLY to the end. So it CAN be lost. Enduring faithfully also sounds like a WORKS effort. Clarification would be appreciated. Thank you, Rob
Maybe an example will help. Imagine yourself falling off a boat at sea. Unless you are rescued, you will drown. But someone notices that you have fallen off the boat and gets the boat turned around. A life ring attached to a long rope is cast to you. Have you been saved? No, not yet.
You grab hold of the life ring. Have you been saved yet? No, you have the hope of salvation (1 Thess. 5:8), but are not yet saved.
Someone on the boat begins to pull you in. Are you saved now? No, you are still in the water. But you are getting closer (Rom. 13:11).
When are you actually saved? When you are pulled up out of the water and onto the deck of the boat.
But what if, after grabbing hold of the life ring, and being drawn to the boat, you let go of the life ring and start to swim away? Were you ever saved?
This helps to illustrate what I mean by being faithful to the end. Holding on to the life ring until I am safely on the boat equates to faithfulness. And my actual salvation occurs when I leave this world (the raging sea) and stand safely before the one who rescued me (Jesus).
Up until that point, I was never saved. So it makes no sense to say I lost my salvation. Rather, salvation comes to the one who is faithful to the end, who holds onto the life ring until they are pulled onto the boat.
Greetings, Craig
Please consider my personal understanding of Scripture.
No person has yet eaten of the Tree of Life.
Thus, none are yet given immortality……After Judgement, then the rewards.
To those who are unsaved;
damnation and destruction.
To those who are saved;
Freedom to eat from the Tree of Life.
I hope this brings you to inquire further of
The Most High.
……. where we have no need to be taught of men.
“ Let YAH BE TRUE, and every man a liar. “
IF ever we turn from HIS LIGHT.
Excellent website and great clear teaching given. You say in your statement of faith:
“believe in the resurrection of the body, the final judgment, the eternal blessedness of the righteous, and the eternal destruction of the wicked.”
Your wording the eternal destruction of the wicked….does this imply their ceasing to exist or do you imply and mean to say their eternal conscious separation from God?
Thanks. While I am not dogmatic about it, I do believe there is more support in the Scripture for a period of punishment followed by destruction (annihilation) than there is for an eternal conscious torment. But whichever the case is, it is eternal, and the Scripture does use the term destruction for it.
Ok thank you…..your Statement of faith was excellent and I really appreciated it. Thank you for clarifying your understanding of the destruction of the wicked. This is the only thing I would disagree with you on. I believe in the immortality of the soul and the saved live with Christ eternally and the unsaved are separated from Christ in eternal conscious torment. Christ himself taught this and I believe this is the teaching of scripture. The destruction of the wicked, in my opinion, refers to the eternal ruin of their lives which they experience eternally and consciously.
Thanks
Jesus taught that the unrighteous are cast into Gehenna, where the fire is not extinguished and the worm does not die. Nothing is said there about the one cast in surviving. Fire and worms consume, so the most logical explanation, at least to me, is that the one cast into Gehenna is consumed.
We should each be able to “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have” [1 John 3:15]. As we are each unique probably each has [slightly] diverse beliefs and some even prepare creedal statements. There remain uncertainties : God’s power/love/inaction, Man: Free/Compatible Freewill (deterministic/responsable), Faith/Works [5 Solas, not 1 alone], Salvation : forever [Ephesians 1:13] / losable [2 Peter 2:21, 1 Timothy 4] on backsliding/apostasy. Hence historic heresies/debates/doctrinal differences [Reformed/Arminian perspectives & TULIP et al].
Eventually “No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me” [Hebrews 8:11, 1 Corinthians 13:12]. O Happy Day !
Thank you for your web testimony and ministry, and for the Spirit that convicts/convinces/comforts us all meantime.
There are indeed many differences in belief among us. But that is not always bad. It drives us to spend more time in God’s word seeking the truth.
I am glad you have found value in this site. I do pray that God will use it as he sees fit.
I just read Ed Jarrett’s article entitled: Was Jesus Really Dead, and Then Resurrected?
My thought is that I would think he was really dead. Otherwise, he was buried alive. The living doesn’t need to be resurrected because they are already alive. Only the dead, it seems, would be resurrected in order to restore them to life.
Yes. As the article pointed out, few serious scholars doubt that he existed and died on a Roman cross. The question they dispute was his physical resurrection. Something that has strong supporting evidence and that is core to our faith as believers.
Hi there, my name is Frikkie Human of Vanderbijlpark , South Africa
Do you believe in the rapture of the church?
I definitely believe that Jesus is returning for his church. But I do not believe it is before a 7-year tribulational period. I believe that dispensational premillennialism is a human invention that distorts what the Bible actually says.