What I Believe
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.
For more clarity on my opening statement above, read Not Just a Label: What Four Specific Words Mean in My Statement of Faith
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 eternal, divine Son of God, the Second Person of the Trinity, fully equal with the Father and the Holy Spirit. As God, He possesses all the attributes of deity. I believe that Jesus Christ took on a true human nature, was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, and is truly God and truly man, the Son of God and the Son of Man.I believe Jesus Christ lived a perfectly righteous and sinless life, fully obeying the will of the Father. He willingly died on the cross as a substitute for sinners. Through His death, He bore the penalty for sin, completely satisfied the righteous wrath of God, and accomplished redemption for His people. His sacrifice is of infinite worth and sufficient for all, and all who repent of their sins and place their faith in Him receive the full benefits of His saving work, including forgiveness, justification, reconciliation with God, and eternal life.I believe that after His death, Jesus Christ literally, physically, and bodily rose from the dead on the third day. He appeared to many witnesses over a period of forty days and then ascended bodily into Heaven, where He is seated at the right hand of the Father. There He reigns as Lord, intercedes for His people, and serves as our Advocate and great High Priest. I believe He will personally, visibly, bodily, and gloriously return to judge the living and the dead, consummate His Kingdom, defeat all His enemies, and reign forever.
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 that the Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Trinity, fully divine and equal with the Father and the Son. He convicts the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment. Through His sovereign work, He regenerates spiritually dead sinners, giving them new life and bringing them to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.I believe the Holy Spirit indwells every believer from the moment of conversion, seals believers for the day of redemption, and unites them to Christ and His Church. He sanctifies, guides, teaches, comforts, and empowers believers, illuminating the Scriptures and enabling them to understand and obey the Word of God. He distributes spiritual gifts according to His will for the building up of the Church and produces His fruit in the lives of God’s people as they walk by the Spirit.
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 an angel but rebelled against God through pride and sin. He is a fallen spiritual being, the deceiver and tempter of mankind, and the adversary of God and His people. Though Satan presently works in opposition to God, he remains completely subject to God’s sovereign authority and will ultimately be judged and cast into the Lake of Fire forever.
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 His own image, originally upright and without sin. Adam and Eve sinned against God through deliberate disobedience to His revealed will. As the representative head of the human race, Adam’s sin brought guilt, corruption, condemnation, and death upon mankind. Therefore, all people are born with a sinful nature, are spiritually dead in sin, and are sinners both by nature and by choice.
Because of this fallen condition, mankind is alienated from God and justly under His condemnation. No person is able to rescue himself, earn righteousness before God, or secure salvation through good works, personal effort, or merit. Salvation is possible only through the gracious work of God in Jesus Christ.
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 that salvation is entirely the work of God’s grace. In His great love and mercy, God sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, who willingly gave Himself on the cross as a substitute for sinners. Christ bore the wrath of God against sin, fully satisfied the demands of divine justice, and accomplished redemption for His people. His sacrifice is of infinite worth and sufficient for all, and the Gospel is to be freely proclaimed to all people. All who repent of their sins and place their faith in Jesus Christ will be saved, and none who come to Him will ever be cast out.
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 and Sanctification
I believe that all who are united to Christ by faith are called to a life of holiness and obedience. Sanctification is the gracious and ongoing work of God by which believers, through the power of the Holy Spirit and the truth of His Word, are progressively conformed to the image of Jesus Christ.
Although believers continue to struggle with sin throughout this life, they are no longer slaves to sin and are called to put sin to death, pursue righteousness, and walk by the Spirit. A believer’s life should increasingly be characterized by love for God and others, obedience to God’s Word, the fruit of the Spirit, prayer, good works, and perseverance in faith. These works do not earn or contribute to our justification before God, but are the necessary fruit of genuine saving faith and the work of God’s grace within us.
1 John 2:6; Ephesians 2:10; Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 4:24-32; Ephesians 5:2,8-10
Ordinances
I believe that Christ has given two ordinances to His Church: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. These ordinances do not save or contribute to our justification, but are commanded by Christ and are to be faithfully observed by His people.
Baptism is the immersion in water of a person who has repented of sin and professed faith in Jesus Christ. It is an outward sign of the believer’s union with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection, and a public profession of new life in Him. Baptism follows conversion and does not itself regenerate or save.
The Lord’s Supper, or Communion, was instituted by Jesus Christ for His Church. In partaking of the bread and the cup, believers remember Christ’s sacrificial death, proclaim His death until He comes, give thanks for His saving work, and express their fellowship with Christ and with one another. The bread and the cup signify Christ’s body and blood, and believers are to partake reverently, examining themselves and receiving the Supper by faith.
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 Jesus Christ has commissioned His Church to make disciples of all nations until He returns. Christians are therefore called to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all people, calling them to repent of their sins and believe in Him for salvation.
Those who believe are to be baptized and taught to observe all that Christ has commanded. The work of the Great Commission includes evangelism, discipleship, teaching, and the establishment and strengthening of faithful local churches throughout the world. Every believer should desire to bear witness to Christ, while the Church collectively is responsible to send, support, and equip those who take the Gospel to places where Christ is not yet known.
Matthew 28:18-20; 2 Corinthians 5:18-20; Acts 1:8
The Church
I believe that Jesus Christ is the Head of His Church, which consists of all those who have been redeemed by Him and united to Him by faith. This universal Church includes all true believers in Jesus Christ throughout the world and throughout history.
I believe that every Christian should be committed to a faithful local church. A local church is a visible congregation of professing believers who gather regularly under the authority of God’s Word for worship, prayer, biblical teaching and preaching, fellowship, discipleship, the observance of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, and the mutual building up of the body of Christ.
Christians are called to love, serve, encourage, exhort, pray for, and bear with one another within the life of the local church. They are also called to submit to biblically qualified shepherds who watch over their souls. The local church is responsible to preserve sound doctrine, make disciples, exercise biblical church discipline when necessary, care for its members, and proclaim the Gospel to the world.
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
I believe that Jesus Christ alone is the Head of His Church and that He has established the offices of elder and deacon for the leadership and service of local churches.
I believe that each local church should ordinarily be shepherded by a plurality of biblically qualified elders. The New Testament terms elder, overseer, and pastor or shepherd describe the same spiritual office and emphasize different aspects of its work. Elders serve under the authority of Christ and His Word and are responsible to shepherd God’s people, teach sound doctrine, guard the church from error, provide spiritual oversight, equip believers for ministry, and lead by godly example. Elders must meet the character and doctrinal qualifications established in 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
I believe that deacons are biblically qualified servants of the local church who assist in meeting practical needs and carrying out ministries entrusted to them, allowing the elders to remain devoted to their primary responsibilities of spiritual shepherding, prayer, and the ministry of the Word. Deacons must likewise meet the qualifications established in Scripture.
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
I believe that men and women are equally created in the image of God, possess equal dignity and worth before Him, and are equally recipients of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. God has gifted both men and women for meaningful ministry and service within His Church.
I believe Scripture teaches that men and women have distinct and complementary roles within the church. Women are called and equipped to serve the body of Christ in many ways, including prayer, evangelism, discipleship, hospitality, mercy, teaching and mentoring other women, instructing children, and exercising their spiritual gifts for the building up of the Church.
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
At the same time, Scripture reserves the office of elder or pastor, including the responsibility of authoritative doctrinal teaching and spiritual oversight of the gathered church, for biblically qualified men. Therefore, women are not to serve as elders or pastors over the church or exercise the governing and authoritative teaching role Scripture assigns to that office.
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
