(*NEW*) My Beliefs

On this and subsequent pages, I lay out what my personal beliefs are as they are related to God, man, sin, salvation, faith, and grace.  In a sense, it is my doctrinal statement, though it will be somewhat more detailed. This is not an exhautive list of systematic theology, as that would require a rather large book, but you should at least get a pretty good idea as to where I am coming from in terms of a spiritual and religious point of view.  These sections are a work in progress.  Some scriptural referrences will be added over time.

Much of the rest of our theological beliefs are based on what we believe about God and what we believe about his character and nature, so that is where I will begin.  This first page gives a brief summary as to what I believe about God.

The Nature of God

• There is one God, in three persons:  God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.  These are not three separate Gods (which would be polytheism) but one God displayed in three essensses if you will.  This idea that we call the trinity is honestly difficult for me to wrap my mind around, and I find it difficult to know what the right or best words are to describe the relationship.  It is somewhat of a mystery.  The theologian John Wesley once stated, "Bring me a worm that can comprehend a man, and then I will show you a man that can comprehend the triune God.”
• God is eternal.  God exists outside of time and space, ie, he is transcendent.  This is a quality unique to God.  He can observe without influencing.  He was in existence before there was anything.  He is the first cause, the cause for which there is no cause.
• God is omniscient.  He knows all things at all times; past, present, and future.
• God is omnipresent.  He is at all places at all times.  God is not in everything, but he is everywhere.  Hebrews 4:13 states, "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account."
• God is omnipotent.  He is all powerful.  He can do all things.  How he chooses to exercise his power is within his infinite wisdom alone.
• God is the creator of all things.  Genesis 1:1 states, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."
• God is perfect.  He is without sin.  Jesus, being both fully God and fully man, lived a perfect, sinless life. 
• God is just and righteous.  As he is God, the all-powerful creator, he gets to make the rules.  We cannot force our idea of righteousness and morality on him.  We must be the ones to conform to him.
• God loves us and wants to have a relationship with us.  John 3:16 begins, "For God so loved the world..."  Romans 5:8 starts, "God demonstrates his own love for us..."

(STILL UNDER SOME CONSTRUCTION)

NEXT: The Nature of Man