Monday, March 31, 2008

My Religious Affiliation

So the other night a girl asked me what religion I was. I thought for a few moments and couldn't rightly respond. The only church I've ever been to with a denominational title was the Mennonite church that I attended as a child. The next church was essentially non-denominational and for a while was pretty much without members as well. My current church, while still non-denominational, is nothing like the previous one. So naturally, I had a hard time explaining to the girl, a Catholic, what "religion" I was.
I'm a self-proclaimed Christian but that word seems too ambiguous. Dictionary.com defines it as "of, pertaining to, believing in, or belonging to the religion based on the teachings of Jesus Christ: Spain is a Christian country." That covers what I believe but is still very general. A Roman Catholic is considered a Christian by that definition and I definitely do not believe what Roman Catholics do. So what do I believe?
I Believe:
  • in a triune God with three persons, distinct in their function but equal in essence and nature.
  • that God is righteous and just.
  • that "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God"
  • that therefore I am a sinner and a righteous and just God would not accept a sinner into heaven.
  • that Jesus became man, lived a perfect life, died as the sacrificial lamb for my sins and rose again to show not even death can stop God.
  • that accepting Jesus Christ as your savior is the only way to the Father and Heaven.
  • that nothing I can ever do, except accepting Jesus as savior, can ever contribute to my salvation because Jesus paid it all on the cross. In other words, I am never anymore justified to be in Heaven then when I first accept Christ as my savior.
  • in unconditional election, or that God chooses to save only by His grace and mercy, and not because of merit or worth.
  • in limited atonement, or that Jesus' substitutionary death was enough for everyone's salvation but was not meant for everyone but rather only for God's "elect"
  • that God does everything in a manner that give God the most glory.
  • that when God purposes to save someone, his Holy Spirit will not be defeated so God can save anyone but chooses to endure "vessels of wrath" because it gives Himself the most glory.
  • that He who began a good work in us is faithful to complete it so if you have accepted Jesus into your heart you have, a sort of, "eternal security"
  • that the gifts of the Holy Spirit (speaking in tongues, prophecy etc.) are present in the church today.
  • that the Bible is the breathed out word of God and is completely infallible and completely true.
So what does that make me? It makes me a man desperately in need of a savior who God has chosen to save out of his love, and who is called to live a life as a suitable representation of the God he serves but fails. Amazing grace how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

"in limited atonement, or that Jesus' substitutionary death was enough for everyone's salvation but was not meant for everyone but rather only for God's "elect""

please explain?