Statement of Faith

Many years ago I sat down and penned my own personal fundamental beliefs that represent my own unwavering commitment to the core beliefs of my own faith and this is it. It is not exhaustive, unalterable, or doctrinally expansive but just my own conviction of basic biblical faith.

 

I. I believe in faith in Jesus Christ as the only Savior and Way to eternity in heaven (Ephesians 2:4-9; 1 Corinthians 13:13), and therefore we believe…

…that salvation is through faith alone and not by works, confessing the substitutionary birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins (1 Timothy 2:5; Romans 6:23; Romans 10:9-11; 1 John 1:9),

…that man was created male and female in the image of God, innocent of sin, endowed with free will, yielded to temptation, bringing sin into humanity and a need for a Savior (Genesis 1:26-30; Psalm 51:5; Romans 5:12-17),

…that all humanity is in need of the Savior, because of our own individual sins and inability to be righteous or achieve eternal life without faith in Jesus Christ (Isaiah 64:6; Romans 3:23; Titus 3:4-7), 

…in expressing our faith in Jesus Christ through our public confession of baptism by immersion and through the practice of the ordinance of communion (Matthew 3:13-16; Romans 10:9-11; Luke 22:19-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26),

…that Jesus was both fully Son of Man and fully Son of God, equal with God the Father, the Lamb of God, the second Adam, and the only One worthy of our praise (John 1:29; Philippians 2:5-11; Hebrews 4:15),

…in the literal, visible, audible, and imminent return of Jesus Christ for the rapture of the church, redemption, resurrection of the dead, awarded gift of immortality, and ultimate salvation (Titus 2:13-14; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthians 15:20-58; Hebrews 9:27-28).

 

II. I believe in finding hope through the teachings of the Bible as the only authority in matters of beliefs and behaviors (Romans 15:4; 1 Corinthians 13:13), and therefore we believe…

…all the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, to be our constant, applicable, source of hope in times of uncertainty, and an encouragement in our faith (John 5:39; Romans 15:13; Psalm 19:7; Psalm 119:105), 

…the Bible is divinely inspired by God through His Holy Spirit, and is the inerrant standard of right and wrong, truth and error, righteousness and sinfulness (2 Peter 1:21; 2 Timothy 2:15; 2 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 4:12),

…the Bible is the testimony and revelation of God’s plan of redemption and is authoritative over man’s opinions, denominational creeds, religious traditions, and societal norms (Colossians 2:8; Isaiah 8:20; Matthew 24:35),

…in the biblical model of church, both local and global, a priesthood of all believers, as the Body of Christ subject to the headship of the Lord Jesus (1 Peter 2:9; Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 1:22-23; 1 Timothy 3:15),

…in the spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit, given for the work of the Great Commission, discipleship, ministry in the church, and subject to biblical guidelines (Acts 1:8; Matthew 28:16-20; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11; 1 Corinthians 14:20-22, 1 Corinthians 14:33),  

…in the biblical promise of the Kingdom of Heaven, our earth made new, the reign of righteous and the just Lord Jesus Christ, our eternal home where God dwells, and when sin and suffering will be abolished in the lake of fire (John 14:1-3; 2 Peter 3:10-13; Revelation 21:1-8).

 

III. I believe in having love for one-another as the ultimate witness of the Spirit-filled life and testimony to the true character of God (John 13:34-35; 1 Corinthians 13:13), and therefore we believe…

…that love is the supreme evidence of the Spirit-filled life, the fruit of the Spirit, the standard of relationships, and a gift from God (Galatians 5:22-23; 1 Corinthians 13; Romans 5:5; John 14:16-17),

…in reliance on the power of the Holy Spirit to love as Jesus loved, to live as Jesus lived, and to lead as Jesus led (Zechariah 4:6; Matthew 22:37-39; John 16:7-11),

…that God is love and His love seeks to promote the abundant life for, with, and in us who believes in Him, to give glory to Him, even as Satan seeks to counteract God’s love for us through deception, destruction, and death (1 John 4:7-8; John 10:10; 1 Peter 5:8-9),

…the beauty of creation, the natural and moral laws, the abundance of earth’s provision to sustain life, are revelations that declare God’s sovereignty and character of love as a constant witness to His steadfast, faithful, unchanging character (Genesis 1:1; Psalms 19:7; Malachi 3:6; Matthew 5:17; Revelation 14:6-7), 

…that the institution of marriage is a lifelong union between one male and one female, in mutual respect and companionship, despite differences and conflicts, and as the family structure of parents and siblings, is a witness of God’s miracle of procreation, His image, and faithfulness of biblical love before a lost world  (Genesis 1:26-28; Matthew 19:3-9; Ephesians 5:22-33; 1 Corinthians 7:10-11),

…that Jesus exemplified love, showing God’s power as transcending social, political, racial, economical, national, and cultural differences, with Spirit-led coexistence without harm, cooperation without judgment, and yet in obedience to His Father’s commands and advancement of God’s Kingdom here on earth (John 15:9-17; John 3:16; Mark 12:30-31; Ephesians 4:15).