What I Believe
Statement of Faith
I believe in historical, evangelical, reformed, and Biblical Christianity.
You can read other creeds and confessions of the Christian faith, most of which I align with or closely align with.
The Five Solas
I believe in the Five Solas (sometimes spelled “Solae”) of the Protestant Reformation. These clarify that the core of Christianity and salvation is not based on man-made rituals, traditions, rules, or beliefs, and instead are based on what God has done, and is through Him, in Him, and for Him.
Sola Scriptura – “Scripture alone” – The Bible, the infallible Word of God, is the source of authority and truth, and not the words of man, traditions, or rituals.
Sola Fide – “Faith alone” – We receive salvation through faith, not through works.
Sola Gratia – “Grace alone” – Salvation is the free gift and working of God.
Solus Christus – “Christ alone” – Salvation is through the work and the Person of Jesus Christ alone. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
Soli Deo Gloria – “To the Glory of God alone” – Our goal is to live for the glory of God.
The Gospel
The core of the Christian faith is the Gospel (or “Good News”) of Jesus Christ, which the Apostle Paul outlined in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4: “Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.“
More tenets are broken down below:
The Bible
I believe all Scripture, from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21, is the authoritative, infallible, and inerrant Word of God. All Scripture is given by the inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness.
Sufficiency
Scripture states that it is able to equip us for every good work. Therefore, I believe that the Bible alone, as believers apply it to their lives, is a sufficient resource to prepare them to handle all the challenges of life and ministry.
2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Psalms 119:160
Triune God
I believe there is only one God, eternally existing in three Persons: the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit; who are co-equal in Their essential nature, attributes, and perfection.
The Lord God is holy, invisible, personal, omnipresent, eternal, dependent on none, perfect, unchanging, truthful, trustworthy, almighty, sovereign, omniscient, righteous, good, loving, merciful, long-suffering, and gracious.
Matthew 28:19; John 10:30; Mark 12:29; 1 Timothy 2:5; Deuteronomy 6:4; John 5:23; John 14:8-11; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Hebrews 1:1-2
- God The Father: I believe the first Person of the Trinity is the absolute Ruler of the universe.
1 Corinthians 8:6; Ephesians 4:6; 1 John 4:14; Isaiah 64:8; Romans 1:20; Jeremiah 10:12-13; Psalm 147:4-5 - Jesus Christ: I believe that Jesus Christ is the divine Son of God, the Second Person of the Trinity. He is therefore equal with the Father and the Holy Spirit. As a divine being, He shares with the other members of the Trinity all of the attributes of divinity. I believe that Jesus Christ, in His human form, was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, and is truly the Son of Man and the Son of God. I believe Jesus led a perfect, sinless existence on Earth, was God incarnate, and therefore represents humanity and Deity. Jesus died on the cross willingly as a substitute for sinful man. I believe Jesus Christ, through His death on the cross, paid for all sin, completely satisfied the righteous wrath of God against sin, and provided redemption and forgiveness for all who believe. After His death, Jesus Christ literally, physically, and bodily arose from the dead, was seen by many during a period of forty days, and then ascended into Heaven where He is seated at the right hand of God as our Advocate and High Priest, from which place He will someday return to establish His Kingdom on Earth.
Colossians 1:15-20; Isaiah 7:14; Luke 1:35; John 1:1-3, 14, 18, 29; Isaiah 53:5-6; John 3:16; 1 Corinthians 15:1-5; Isaiah 9:6-7; John 8:58; John 10:30 - Holy Spirit: I believe the Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Triune Godhead who convicts individuals of sin. He regenerates the believer. He indwells, seals, sanctifies, guides, equips, teaches, and fills the believer; thereby enabling the believer to walk in obedience to God and His Word.
John 3:5; John 14:26; 1 Corinthians 2:10-14; 1 Corinthians 6:19; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11; Ephesians 4:30; John 15:26; John 16:13-15; Acts 1:8; Romans 8:9; Galatians 5:22-25; Titus 3:5
Satan
I believe Satan was originally created as a beautiful angel, but through pride rebelled against God and was thrown out of heaven. I believe that Satan now exists as an evil being, the originator of sin and death, the arch-enemy of God and man.
Isaiah 14:12-14; 1 Peter 5:8; Revelation 12:9; Ezekiel 28:13-18; Ephesians 6:11; 2 Corinthians 11:3
Creation and Fall of Mankind
I believe mankind was created by God, in God’s own image. Adam & Eve entered into sin through personal disobedience to the revealed will of God. As a result, all mankind is sinful in nature and practice. Due to sin, mankind is desperately lost and faces eternal separation in hell from a Holy God. Additionally, mankind is hopelessly unable to rescue themselves or secure their own salvation by personal effort or merit. Mankind can only be saved by God’s loving and gracious gift of salvation.
Genesis 1:1; Genesis 1:26-27; Psalm 19:1; Jeremiah 32:17; Genesis 3; Mark 7:21-23; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23; Romans 3:9-12; Ephesians 2:1-3
Sin Resulted in Death
When Adam and Eve disobeyed God and ate the fruit they were forbidden to eat, their perfect relationship with God was broken, and they were spiritually separated from Him. Every human born since Adam and Eve is separated from God in the same manner, and has a full, sinful nature, which automatically condemns them to eternal hell. Humans have no power in and of themselves to overturn this destiny, no matter how many good works they do throughout their lives.
Romans 5:12-14, 17; Romans 6:23; James 1:15; Romans 3:23; John 3:18; Ephesians 2:8-9
Salvation
I believe God’s authentic love for the whole world means that He is not willing that any should perish and be eternally lost. God’s love was manifest in that He gave His only Son, Jesus, as the perfect offering for the sin of all mankind. Jesus willingly went to the cross to die in the place of sinful man, bearing the complete penalty of mankind’s sin, paying the full price to atone for all of man’s sins. Jesus’ substitutionary death in the place of sinful man is the only means by which we can and must be saved.
