2007 Beliefs

A few years back I decided to try to put into my own words what I thought about God, the Bible, Jesus, etc. I felt it was important to separate what is revealed by God from what we deduce, experience, and document as history. I suspect I'll need to revisit this every few years, because even now I would word things differently, emphasize things that are not even included here, and de-emphasize other items or eliminate them entirely. But, for what it's worth, here's what it was...

God exists; creation implies a powerful Creator, and the intricate design in creation reveals much about him. God speaks; throughout history he has communicated with the hearts of individuals, and guided them to write these communications, history, ethical teachings, collected wisdom, poetry, songs, etc. in their own language and style.

These writings were collected into what we now call “The Bible”. People who love God generally agree which writings were truly from God, and carefully copied/translated them for thousands of years. Those who agree the Bible is from God trust its accuracy, submit to its authority, practice its teachings, and believe its revelations.

One revelation is that we’re all fundamentally a hopeless mess. This goes back to the first man, continues with our children, and distances us from God. He still loves us, but we’re unable to rightly love him and others. We simply fall short. We are naturally selfish, and any apparent generosity is tainted with ulterior motives.

People across history agree that thoughts and actions generally have consequences; this is widely known as “karma” – you get what’s coming to you. The revelations also agree: those who don’t love God rightly don’t enjoy his presence and blessings, and tend to suffer appropriate consequences for their thoughts and actions.

Another revelation is that God showed us his perfect love by becoming a man named Jesus of Nazareth. He loved through his words and actions, and paid the consequences for, not himself, but everyone else by being publicly executed on a cross. He demonstrated a “grace” that worked outside the law of karma.

God even revealed thousands of years ago that one would accomplish all that Jesus did. The writers referred to this person as the one “anointed” (chosen) by God. The Hebrew word for this is “moshiach” (Messiah); the Greek word is “christos” (Christ). That’s why he is commonly known as “Jesus the Christ”, or simply “Jesus Christ”.

History records that Jesus came back to life after three days in the grave, taught his friends over a period of forty days, and then ascended up to heaven. His friends banded together as an extended family called “the church”, and spread the good news that a new way of living in freedom and love was available to all.

For those who believe that this good news is true and commit their lives to it, they are set free to enter into a loving relationship with Jesus/God, with all their consequences paid in full by him. They become new people inside. As they live out this faith God changes them, patiently teaching them to truly love. He no longer holds their failings against them, since they are a “work in progress”. He calls them “children” and “friends”.

Over time, God’s friends realize more and more how involved God is with them. The Bible reveals that God’s Holy Spirit is actively working in his people so they become increasingly more like Jesus in word and action. People often refer to God/Jesus/Holy Spirit as the Three-in-one, or the Trinity. Trying to fully understand this is like trying to comprehend the universe, predestination, or anything thing else infinite; our finite brains aren’t made for it.

The Bible reveals that God provides special gifts and talents to all of his friends so that they can help each other in unique, inter-connected ways. So, one benefit of a local “church” community is that each person can practice their abilities for the benefit of everyone else. They work together and grow together as grateful friends of God.

God’s work continues in this world and in the lives of his friends. He revealed that his love is so endless he will provide his friends with new, eternal bodies at death. Death isn’t something for them to fear; instead, it’s a portal to a life even more exciting that the one they experience with him here and now. In the meantime, his friends have much living, loving, and growing to do as they partner with him to make this good news known to the world.