The following is a sampling of those things that I believe, teach, and defend
from the Holy Scriptures. This list is by no means complete, but I feel that
it will be helpful to those wishing to make a study of the Scriptures and my
web site by understanding my own position.
A confession: I confess before God and
men, that Jesus Christ is my personal Savior. Now let me tell
you a little about what that means:
I believe in the God of the Bible (Exodus 3:6-14). This
is, the doctrine that God is simultaneously the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Spirit. Therefore, I believe in the triunal nature of three distinct persons
of one God (Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14; 1 John 5:7). Thus, when I say
God, I mean Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
I believe that all men have knowledge of God, but because
of sin, this capacity to know God is capable of becoming intellectually twisted,
morally stunted, and developmentally skewed. I believe Paul showed in Romans
1 and 2 how the truth of God implanted in the human heart has become corrupted
and obscured by sin in human history (Romans 1:26, 27). I believe through sin
the will deceives itself by adoring creaturely goods as greater than the Creator.
Regardless, I hold that all men are aware of a God upon which everything else
depends and that all are aware that they are will be held responsible before
Him (Gen. 1:26, 27; Psalm 8; 19; 51; Rom. 1, 2; Heb. 2:6; John 1:9).
I believe the Holy Bible to be the special
revelation, the Word of God given to all of mankind. I believe
in its History, Covenants, and Prophecy (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter
1:21), that it is the infallible standard of faith and practice
to which we give final authority.
I believe in the biblical account of Creation (Genesis
1 & 2) and hold to a six day creation but hold that the salient
issue is that God created.
I believe in Jesus Christ as the only
begotten Son of God, the Word made flesh (John 1:14), and that
Jesus Christ is God Almighty (Rev. 1:8, 17-18 cf. Rev. 22:13).
A casual first-century reader of
the Fourth Gospel's prologue (John 1:1-18) would have little
difficulty understanding John's description of the logoV. As
a concept it was simple enough. LogoV was the
intelligible law of things. o
logoV tou qeou was God's transcendent
rationality that gave the universe order and purpose. A hellenized
Jew would quickly reach for a volume of wisdom literature explaining
that God's wisdom, his word (or
logoV),
provided the universe with its form and coherence. As such, o logoV tou qeou
was foreign to human ways, above us and distant from us, guiding
us from afar.
John 1:14, on the other hand, would make
any such reader pause in stunned silence. "And the word
became flesh (sarx) and dwelt among us." Sarx is the earthy
sphere, the area of human decisions and emotions, human history,
and human sinfulness (cf. John 1:13; 3:6; 17:2; et cetra). John
1:14 contains the risk, the scandal, and the gospel of the Christian
faith: o logoV became sarx. The center of God's life and thought entered
the depths of our world and took up its form, its sarx, its
flesh, in order to be known by us and to save us.
This affirmation about logoV and sarx is the very heart of our faith. God has not
abandoned us. No lowliness, no misery, no sinfulness is beyond
God's comprehension and reach. He came among us, embraced our
world of sarx in his incarnation, and loved us. It is easy
enough to say that God loves the world (John 3:16). But to say
that God loves me, in my frailty and my faithlessness--that he
loves sarx--this
is another matter. This is the mystery and the power of what
God has done for us in Jesus Christ. --Gary M. Burge
I believe Jesus Christ as the Priest, offered Himself
for us (Romans 5:8 cf. John 10:15, 17-18) to bring about a new creation in Christ
and that this was in fulfillment of Ezekiel 36:26-27; also, that He raised from
the dead (Romans 6:4; Revelation 1:18) in a physical body (Luke 24:38-39).In
this, I hold that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the corner stone of the
Christian faith and that specifically, Christ's resurrection was the sign given
to Israel that the words Jesus spoke were true (John 2:18-19).
I believe in the atoning sacrifice of
Jesus Christ on Calvary (Romans 5:11); not only for Israel, but
for the sins of the world (1 John 2:2). I affirm an unlimited
atonement (John 3:15-18; Luke 19:10; Acts 2:21; Romans 5:6; 1
Timothy 2:3-6; 4:10; Hebrews 2:9). I believe that "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).
