I BELIEVE
(The pronoun I refers to you the reader)
I Believe that Jesus is the Anointed One,
the Son of the Living God.
I BELIEVE THAT GOD EXISTS:
He is eternal, without beginning or end, all-powerful, and all-knowing. He existed before time began. By His great power and wisdom He created all things, including this earth and all that we see, and He created me. He knows all there is to know for He knows my thoughts, plans, and motives. The Father knew me before the creation of the world. He knew me when I was conceived in my mother’s womb and has a record of all I have done and spoken. He knows my future and my end. He has a plan for my life which He reveals to me, day by day and step by step.
I BELIEVE GOD REVEALS HIMSELF TO ME:
He Reveals Himself in His creation.
The wonderful design and complex nature of this universe proves to me that it could not happen by chance. God is revealed as a creative designer, with great power, wisdom and knowledge.
He Reveals Himself in His Word, the Bible. The Bible is accurate, without mistakes. It is scientifically correct for here God reveals how it really happened.
The Bible reveals God as perfect, righteous, and holy. He is without sin and He hates sin. Therefore, all who rebel against God will be punished with an eternal death. But God in His love provided a way to escape this punishment through His Son Jesus, the Anointed One.
In His Word, God presents Himself in three personalities: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
The FATHER reveals to me the mind of God. Here the message, plans and thoughts of God are revealed, for Jesus said that His message was not His own. He taught what the Father told Him to teach. The Father loves His creation. He loves me so much that He sent His Son to take my punishment for my sins.
The SON reveals to me the actions of God. For it was Jesus who created all things in heaven and earth and all powers and authorities. Although, all things were made by Him, He came to earth as a man in obedience to the Father's wish. He put into action God’s plan to redeem mankind. He made me and all that I have and provided an escape from the punishment for my sins.
The HOLY SPIRIT reveals to me the emotions of God. Before John the Baptist was born the Holy Spirit in him jumped for joy when Mary came to visit. Jesus expressed great joy when the Holy Spirit was upon Him. The Holy Spirit express the joy and love of God. He also grieves over the sin and rebellion in the world and in me. He tells me when I am doing wrong and guides me in the right way.
I BELIEVE THAT GOD HATES SIN:
As part of God’s plan, made before the creation of the earth, He created Adam and Eve and placed them in the Garden of Eden. They were perfect, made in the image of God. Since they were perfect they were clothed in light. But they rebelled against God and sinned. The light left them and they saw they were naked and they were cast out of the Garden. Since then nothing has been perfect, all has been incomplete with missing parts.
Adam’s first son killed his brother and as the population grew sin continued to increase until God decided to destroy the people with a flood and start over again. God commanded Noah to build a boat to preserve him, his family, and the animals until the destruction was over. The Bible gives only a brief account of the destruction. But believing scientist are discovering the destruction was total. The whole surface of the earth was churned up, turned over, and ground into powder and deposited in large beds which became hard like cement. There was tremendous volcanic activity and there are indications that meteorites hit the earth. After the former civilization was completely erased, God let things settle down and Noah's family started a new civilization. But the new civilization continued to sin. God hates sin but He allows each person to either choose to obey or not to obey Him. I am making the choice to believe in God and in His Word and to accept the sacrifice He provides.
I could choose to disobey and not believe God. But, I have to accept the consequences of my choice. If I obey God, He will bless me, and take me to heaven to live with Him in glory. If I choose to disobey I will be punished with eternal death. Since all people have sinned, all will be punished. There is nothing I or anyone else can do to purchase an escape from the coming judgment and punishment. The escape has been provided freely by God, I cannot buy my way into heaven. Obedience is believing that Jesus is the Christ and to love one another.
I BELIEVE GOD SAVES ME FROM ETERNAL
PUNISHMENT:
I know I am a sinner who has rebelled against a holy God and my punishment is eternal death, which is an eternal separation from God. God sent His Son to earth to offer Himself as a sacrifice in my place. He died that I might live. But, God allows me and everyone else to either accept this sacrifice or reject it. God wants everyone to accept His Son’s sacrifice, but many reject it because they do not wish to give up their sinful way of life.
I want to be right with God, therefore I believe in and accept the sacrifice God provided for me. To prove to God and the world that I believe in Him I must tell the world that “I believe that Jesus is the Anointed One, the Son of the living God.” Also I must be buried with Christ and raised with Him to walk a new walk in obedience to the commands of Christ. This happens in baptism. Baptism is not a ritual to become a member of a church nor is it a symbolic burial. God’s word teaches it is the burial of a dead person and his resurrection to a new life.
I cannot be made right with God by doing good works. But I prove my love for God through the good things I do. My life now is moral, righteous, honest, loving, and truthful. I love my family and help those in trouble and supply their needs when necessary. I even love my enemies and pray God’s blessing on them and help them in their time of need.
I BELIEVE JESUS IS COMING AGAIN
I believe that Jesus is coming again. I do not know when He will return for it may be today or 500 years from now. (A thousand years is like a day to God, so He may send His Son back at noon which would be 500 years.) But, I do know that He will return. Also, I do not know how I fit into the many prophecies of His return. But I do know He will return, and when He does I will be with Him in glory. I along with the other believers will take part in a marriage feast. We will become the bride of Christ. I do not know just what this means, but I will understand when it happens. I do know that to go to heaven and take part in the marriage, I must believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God and prove my belief by a change in my way of life.
I BELIEVE IN A COMING JUDGMENT
Everyone will be raised from the dead and brought before God to be judged. As a believer in Christ I will stand before Him at the “Judgment Seat of Christ” where I will be judged and awarded according to my actions on earth. All those who reject Christ will stand before the “Great White Throne.” The books will be opened and those who are not written in the “Book of Life” will be condemned and suffer eternal death. I believe that I will stand at the “Judgment Seat of Christ” and receive eternal life with Christ in glory.
May the words of my mouth
and the meditations of my heart
be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my strength and
my Redeemer.
The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand. One who believes in the Son has
eternal life, but one who disobeys the Son won't see life, but the wrath of God remains on him." John 3:35,36 WEB
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