Audio mp3

This is my confession of faith. This is the statement of faith I am most comfortable with. I wish my profession of faith could be kept this simple. However, there are those who value (even require) a more explicit statement of faith. Out of respect for them, I have decided to provide my own personal abbreviated statement of faith. This will answer those who write asking for my own beliefs.

Though willing to provide a more detailed "personal" statement, I would like to differentiate this from any organizational statements. Organizational doctrinal statements have been used not only to affirm faith, but also to exclude others.
Such exclusion is very often reprehensible.

By revealing my own beliefs, I wish in no way to exclude others of any stripe or belief. The law serves its purpose to separate and divide. The Gospel of Christ, for which I live, is given to reconcile and reunite.

Once again, I believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, and Saviour of the world.

This is, of course, subject to change as God guides into clearer truth.

THE REVELATION OF THE SCRIPTURES:

The Scriptures were given as Holy men of God spoke being moved by the Holy Spirit. The Old and New Testaments inspired by God are a revelation of His will for the salvation of humankind. Indispensable in the proper approach to these and other revelations from God is The Gospel of Christ. Under the guidance of "This Testimony of Jesus" and his Spirit they present an example of Christian faith and practice.

Central and essential to this Gospel Message of Jesus is his call to discipleship. Jesus calls those who would follow him to deny self, to forsake all, and to take up the cross without looking back. Foundational to the giving and receiving of revelation is this call to discipleship. Living luxuriously and delicately is not the way of Christ, 2 Peter 2:13. If any man would follow we are to let him deny himself. The intinerant ministry of those who have forsaken all is a necessary gift given for the building up of the body of Christ, to bring the Church into knowledge, unity, maturity, and perfection. What is done to the least of these brethren is done to Jesus. As each believer receives these gifts into their lives and into their homes they receive Jesus, and those who receive Jesus receive the one who sent him. Those who receive these messengers and this message of Jesus, according to the measure of faith, then minister the same one to another.   

FATHER, SON, AND HOLY GHOST:

      -  The Father:

I believe in One God The Father.

      -  Jesus Christ:

I believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, Who, for our salvation incarnated into flesh, and dwelt among us.
I believe that He lived a perfect human life.
I believe He is both the message and the messenger bringing the Everlasting Gospel of the Father to humankind.
I believe that Jesus is the image of the invisible God.
I believe that in Him we come face to face with the Father; so that we learn that The Father loves us and seeks our good.

I believe that in Jesus Christ God acted to save man, and that the Cross reveals at once both Yahweh's abhorrence of sin, but also the Father's saving love in its height, depth and power; and that the Cross is for all time the effectual means of reconciling the world unto God, and all into one.

I believe that Jesus was raised victorious over death and declared to be the Son of God with power; and that He is alive for evermore, our Savior, and the the firstborn among many brethren.

So I acknowledge Jesus Christ as the Son of God Incarnate, the Savior of world. He rose from the dead according to the scriptures. He is now at the right hand of the Majesty on high as our great High Priest, and is the mediator between God and mankind, making the two one.

      -  The Holy Spirit:

I believe in the Holy Spirit ever at work in the minds and hearts of men.
I believe that the Spirit of Christ moves men to acknowledge Christ and accept the divine grace.

I believe that the Spirit is present with power in the Church, enabling disciples to bear witness to what they have seen and heard, filling them with love of the brethren, and with the hope and realization of the Kingdom, sustaining them with Christ's continuing presence in their midst.

I believe that by the same Spirit the Church is continually guided and empowered, and her members fortified against temptation, fear and doubt, and built up into faith and wholeness unto salvation.

The Holy Spirit is sent to indwell, guide, teach, and empower the believer. It is the will of God that we be filled with the Holy Spirit, receiving power for holy living and effective service. The administration of spiritual gifts for the edification of the body of Christ is accomplished through the work of the Holy Spirit.