I believe that the work of the atonement
restores the believer from the conditions of the Fall. The bloodshed
of Jesus Christ overthrew the judgment of sin in its reign of
bondage and death with respect to God's people. When Jesus Christ
died, sin was destroyed immediately for all the ones who
believe; and sin will be destroyed eminently by the "second
death" of which Jesus spoke. In 1 John 3:8b, John wrote:
"The Son of God was manifested for this: That He may destroy
the works of the devil." So Christ came into the world for
this purpose-to destroy the works of the devil-SIN! Sin is done
away, put an end to, destroyed in the Church of God, though not
in the world. Thus, sin either meets its end in Christ,
or in the second death.
I believe Jesus Christ ascended into Heaven
(Mark 16:19; Hebrews 8:1).
I believe in a future bodily return of
Jesus Christ (Zechariah 14:4; Acts 1:9-14).
I believe in the Holy Spirit and His mission
(John 16:7-14; Acts 2).
I believe salvation is by grace through faith, and it
is the gift of God, and not of works (Ephesians 2:8-9), that it must be preached
(Romans 10:14) and it is necessary for all (Romans 3:23).
I believe that water baptism is ordained
of God for all that believe (Matthew 3:13-15; Romans 6:3-5; Acts
2:37-39) but is not necessary for salvation (1 John 5:10-13).
I believe in the ordinance of the communion as established
by Jesus Christ (Matthew 26:26-29; 1 Cor. 10:16).
I believe in prayer, and whatever the immediate purpose,
prayer should be that God's will be done on earth (Matthew 6:10; I John 5:14-15).
We must forgive to be forgiven (Matthew 6:14). The Holy Spirit will help us
to pray (Romans 8:26-27). If we ask in faith and in the name of Jesus Christ,
He will hear (John 15:16; James 1:6-7).
I believe that God chose out a special
people unto Himself to be His servants and those servants were
to be the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob called "Israel"
(Deuteronomy 7:6; Psalm 105:6; Isaiah 44:1-2).
I believe the Bible with God's law, statutes
and judgments was given to Israel (Exodus 20: Psalm 147:19-20)
and through Israel's prophets came the inspired Scriptures (2
Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21).
I believe civil law was given by God to
Israel (Deuteronomy 4:1-2). The law was given for Israel's good
(Deuteronomy 5:33). God commands us to obey civil law (Romans
13:1-7).
I believe that one day out of seven is
the Sabbath of the Lord (Exodus 20:10) and that Israel was to
keep it (Deuteronomy 5:15) as a sign between Israel and the Lord
(Exodus 31:16-17). I believe Christ became our Sabbath (Hebrews
4:8; Colossians 2:16-17). (Hebrews 4:9- There remaineth therefore
a rest [Gr. sabbatismoV] to the people of God.)
I believe Israel was to be punished if
God's laws for the nation were disregarded (Deuteronomy 28:15-68;
Isaiah 42:24; Amos 3:2).
I believe that the New Covenant was made
(Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hebrews 8:8-12) which meant Israel was to
become Christian as all nations and that Jesus confirmed that
Covenant (Galations 3:16-17; Romans 15:8).
I believe that Israel was promised redemption
(Psalm 130:7-8; Isaiah 52:3; Hosea 13:9-14); that Jesus Christ
came to Israel (Matthew 10:6); that He was recognized as the Redeemer
of Israel (Galations 4:5; Titus 2:14), and His death and resurrection
accomplished that redemption (Galations 4:4-5; Hebrews 9:12).
I believe that after Christ's death and resurrection Israel was
to be called by a new name (Isaiah 62:2). Israel was not to be
remembered by her old name (Hosea 2:17); and, the new name was
to be the Lord's Name (2 Chronicles 7:14) which would be CHRISTIAN
(Christ man) (Acts 11:26; 1 Peter 4:16).
I believe that each individual must be
born of water (cf. Eph. 5:26 G-sharp rule) and of the Spirit to
be a Christian (John 3:3-8; 1 Peter 1:23 cf. Ezek. 36:25-27; John
7:37-39).
I believe in an existing personal Satan,
who is called the serpent (Genesis 3:1; Revelation 12:9); who
has power with devils and men (Matthew 12:22; 1 Peter 5:8) but
not over Christians.
I believe that Jesus Christ has broken the power of Satan
(Hebrews 2:14) and that grace makes devils impotent against Christians (Luke
10:17).
I believe that the Lord Jesus Christ along
with His followers are at battle with Satan and his followers
(Ephesians 6:11-19): And that Jesus Christ is the victor in this
"battle" (Isaiah 28:21-22; 45:17-25; Ezekiel 38-39;
Hosea 13-14; Joel 3:9-21; Micah 7:16-20; Zechariah 14:9 Malachi
4; Matthew 28:18; Luke 19:27; 1 Corinthians 15:24-28; Philippians
2:9-11; 2 Peter 3:7-13; Revelation 11:18; 15:4; 19:11-15 and others).
