Statements of faith do not give us Life. Only Christ gives us Life. Our "statements" tend to create more division than they do unity. Although, I do think every individual should try to scratch out a "statement" of belief, even if no one ever sees it but you. It will tell you a good deal about your own walk with God. As for me, I believe in the all of the basic tenants of the Christian faith. But I like to express those beliefs in the following narrative way. I find this very difficult to do -- sort of like trying to summarize all of what God has done and desires for us in a few short paragraphs. So I end up editing this every so often. It's really the Bible as a whole, and the Spirit of God working in our own lives now and through our corporate Life in His Kingdom, which is our real statement.
Still, if you were just coming to God and interested, this is what I would say:
The Gospel of Jesus Christ
Would you like to know more about how to have a personal relationship with God? That’s great! The fact is, God loves you and wants to connect with you as His creation. He desires to have a relationship with you and for you to have one with Him. And he wants you to be surrounded by brothers and sisters in Christ whom also have a relationship with Christ. That's God ultimate desire: For you to know Him and for God to have a people He can call his own.
God has proved He loves You! Do you realize that your decision to connect with God is the most important decision you will ever make? It is a decision that affects your life now and forever. The Bible says that God really does want the best for you. And because of that, He gave the best He had to give — Jesus Christ!
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son, that whoever believes in him will not die but have eternal life.” John 3:16
The Problem
However, connecting to God is not possible because of sin. We all have sinned and that leads to death and separation from God.
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23
“The wages of sin is death.” Romans 6:23
But death was not God’s plan for us. Life is God’s plan for us. Abundant and eternal life! Not just Life in the Age to come, but Life in this present Age as well. Romans 5:8 says,
“But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”
Our Connection to God!
Jesus came to give everyone abundant and eternal life with God. Jesus himself said that,
“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but through me.” This is true. Christ proved He was unique in that He came to earth, died on a cross, and was raised to life. It was because of that, that we can have new life in Christ! Nothing or nobody else but Christ could have fixed the problem. Not even your best religious or moral efforts would have gotten God’s attention.
“God saved you by his special favor when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.” Ephesians 2:8-9
Trust
So, we all have to turn to God for forgiveness of sin and trust that Jesus died to give you new life.
“…turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” Acts 3:19
By professing your trust in Christ as Lord you are putting total faith in what He did to give you eternal and abundant life. Faith is pushing forward in a new relationship with Jesus Christ. It is seeking him with all of your heart and allowing Him to change you from the inside out. He does this by His Spirit. But you will need a vibrant, Christ-focused church to also help you become like Him.
Would you like to connect to God through personal relationship with Christ?
If you are ready, talk to God right now, heart-to-heart. Repent before God and begin a
prayer life with Him. This is NOT a "sinner's prayer" you're doing. This is just the beginning of a
relationship with God. You can tell Him anything. So start with this, “God, thank you for loving me enough to send your one and only Son to die for me. I realize and believe I am a sinner. I also believe that Jesus died and was raised to life so that I may connect with you forever. I want to turn from my way of life and follow Christ and His way. Right now, I invite Christ to come into my life and take over. Thank you God for giving me new life. Show me your will and lead me to a church that reflects your glory and purposes in the Earth.” Again this is the beginning of a relationship with God. Becoming a citizen of Heaven is an ongoing, life-long commitment to God and your church.
Jesus is Lord!
If we are honest it's not enough to just pray a "sinner's prayer" and go on with our life, living the way we want to. That wouldn't make any sense at all. Having a real relationship with God inevitably leads us to want to really please him. God wants us to make Jesus our Lord and to find out how to do His will and not our own. And we can only make Jesus our Lord by his Spirit.
"...no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit." (1 Corinthians 12:3). This is bigger than simple salvation from sin. This is realigning our lives, pledging our allegiance to a new King -- The King of Kings -- and making Him Lord. But be patient. Following God and making Him Lord takes time and faithfulness. Start by simply widening your prayer life to include a habit of asking God questions about what to do in each circumstance. Yes, you CAN ask God what to do. And, yes, He will tell you. Lean on His Spirit and your spiritual friends for answers to daily questions. Listen for His voice and then draw from His strength to do what He tells you to do. Over time this deepening of your relationship with God will make Jesus more and more Lord and will lead to real spiritual growth.
Spiritual Growth
By placing your trust in God, you are also trusting that God will help you in your new journey. Continue to commune with God on a daily basis and connect to other believers in and followers of Christ. And read the scriptures!!! Christ came to inhabit the Earth through the Spirit and demonstrate His Life through the local church. The local church is a gathering of God’s people meant to show the world a tangible and real Jesus Christ. So finding a church which is fixed on “being” Christ to the world is very important to your ongoing Spiritual growth and deepening relationship with God. The Bible is this same story told of God and His creation over time. So pray and trust God. And follow Him wherever He may lead you.
Church
The shedding of His blood is so very important for us to understand. We need God to help us. The Blood is as important to God as it ever was. And it is just as important for us, for without it we do not know
Who We Are in Christ.
But the shedding of His blood and the redemption of sins was not God’s only goal. The cross-sacrifice was merely a means to an end for God. God’s desire was, and is to this day, to fill groups of people — Churches everywhere — to reflect the Living Lord. The Blood is a real thing but it’s not the only thing. That our sins are completely forgiven by the Blood of Christ is truth, but it’s not “The Truth.” “The Truth” is Christ Himself (John 14:6). We cannot stop short of God’s real heart — He wants to inhabit the Earth through churches, the risen and returned Body of Christ.
While dying on the cross, I picture that Christ thought not only just of me as His blood dripped down, but that He thought of mighty, redeemed groups of people where His Spirit would dwell and where a power-full, spiritual army would rise up in the new Kingdom of Heaven and declare together: “What Can Wash Away OUR Sins?!” — “Nothing but the blood. Nothing but the blood. Nothing but the blood of Jesus.” Find a church and become an active part of God’s people in your area. It’s so very essential to your spiritual growth.
Family
God designed and created your family in order to glorify Him and show the world that our God reigns. Right now, people and churches everywhere are fighting dark forces of evil intent on ripping families apart and stealing the hearts of children. Don’t underestimate this power. Only God can help you and me and all of us lead our families. We must rely on Him and on brothers and sisters in Christ more than we ever have, in order to save our children. “Do not conform to the patterns of the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds.” This verse is of vital importance for family life. We must be willing to take inventory of our daily lives and throw out that which conforms us to the patterns of the world. Do this! Go against the flow. Say no to your children, and be embarrassed before your friends, if you have to. Doing so might just save your family for all eternity. But don’t become legalistic in this effort to not conform to the patterns of the world. Always remember the greatest commandment:
“Love the Lord your God
with all your heart and with all your soul and
with all your mind and with all your strength.
The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself.
There is no commandment greater than these.”
Finally, DON'T GIVE UP! Keep seeking first the Kingdom of God and God's righteousness and "all these things will be given to you!" (Matt. 6:33). This is an absolute promise! My own life is a testimony to this. So many times I've wanted to give up, not believing what God says through Christ is true. But it is ALL true!! Don't give up. And lean on your brothers and sisters in Christ. They are to be your family, closer than anyone. They are your life-support system! If you don't have a church which helps you grow in God, change it, or keep on looking! But never give up. Ask God for help and He will Always help you. It's one of His very favorite things to do. :-)