I believe that saving faith is personally trusting in what Jesus did on the cross for you. It is resting in that finished work alone as the only way of salvation.
I believe that the heart of the Gospel and the Christian Faith is the Death, Burial, and Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 5:6-11; John 3:16-17; Isaiah 53:6; Isaiah 45:21-22; John 10:27-29; Romans 5:20-21; 1 John 2:2; Ephesians 2:8-9; 1 Corinthians 15:1-5
Christian Walk
I believe that the believer’s lifestyle should be characterized by the fruit of the Spirit, loving God above all else, loving one’s neighbors, and obedience in all things to the Word of God.
1 John 2:6; Ephesians 2:10; Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 4:24-32; Ephesians 5:2,8-10
Ordinances
I believe there are two ordinances for the Church in the New Testament: Baptism and Communion.
- Baptism: Which is the full immersion in water of a professing believer in Christ.
- Communion: This is the memorial wherein the believer partakes of the two elements, bread and wine (or juice), which symbolize the Lord’s body and shed blood, proclaiming His death until He comes.
Acts 10:48; Matthew 28:18-19; Luke 22:19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:16-17; 1 Corinthians 11:23-28; Colossians 2:12; Acts 8:36-38; Acts 2:41
The Great Commission
I believe that until the return of Christ it is the Christian’s privilege and duty to evangelize the world, making disciples (devoted followers of Christ) of all nations. We are to baptize new believers as an outward display of them having new life in Christ, and teach them to follow everything Jesus (and the entire Bible) teaches.
Matthew 28:18-20; 2 Corinthians 5:18-20; Acts 1:8
The Church
I believe that Scripture teaches us that believers are part of the Universal Church and should belong to a Local Church body.
- The Universal Church: Of which Christ is the Head, consists of all those throughout the whole world who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.
- The Local Church: The visible expression of the universal Church, is a body of believers in Christ in a local geographic area who are joined together to worship God. Although they in modern times may meet regularly in a designated church building, they themselves are the church and may meet together in other various ways for teaching, worship, praying, fellowship, and discipleship.
Acts 2:42-47; 1 Corinthians 12:12-28; Hebrews 10:24-25; Colossians 1:18; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 1 Timothy 3:15; Ephesians 4:15-16
Church Leadership – Elders / Shepherds and Deacons
Scripture shows that God has ordained elders (sometimes called overseers. pastors, shepherds, or bishops) to be the primary human leadership of His Church. Elders are to serve as shepherds under Christ and are required to meet the qualifications prescribed by Scripture.
John 10:11; 1 Peter 5:1-5; Ephesians 4:11-14; Hebrews 13:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13; 1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9; Acts 14:23; Philippians 1:1
Deacons are to serve in more of a service role under elders in carrying out various functions in the Church. Deacons are required to meet the qualifications prescribed by Scripture.
Acts 6:1-6; 1 Timothy 3:8-13
The Role of Women in the Church
Women are equal to men positionally before God and, along with men, are created in God’s image. From the very beginning, women fulfilled an important role in the Christian church, including witnessing, support, and evangelism (Acts 1:12–14; 9:36–42; 16:13–15; 17:1–4, 10–12; 18:1–2, 18, 24–28; Romans 16; 1 Corinthians 16:19; 2 Timothy 1:5; 4:19), but not one of leadership over men. God’s Word clearly states that women are not to teach or hold authority over men, and are to be silent in the church. Therefore, women cannot pastor over men or hold the position of elder.
Galatians 3:28; Genesis 1:26; 1 Timothy 2:11-14; 1 Corinthians 14:33-35
Marriage and Sex
I believe that marriage is a sacred, monogamous covenant before God between one man and one woman for life. Sexual activity between a husband and wife within the bounds of marriage is a beautiful and holy act, but any sexual activity outside of the bounds of the marriage covenant is a sin.
Genesis 2:18–24; Hebrews 13:4; Matthew 5:28; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11
Civil Government
I believe that civil government is of divine appointment for the interest and good order of society and that government leaders are to be prayed for, honored, and obeyed.
Romans 13:1-7; Acts 5:29; Mark 12:17; John 19:10-11; Titus 3:1; 1 Peter 2:13-15
Conversely, if the laws of man contradict the Word of God and force us to disobey God, then God’s decrees and standards, and not human law, must take precedence and be obeyed.
Acts 5:29; Daniel 3:10-18
Death and the Hereafter
At death, the soul of the redeemed passes immediately into the presence of Christ, and there remains in joyful fellowship awaiting their bodily resurrection.
The unsaved at death descend immediately into Hell.
2 Corinthians 5:6-10; Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:11-15; Luke 16:19-25
Future Events – The Tribulation, Christ’s Return and Reign, Final Judgement, Lake of Fire, and Eternal Glory
I believe during the last years of the End Times, the world will experience a time of unprecedented hardship and tribulation due to man’s rebellion against God. I believe in the personal and bodily return of the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge both the living and resurrected dead. Jesus Christ will return to this earth personally, visibly, physically, and suddenly in power and great glory.
I believe Satan will be thrown into the Lake of Fire for all eternity. Believers will enter the eternal state of glory with God. God will create a new Heaven and new Earth where there is only righteousness.
Matthew 24:1-51; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 20:11-15; Revelation 21:1-4; John 14:1-3; 1 Corinthians 15:35-55; 2 Corinthians 5:6-10; Philippians 3:20-21