Doctrinal Statement
Bible
I believe that the Bible is the inerrant word of God, all 66 books of it. That is to say that it is trustworthy, both historically and spiritually. It is a powerful way God reveals Himself and His will to all of mankind through all of time.
This is not to claim that every text or translation is inerrant, but the original “autographs”, the original texts were. Fortunately, many copies are available, particularly of the NT such that little text is in doubt and no basic doctrines are affected. The books of the Bible were originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek. There is real value in studying the original languages to understand better what the authors meant to their original readers, but excellent English translations are available and the most important doctrines come through clearly in all of them.
The idea that the Bible is actually inerrant is a conclusion that is reached based on evidence and faith. The evidence is two-fold. First it stands up to historical evaluation, there is no evidence for or against many parts. Secondly, its truth is wrapped up in Jesus. If He is found to be God, then His words are God’s words and the fact that He treated the Old Testament as God’s word means that we should as well and it is an easy step to extend this claim to the New Testament. The claim is that the Word itself is inerrant, but human interpretation is not inerrant and never carries the same authority.
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV)
God
I believe in the one and only living and true God, who reveals Himself to us as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. He is the all-powerful (omnipotent) creator. He is all-knowing (omniscient), all-loving (omnibenevolent), and totally just and holy all of the time. He is not limited to our time and space but has and continues to act beyond them. His ways are not our ways, and we know Him because He chooses to reveal Himself to us. We seek Him through faith, “and without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him”. (Hebrews 11:6 (ESV)) It is not “blind faith” but faith based on evidence that He provides.
Jesus
Jesus is a part of the Holy Trinity. He is the Son of God and through the miracle of the incarnation, He voluntarily chose to become human in order to provide a means by which God and man could be reconciled. He demonstrated God’s love for mankind by laying down His life and died on a cross. He was physically raised from the dead on the third day. “but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear, not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.” Acts 10:40-41 (ESV) These were historical events that can be tested by historical analysis. Jesus has promised to return to earth someday to ultimately bring forward a new creation. However, “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only”. Matthew 24:36 (ESV)
Creation
The universe that we exist in was created by God and reflects His magnificence and character. God is not a part of the universe or limited by it. Science is the study of His creation by humans and though imperfect, it is useful for understanding both nature and its creator. Nature and the Bible both reflect God’s truth and will not contradict one another, if understood properly. We may not be able to understand or resolve all difficulties at this time, but the evidence is strong enough for us to trust that answers exist. I believe that the scientific evidence that the universe began about 13.8 billion years ago and that life has developed on earth over the last 3.7+ billion years reflects God’s action and is consistent with God’s Word in the Bible.
Salvation
The biblical word “salvation” implies that something is wrong in our lives. The Bible teaches that all of mankind is naturally in rebellion against God. The demands of God can be summed up in the two commandments: 1. Love the Lord our God with all of our heart and being. 2. Love our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:37-38). We are separated from God by our choices not to obey these commands. Yet God loved us, even while we were sinners and sent Jesus to die for us so that we can be reconciled to Him. (Romans 5:8). God pursues us but we must personally choose to accept His invitation. God’s gift of salvation comes freely to us as a result of God’s grace, not as a result of any action on our part. (Ephesians 2:8-9) “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9 (ESV) We confess that we are sinners and reject our old way, submitting to God. When we trust Jesus as our only way to God, a miracle occurs. If we sincerely turn our hearts to God, he immediately comes into our life and begins a process of change that will ultimately be completed when we see Him.