I believe in the resurrection of the dead
as prophesied (Job 19:25-27; Hosea 13:13-14; John 5:29); as proven
(1 Peter 1:3); as taught by the Scripture (Acts 24:14-15; 1 Corinthians
15:11-26) and that the resurrected will reign with Christ (2 Timothy
2:11-12) for ever (Revelation 22:1-5).
I hold that the lake of fire, called hell (not to be confused
with hades which is a different time and place) is an eternal, complete and
total separation from the blessing presence of the Lord God Almighty, which
is to say from the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. I believe that the Lord is a
God of order and that creation is to be restored to order. I believe that the
lake of fire was not part of the original creation as described in Genesis 1
and 2 but became a real place as soon as sin entered the Lord's creation with
Satan's fall. I believe that the lake of fire is separated from the Lord's creation
and is not part of it. I believe that God is omniscient and that the creation
of the lake of fire did not catch the Lord by surprise, but was a place for
an absence of holiness to remain. Since heaven is described as being better
than anything anyone has ever heard or seen, I do not expect to see streets
of gold or walls of jewels, I have imagined such things as those, but expect
something far better than mere materialism. Similarly, I hold that the fire
and brimstone attributed to the lake of fire not to be literal, but rather,
the separation from the blessed presence of the Lord and all that is holy to
be far worse for those whom are cast away from the holiness of the Lord and
God.
Since I hold to what is commonly labeled
a metaphoric hell that has nothing to do with God whatsoever,
it is an error to describe the Lord and God as the cause of any
duress to those whom shall dwell in the lake of fire. The guilt
and shame of dwelling in sin is what shall be the source of torment
of those in the lake of fire-not the Lord and God.
I believe the seventh trump sounds after
the tribulation (Matthew 24: 29-31). Paul wrote his second letter
to the Thessalonians because he knew the first had been misunderstood,
concerning Christ's second return. Paul then gives two signs which
will be present when the Day of the Lord comes. Those signs being
the apostasy and the man of lawlessness. Neither of these signs
were present at that time.
I understand that apostasy means the giving
up or renouncing of one's professed principles, or faith. We now
live in a time when there is more apostasy within the church and
the land than ever before. The complacency of the church has allowed
those who would speak falsely in our pulpits and our homes to continue without
challenge. The prophet Isaiah issued solemn warning, proclaiming,
"Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put
darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for
sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise
in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!" (Isaiah
5:2021). In fulfillment of Amos 8:11, as a people, we suffer the
effects of a spiritual famine in the land from the turning away
from biblical truth and our itching ears have wandered from consideration
of the Lord in heaven (ref. 2 Tim. 4:3). George Mason wrote:
"As nations cannot be rewarded or
punished in the next world, they must be in this. By an inevitable
chain of causes and effects, Providence [God] punishes national
sins by national calamities."
Though it is true that all kinds of things
show us that we are in decline as a people, I have every confidence
that our Lord and Savior in heaven Jesus Christ shall preserve
those that would seek him. As another illustrated:
"The dove Noah released from the
ark soared across the wide seas that engulfed the world, found
no roost, and sought again the refuge of the great vessel. So
man has departed from the truths of the bible, using wings of
independence to seek distant horizons. But like the weary dove,
through the years many have returned to the changeless certainty
of God's Word following years of aimless flight. As one generation
begins to drift from the Gospel, the following generation finds
it anew, clinging tenaciously to its teachings as though they
were the first to discover them."
It is the duty of the faithful to stand
and witness in the synagogues, allowing the Holy Spirit to give
His Message to the world through you. (Mark 13:9). Christ is your
spiritual Husband. You should remain a spiritual virgin until
He returns (2 Corinthians 11:2) remaining faithful unto Him. Christ
Himself said; "Woe to them that are with child in those days!"
(Mark 13:17). If your spiritual Husband has been on a long journey
and finds you with child when He returns, then you have been impregnated
(deceived) with the mark of a false messiah, and worshipped a
false god in the last hour. Study your Bible (2 Tim. 2:15) and
he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord (2 Corinthians 10:17;
1 Corinthians 1:31 cf. Jeremiah 9:24).