Mon. Mar 18th, 2024

Beliefs

I could never possibly write every single thing I believe on one page. However, there are fundamental beliefs that form the foundation of correct thinking and living. These are:

The Bible

The Bible is the inerrant word of God. Each and every word was inspired by God to be written with human hands. However, I believe that man, in his fallen state, tends to allow tradition to take the place of God’s Word just as easily today as they did in the time of Jesus Christ.[ref]Mark 7:13[/ref] I believe left to our own devices churches, as institutions consisting of human members, may tend to place burdens on believers through misapplication of the Word just as the scribes and Pharisees did[ref]Matthew 23:4[/ref].

Therefore, I believe in sola scriptura. While the Bible does not cover every topic, in anything it does cover, it must be the sole source for teaching and standards on that topic. Furthermore, teachings & beliefs on topics not specifically covered must not violate principles found in scripture.

God

There is only one God. We are to love Him with all our heart, soul, and mind. He exists in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Father

Author of creation. He loves and disciplines His children. He wants a relationship with us despite our fallen state.

Son

Jesus. God incarnate. 100% God. 100% man. Born of a virgin. Lived completely innocent of any sin. His death paid our penalty for sin. His resurrection gives us hope.

He set us free from the chains of sin and restores us to a right relationship with the Father.

Holy Spirit

100% God. Indwells believers at the time of salvation. Provides guidance and helps interpret scripture.

Sin

Man introduced sin into creation through a willful act of disobedience. Sin is man missing the mark, a term used to describe an archers arrow missing the target because it did not require the needed distance. Man cannot hit the target that God has established. For a comprehensive look at the doctrine of sin, look here.

I subscribe to the Baptist Faith and Message of 1963.