What Is Fundamental for The Faith?

What is fundamental for The Faith? | A Confession of Continuity

INTRO & HOOK

Greetings, and welcome to The Wisdom Crucible with Jakob McClain — where you and I engage in the ongoing practice of applying biblical thinking to deepen our understanding of biblical truth.

While working on a draft for my local church’s statement of faith, I found myself considering not just the primary issues for The Faith that we must agree on to call ourselves Christians, but also the critical secondary issues that may not be essential for salvation but are still immensely impactful in the faithfulness of our walk with God.

I recall that throughout PT school some of my professors often stated the mantra that “Experts do the basics well.” I would add to that imperative that a foundation ignored is destined to ruin.

Not only is it important to establish a firm foundation, but it must also be maintained. In constructing a building, you may be able to find a piece of ground so sturdy that nothing short of an earthquake will disrupt it.

However, the human mind is not that reliable. Our minds are like loose soil in an extremely dynamic climate. We experience seasons of nourishing rain, desiccating drought, and sudden traumatic events.

The unsteady nature of the human mind can result in cracked and even crumbling foundations over time if not properly attended to. Because of this truth, and the growing disagreement that I’ve witnessed regarding many of these issues, I realized that it would be beneficial to write out concise statements for each of the most important hotly contested topics along with the primary doctrines of The Faith and then read through a few Scriptures that reveal the critical details of those doctrines.

When reading through the scriptural references, I am going to provide minimal commentary for the purpose of this episode to allow the Word of God to speak for itself.

This is a confession of faith, a declaration of truth, and a call to submissive unity under Scripture.

I. SCRIPTURE

The first statement that I want to make is in regards to Scripture — the very Word of God.

The Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, which comprise the Bible, are the written Word of God.

All Scripture is authored by God via the inspiration of the Holy Spirit expressed through the hands of the human writers.

It carries the authority of God over all tradition, philosophy, and cultural ideology.

Scripture is inerrant and therefore a trustworthy source of truth sufficient for all doctrine, correction, and instruction in righteousness.

The Scriptural sources that I chose to point to in support of this statement are Psalm 19:7–11, Mark 7:1–13, Colossians 2:8, 2 Timothy 3:16–17, and 2 Peter 1:20–21.

I’m next going to read each of those passages and briefly state why I chose to reference them. I will not be getting into a detailed defense of interpretation in this episode since the purpose of this message is to confess and reflect on the critical elements of the Christian Faith.

Psalm 19:7-11

The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

Here God tells us that his words are perfect, pure, righteous, trustworthy, and enlightening.

Mark 7:1-13

Now when the Pharisees gathered to Him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders, and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.) And the Pharisees and the scribes asked Him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” And He said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, “This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me; in vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” And He said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban” ’ (that is, given to God) — then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.”

Here God tells us that Scripture has authority over human culture and tradition.

Colossians 2:8

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

This passage makes it clear that any philosophy which opposes Christ, the Word Made Flesh, is empty deceit.

2 Timothy 3:16–17

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.

God’s Word makes it clear that while Scripture may be recorded by men it can only originate with the authorship of God and is the training manual for the man of God.

2 Peter 1:20–21

No prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

There’s no way around this. Men do not produce prophecy. Only the will of God initiates prophecy and delivers it to people through his Spirit.

II. THE ONE TRUE GOD

The second statement that I’m going to give is a summary of the known critical characteristics of God according to his revelation.

No man knows everything that there is to know about God, so don’t allow the following to flatten your view of God to this simple list of facts.

That said, we can say with certainty that the God of the Bible is the one true God. He is the eternal non-created sovereign — the creator and sustainer of all things. He is holy, just, merciful, loving, omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent. According to his nature, He is unchanging in essence, character, and purposes. Furthermore, He desires to be known by his creation.

My chosen references for this statement are Genesis 1:1; Deuteronomy 32:4; Nehemiah 9:6; Psalm 90:2, 99:9, and 139; Isaiah 45:5–7; Malachi 3:6; 1 Corinthians 8:4–6; Colossians 1:16–17; and James 1:17-18.

I’ll next read those passages to show how they clearly reveal the truth of the monotheistic God of all creation.

Genesis 1:1

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

This tells us that God is the source of creation.

Deuteronomy 32:4

The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is He.

This tells us that God is just, faithful, and righteous.

Nehemiah 9:6

You are the Lord, You alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and You preserve all of them; and the host of heaven worships You.

This passage reveals that not only is God the source of creation, but the sustainer of creation — meaning that without God nothing could come into existence or continue to exist.

Psalm 90:2

Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting You are God.

This passage reveals that God is the single uncreated source of creation and time — the uncaused first cause of everything that comes to be.

Psalm 99:9

Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy mountain; for the Lord our God is holy!

In this statement God tells us that He is worthy to be exalted and worshipped because He is Holy.

