iBelieve

What We Believe Impacts What We Do

“I Believe Statements” are important. What we believe impacts what we do, how we live, give, serve, and set our priorities. Our beliefs impact that for which we will risk, sacrifice, and place our confidence. Our basic Christian beliefs unite us with Christians from different times, places, and traditions. There are many essential beliefs in Christianity. Every Sunday, in our traditional service, we proclaim the Apostles’ Creed which has been shared by Christians in some form for over 1800 years.

In the Apostles’ Creed, we profess our basic Christian beliefs in a succinct way. We believe in God the Father Almighty, who is the creator of heaven and earth. We believe that Jesus is God’s one and only begotten Son and our Lord. We believe in His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, teachings, and His suffering under Pontius Pilate. We believe in His painful death on the cross and His placement in the tomb. We believe in His bodily resurrection and His ascending to the right hand of God the Father. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy universal (catholic) church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.

By Grade, Through Faith Alone

Embedded in these statements are our beliefs that salvation comes by grace, through faith in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8) and that faith without works is dead (James 2:26). We believe that the Bible is God’s Holy and inspired word (2 Timothy 3:16-17) and that it contains the faith once for all delivered (Jude 1:3). We believe that Jesus is fully human and fully God (Phil 2:6-8). We believe that Christ established His church and that communion is found in that church with other believers (Matt 16:18). We believe that the Holy Spirit is to us who live today what Jesus was to His disciples 2000 years ago (John 14:16). We believe in the fallen nature of mankind (Romans 3:23), but we also believe in God’s Prevenient grace that draws us to Him (John 12:32). We believe in convicting grace (John 16:8) which calls us to repentance and in Justifying grace that is received by faith to reconcile us to God through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus on the cross (Ephesians 2:8, 2 Corinthians 5:17). We believe in sanctifying grace that perfects us in Christ’s love and the Holy Spirit’s working in our hearts and lives (see below).

All Statements

As a Wesleyan Christian, I believe in four major all statements.

First, I believe that all need to be saved because of our fallen human nature and bent toward sin (Romans 3:23). We all need Jesus!

Second, I believe that all can be saved because of God’s universal and amazing grace and desire to be in relationship with us (1 Timothy 2:4). Jesus said, that whosoever believes in Him shall be saved (John 3:16).

Third, I believe all can know they are saved. By faith we can have an assurance of things hoped for, and conviction of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1). We call this the doctrine of assurance. Finally, all can be saved to the uttermost (1 Thessalonians 5:23, Matthew 5:48, 1 John 4:18). We call this the doctrine of Sanctification.

I believe all of these doctrines and I believe in the power of God’s people gathering together to worship the risen Savior. That is why I hope to see you this Sunday as we begin our first Sunday of Lent and experience the presence of the Risen Savior.