SALVATION:

Jesus and the apostles teach us to repent and believe the Gospel. Power has been provided through Jesus Christ. Salvation is by grace through faith. There is no other name given whereby mankind must be saved. He is the Saviour of all men, especially those who believe. Even now, for those with eyes to see, "All things are made new."

PREDESTINATION:

God's choice is based simply on His loving intention to unite all in Christ. Predestination refers to the Father's placement of all into Christ. God created all things in, and by Christ. All things now consist and exist in, and by Christ. And there is also a restoration of all things in Christ. All things are from him, through him, and to him. God has freely given this salvation to all, in, by, and through Christ.

Chosen in Christ, and drawn by Him, the elect do come to faith. It is not that we who are called are forced to respond affirmatively. God makes his offer so appealing that we do respond, every man in his own order.

ETERNAL SECURITY:

God has provided this complete salvation. Believers can know they possess this salvation, and that it is eternally secure. The will of man cannot undo the work that God has accomplished through Christ.

Nevertheless a believer, by choice or through neglect, may forget what God has done. He may become temporarily alienated, in his mind, from the life of God. He is free to apostatize. Those submitting to the works of the flesh, do not inherit, possess, experience, or even see the kingdom of God, though it may be all around them.

However, despite this real possibility, the earnest believer need not fear falling away. Kept by the grace and power of God, he will successfully endure all trials and temptations of life. The Lord is able to keep him or her from falling. Believers are able to rest in the assurance that nothing can truly separate them from the infinite and unfailing love of God for all mankind. There is no fear in love.

This universal salvation, accomplished by God, is ultimately eternally secure for everyone, through the death and resurrection life of Christ. We are all included in the Christ, both in his death, in his resurrection life, and even in his ascension.

ESCHATOLOGY:

There is a resurrection of the just and the unjust; a resurrection unto life, and a resurrection unto judgment. Our God is both a consuming fire, and a bright light. In the ages to come God will show the exceeding riches of His grace in his kindness toward us through Jesus Christ. Jesus taught that he would come again to establish God's Kingdom of righteousness and peace. According to God's eternal purpose, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord, and God will bring all things in heaven and earth under one head, even Christ. Then Christ delivers up the Kingdom to the Father that God may be all in all, and everything to everyone. For those with eyes to see it, and the insight to enter in, the kingdom is even now spread out over all the earth.

PERSONAL DISTINCTIVES:

I believe The Mystery of Christ reveals to the Church God's plan and intention to Reconcile All Things to himself in, by, and through Christ.*

I believe that Jesus modeled and teaches those who would follow him to deny themselves, forsake all, to take up his cross, and not look back.

I believe that The Gospel of Thomas is a valid early gospel. It is a true record of the teaching and the Testimony of Jesus.**

UNITY:

I believe in the spiritual unity of all who truly believe in and know Jesus Christ. Jesus is the the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, but by Him. He sends out labourers into the harvest. We are all gathered together into one in, by, and through him. A practical unity of all believers is a worthy endeavor, as a witness to Christ, and to the end that all may be saved by faith in Him. For Christ is all. God is all. And We are all One. "In essentials Unity; in non-essentials Liberty; in all things Charity" captures my sentiments perfectly.

FOOTNOTES (detailing the personal distinctives)

* Extensive thoughts concerning The Reconciliation of All can be found on my personal web site.

*** I am of the opinion that The Gospel of Thomas is the original gospel given by God to Jesus. He then gave it to his servants. In canonical scripture The Gospel of Thomas is called "The Gospel of Christ", "The Testimony of Jesus", The Doctrine of Christ", "His Sayings", "The Gospel of God", "The Word of God", The Revelation of Jesus Christ", "The Everlasting Gospel", and even just "The Gospel." The apostles appear to have relied heavily upon this Original Gospel authored by Christ, considering phrase by phrase the words of Jesus, as they wrote their own writings.  In support of this unique personal belief that the apostles had such high regard for The Gospel of Thomas I offer the following links:

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