What I believe

I'm often asked what I believe. A good and fair--even proper--request in a world of social media and one I never take offense to. There are a lot of hucksters in the social media world and many who seem genuine but who don't point to Christ.

So, for those who want to know more of where I am coming from, this page is for you.

FIRST AND FOREMOST

What you should know about me most of all: Jesus is my life and the Bible is my passion. I follow Christ who has given me the burden to help people understand the Bible better. My life mission is to help people read, engage, and apply the Bible as I believe that it is through the Bible that we know God and Christ.

CHURCH DENOMINATION

I'm a conservative Christian and attend a non-denominational Bible church near Chicago. If you are committed to pigeonhole me, you are going to have a tough time. I grew up attending Presbyterian, Assemblies of God, and Baptist churches (how's THAT for a mix). To top it off, I went to a Christian Reformed high school. Overall, I lean reformed on the theological spectrum, but I believe God is too big to align neatly with the Institutes.  Overall, I believe that God works in all Christ-centered churches and that Christians can learn, grow, and benefit from a wide variety of traditions and denominations.  Honestly, I think we need each other.

CREED

I believe the Apostle's Creed got it right (although I'm not sure about the "descended into hell" part):

I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth: And in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord: Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary: Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried: He descended into hell: The third day he rose again from the dead: He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty: From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead: I believe in the Holy Ghost: I believe in the holy catholic church (which means "universal church"): the communion of saints: The forgiveness of sins: The resurrection of the body: And the life everlasting. Amen.

COLLEGE AND STATEMENT OF FAITH

I graduated from Wheaton College (IL) with a degree in Ancient Languages (Biblical Greek) and History. I was also a student of Wheaton Grad school where I studied Bible and Theology. I have found their statement of faith well written and helpful. I used it as a starting ground for my own: 

I BELIEVE in one sovereign God, eternally existing in three persons: the everlasting Father, His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, and the Holy Spirit, the giver of life; and I believe that God created the Heavens and the earth out of nothing by His spoken word, and for His own glory.

I BELIEVE that God has revealed Himself and His truth in the created order, in the Scriptures, and supremely in Jesus Christ; and that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are inspired by God and inerrant in the original writing, so that they are fully trustworthy and of supreme and final authority in all they say. As such, I believe the Bible is the standard for truth rather than opinions or what I might like truth to be.

I BELIEVE that Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, was true God and true man, existing in one person and without sin; and I believe in the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord, in His ascension into heaven, and in His present life there for us as Lord of all, High Priest, and Advocate.

I BELIEVE that God directly created Adam and Eve, the historical parents of the entire human race; and that they were created in His own image, distinct from all other living creatures, and in a state of original righteousness.

I BELIEVE that our first parents sinned by rebelling against God’s revealed will and thereby incurred both physical and spiritual death, and that as a result all human beings are born with a sinful nature that leads them to sin in thought, word, and deed.

I BELIEVE in the existence of Satan, sin, and evil powers, and that all these have been defeated by God in the cross of Christ.

I BELIEVE that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice, triumphing over all evil; and that all who believe in Him are justified by His shed blood and forgiven of all their sins.

I BELIEVE that all who receive the Lord Jesus Christ by faith are born again of the Holy Spirit and thereby become children of God and are enabled to offer spiritual worship acceptable to God. I believe he is the only path to salvation.

I BELIEVE that the Holy Spirit indwells and gives life to believers, enables them to understand the Scriptures, empowers them for godly living, and equips them for service and witness.

I BELIEVE that the one, holy, universal Church is the body of Christ and is composed of the communities of Christ’s people. The task of Christ’s people in this world is to be God’s redeemed community, embodying His love by worshipping God with confession, prayer, and praise; by proclaiming the gospel of God’s redemptive love through our Lord Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth by word and deed; by caring for all of God’s creation and actively seeking the good of everyone, especially the poor and needy.

I BELIEVE in the blessed hope that Jesus Christ will return to this earth in power and great glory, to gather His elect, to raise the dead, to judge the nations, and to bring His Kingdom to fulfillment.

I BELIEVE in the bodily resurrection of the just and unjust, the everlasting punishment of the lost, and the everlasting blessedness of the saved.

WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE ABOUT THE END TIMES, GAY RIGHTS, AND THE AGE OF THE EARTH?

I get these questions a lot and for the most part, I don't answer them. I realize that annoys some people and for that I'm sorry. I've learned that these questions are often part of a litmus test for people to find out "whose side" I'm on.  And for that reason, I refuse to play along. 

Frankly, I'm on the side of faith in Jesus Christ and the opportunity to promote the Bible, which speaks of him. I feel Christians spend too much energy fighting each other, staking their territory, and building walls. 

Do I have opinions on each of these issues? Yes. In fact, you would not believe how strong my opinions are.  I believe it is the responsibility of Christians to study the Bible and form opinions about these and other topics.  I've developed mine and--like you--I'm pretty sure I'm right. However, I will let the primary issues of faith, the deity of Christ, the forgiveness of sins through Christ alone, and the inspiration of Scripture take center stage on this site.