I got into an interesting conversation with a young woman tonight where a large portion of the subject matter was our shared Christian faith. After that conversation, I thought an overview of what I believe in might be in order.
- I believe God exists.
- I believe that only He is God, and that there are no other gods.
- I know that I’m not Him.
- I believe He created me, just as He created everything that has ever existed and ever will exist.
- I believe that He loves me.
- I believe that He wants what’s best for me, and that consists of living in His will.
- I believe that sin is the result of me doing what I want to think, say and do, instead of what He wants me to think, say and do.
- I believe that He loves me despite the things I think, say and do that He hates.
- I believe that my sin prevents me from being able to experience God and commune with Him (in this human life.)
- I believe that a blood sacrifice is necessary to atone for my sin. In ancient times, God-followers would sacrifice animals on altars to atone for their sins.
- I believe that it’s not enough to love God; I should be obedient to His will.
- I believe that He became a man, and lived as one of us in the form of Jesus of Nazareth.
- I know the Romans crucified Jesus as a criminal.
- I believe that doing this, God acted as His own blood sacrifice for my sins.
- I believe that Jesus came back to life three days later, and spent many days among his faithful followers.
- I believe that He rose up into the Heavens.
- I believe that one day, possibly soon, He will return to take those of us who are faithful to be with Him in Heaven.
- I know that many people say they are Christian, while living their lives in a way you never would otherwise know it.
- I know this because I was one of them.
- I believe that many con-artists and crazy people continue to appear and proclaim themselves as faithful followers, just as they have since before Christ’s time.
- I believe that many people have taken a “buffet style” approach to their faith, picking and choosing what to believe depending on what suits them and peer pressure.
- I believe that many politicians point to their faith while campaigning then vote in the opposite when they govern.
- I believe that many religious denominations take certain passages of the Bible and either ignore them or obsess over them, at the expense of misguiding non-believers.
- I believe that several religious denominations are overly legalistic, and lose focus on what really matters: the Grace of God.
- I believe there is a church in Kansas that is one of these overly legalistic churches that, although they mean well, is doing great damage to the Gospel.
- I believe that, despite not liking church services and not wanting to wake up early on a Sunday morning, I really should go to church.
- I believe that every morning I must rededicate myself to Christ and learn as much about Him as I possibly can.