Hearts Won I BELIEVE

I Believe

There is only one true God, the creator of everything. He exists eternally as three persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit).

Mankind was created by God in God’s image to have communion (relationship) with God, to be dependent upon God, and to bring glory to God. That is God’s will for all mankind. God gave mankind a free will so we could choose God’s will–and to glorify God. The first man and woman, tempted by Satan, doubted God and desired to be like God and make decisions of right and wrong for themselves. They chose to disobey God (sin) resulting in the fall of mankind.

Since the fall, everyone is born with a sin nature and is pre-disposed to various sins and temptations. And, of course, everyone is exposed to various experiences because of their sin and/or the sins of others. Sin nature is not by God’s design, but is a result of the fall. We are created in God’s image yet separated from God by sin. We all seek, unsuccessfully, to fill the part of us meant to desire a relationship with God, with various things instead. We cannot trust what feels right, natural, or good to us when deciding if something is right or wrong. We must look to God’s word. We all are born with a sin nature. We all sin by commission and omission. Sin is violation of God’s will and His word, and it separates us from God. God hates sin, therefore He judges sin. Being born with a sin nature, everyone sins and is outside God’s will and if they remain in that state, are under God’s judgment.

There is good news (the gospel). God, in His infinite love for mankind and in His matchless grace and mercy, made a way for us, from the very foundation of creation, though we deserve His judgment, to be saved from sin. He sent Jesus, his only begotten Son, to pay the penalty for our sin so we can have communion with God, avoid hell (a place of utter darkness, despair, loneliness and eternal separation from God, reserved for Satan and his angels), become like Jesus, earn rewards in heaven, and spend eternity with God.

Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin, Mary. He was fully God in human flesh and demonstrated that fact through the fulfilment of what was written in God’s word about Him and through His many miracles. He was baptized to fulfill all righteousness before beginning His ministry. Being in perfect communion with the Father, Jesus led a sinless human life and freely gave His life by dying on the cross in our place and on our behalf, as a payment for our sin, according to God’s eternal plan. On the third day, Jesus rose from the dead, after a short time ascended into Heaven (the dwelling place of God and his angels where there is no death, sorrow, suffering, or pain). Jesus is in heaven now, seated at the right hand of the Father. He is the only advocate and mediator with the Father and is preparing a place for his followers. According to the Bible and His own words, Jesus will someday return to reign on earth and fulfill the eternal plan of God. The time that has passed since Jesus ascended to heaven demonstrates God’s loving patience and desire that none should perish, but come to Him through Jesus. But, because God is just, there must someday be a judgment for evil.

The Holy Spirit convicts mankind of sin. Having sinned, we cannot earn salvation from sin ourselves through any amount of goodness, effort, or sacrifice we make. Salvation is offered freely to everyone and can only be found in Jesus Christ through His sacrifice and payment for our sins. Accepting that truth is like receiving a gift someone has given us. We accept the gift of salvation given freely to us. Turning away from our sin is called repentance. When we are saved (forgiven), we are adopted into God’s family, and we are given eternal life and the gift of the Holy Spirit to live within us.

The Holy Spirit indwells, guides, and comforts those who have believed God and trusted in Jesus Christ. He is available to help them understand the truths of God and to empower them to lead Christ-like lives and become more like Jesus. He gives them spiritual gifts to live a victorious life over sin, witness to the truths of God, serve fellow believers, and to share the good news about Jesus with others.

God created mankind to choose to live by God’s will. God saves mankind through Jesus. And, God guides mankind through the Holy Spirit. Everyone needs to be saved, and everyone can be saved through the work of Jesus. God can heal us from the wrongs we’ve done and the wrongs others have done to us, and we can be restored to live a life that brings glory to God.

The Bible is God’s infallible word. It is without error in its original form. It is written by men who were inspired by the Holy Spirit and compiled by others led by the Holy Spirit. As God’s word, it reveals God’s will, and His plan for mankind. It points to Jesus as the way to salvation, and is the ultimate authority for Christianity. It was written in a time before us, not only to people of that time, but for us and all time. The Bible records instruction and examples of how to live and how not to live. Some things appear in the Bible as examples to show they are outside God’s will, which is why we must study the Bible in its entirety and in proper context. It is God’s word to mankind and is to be taken as a whole, as one message, an expression of God’s love. It does not contradict itself. Man’s language and culture has changed throughout time. God never changes. Since the Bible is the work of the Holy Spirit, we must rely on the Holy Spirit to help us understand it and apply God’s truths. Without relying on the Holy Spirit, mankind will ignore God’s word or miss-apply it. Rather than to question his own understanding or application of it–man sometimes twists the Bible’s message to support man’s own purposes. The Holy Spirit confirms what the Bible says. He verifies whether a spirit is from God by whether or not it acknowledges Jesus Christ so we can worship in spirit and in truth.

Those who believe and trust in Jesus around the world are the body of Christ, the "universal" church. Local groups of believers who gather together regularly are the "local" church. It is good for them to gather together to worship, pray, encourage one another, and share spiritual instruction and accountability. Preference in worship and manner of practices vary between denominations and cultures around the world. The church is made up of former unbelievers saved by grace. Yet not everyone who attends a local church is a believer, but its leaders must be. Sometimes people within the church sin. Jesus Christ is without sin and is the only standard and the example to follow. Believers in the church, through the leading of the Holy Spirit, are continuing to become more like Jesus. They should not deliberately violate God’s word or condone practices that do, but expose them–not in harshness or condemnation, but in love so as not to cause others to stumble. When the believer becomes aware of sin in their life, the proper response is repentance. Believers are identified by their profession of faith in Jesus as the one Son of God and their trust in Him for salvation from sin, the fruit (evidence) of the Holy Spirit in their lives, and their love for one another.

God is a loving God. He did not send Jesus into the world to condemn the world, but to save it. Jesus is the word of God in flesh. He did not come to abolish the word of God, but to fulfill it. Jesus said He came to testify to the truth and that everyone on the side of truth listens to Him. He shared God’s love and the truth with all types of people, a pattern He set for the church to follow as we seek to share the love of Jesus with the world while we wait for Jesus’ return.

Everyone has free will to choose to accept Jesus as savior or not. Believers earnestly desire and should earnestly seek for others to be saved, but cannot force others to believe (because of free will). And, while believers are responsible for lovingly sharing the truth, they are not responsible for the choices others make. Some people choose not to acknowledge Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God. Believers can and should continue to demonstrate the love of Jesus by obedience to Him until their last breath or His return.

Since we are all born with a sin nature, and God will judge sin, we each stand condemned already unless we accept the pardon freely offered to all. We each choose heaven or hell for ourselves (before we die) by our choice to accept the forgiveness of God through the sacrifice of Jesus or to reject it. Choosing not to accept that Jesus freely paid the price for us so we can avoid God’s judgment, is rejecting God’s loving, free offer of salvation. And it is choosing to accept judgment for one’s own sin and be condemned and eternally separated from God’s loving presence. God does not want that for anyone.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16 (KJV)

Updated 2017-05-31

Penny Pink (Look Inside)