Psalm 139

O Lord, You have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, You know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it. Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, You are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,” even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you. For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you. Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God! O men of blood, depart from me! They speak against you with malicious intent; your enemies take your name in vain. Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you? I hate them with complete hatred; I count them my enemies. Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!

Psalm 139 poetically describes the literal truth that all of creation is within God’s presence and under His complete sovereignty. Nothing is hidden from God, not even the future. He searches our minds and guides us away from evil and in the way of his eternal holiness.

Isaiah 45:5–7

I am the Lord, and there is no other, besides Me there is no God; I equip you, though you do not know Me, that people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides Me; I am the Lord, and there is no other. I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am the Lord, who does all these things.

In this passage, God informs us through Isaiah that He is the one and only God and that He provides general revelation to all, even those who do not know Him. From other Scriptures we know that we observe this general revelation in our souls and in the characteristics of his creation. Apart from any special revelation such as privately experienced miracles, this is how people all over the world in various cultures throughout time have recognized the signs of God in nature even without reading Scripture or hearing the Gospel.

Malachi 3:6

For I the Lord do not change.

A straightforward simple truth: God does not change. He is the same through eternity within and without the bounds of time.

1 Corinthians 8:4–6

Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “an idol has no real existence,” and that “there is no God but one.” For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth — as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords” — yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.

Through this Scripture we know that the only true God created and sustains us FOR Himself. We don’t exist for personal fulfillment. We exist for the fulfillment of God’s will, so thank God with all humility that even without need for us He loves us and offers not mere toilsome servitude to a deity but perfect relationally-focused life with no remnant of pain in the new creation that is coming.

Colossians 1:16–17

For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities — all things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.

This passage nicely and concisely ties together God’s role as creator, sustainer, and sovereign, as well as the purpose of all creation being for its creator.

James 1:17-18

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

God both elevates and humbles us in this passage, because He reveals that everything that we have that is truly good comes from his unchanging goodness, and also points to us being the firstfruits of his creatures — a nod to the fact that humans alone are made in the image of God and capable of doing good works. He could just as easily not have made us, or made us but not with the honor of being in his image. If being made in God’s image and blessed by Him for every good thing that you have doesn’t elicit from you a humbly awe-struck gratitude then you are living in the shadow of your own pride. We’ve all been there. If that’s where you are, now’s as great a time as any to kill your pride so that you can bask in the glory of God’s presence.

III. THE TRINITY – ONE BEING, THREE PERSONS

Statement #3 is about the trinitarian existence of God. After reading the references for this statement I’ll proceed with nested statements regarding each of the three persons of the Trinity.

God exists eternally as one divine being expressed through three distinct persons — each fully God, sharing the same essence, character, and purposes. The three persons of the Trinity revealed through Scripture are Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

My chosen references are Matthew 28:19 and 2 Corinthians 13:14.

I’ll now read each of these passages from the Word of God and reveal in brief why I chose to cite them.

Matthew 28:19

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Baptism and discipleship are for Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Since baptism is an expression of faith leading to discipleship for the one true God revealed throughout the Bible, this indicates that all three persons — Father, Son, and Spirit — are God. Yet if He were only one at a time then we would not need to baptize in the singular name of Father, Son, “AND” Holy Spirit — which is the one being, Yahweh. We would only need to baptize in one of God’s names (plural) if He was one person switching modes in a multi-personal dance reminiscent of stage theater or dissociative identity disorder.

2 Corinthians 13:14

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

This Scripture is special not in the identification of characteristics unique to one person or another within the Trinity, but in the revelation of God’s traits with a unified will demonstrated through three persons each fulfilling a distinct role despite their equal nature. The Trinity is full of grace because of love which is expressed through relationship. This is taught to us primarily through the Holy Spirit by the example of Christ according to the Father’s authoritative initiation which enables us to have a relationship with Him.

A. God the Father

The Father initiates creation and redemption. He is not before the other persons of the Trinity, but He is the one to whom they willingly submit to relationally. His authority as Father is not established through domination, but through the unified will of God.

My chosen references are John 6:44-46 and Ephesians 1:3–11.

I’ll now read each passage and point out the reason for its inclusion in this list.

John 6:44-46

No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me — not that anyone has seen the Father except He who is from God; He has seen the Father.

This Scripture demonstrates that it is the initiation of God the Father to draw people towards Himself that leads people to God the Son. It also reveals that He who was sent by God, which is Jesus referring to Himself, is the only one who has seen the Father. It also implies that despite Jesus Christ also being God He submitted to the initiation of the Father to be sent into creation.

Ephesians 1:3–11

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us for adoption to Himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which He has blessed us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which He set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Him, things in heaven and things on earth. In Him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of his will.

This passage of Scripture tells us that God the Father blessed us through Christ — God the Son — according to His love and foreknowledge of us from before we were made.

B. God the Son – Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ is the only person begotten of the Father. He is eternally fully God and through the incarnation also fully man. He lived a sinless life as a man to pay the price of humanity’s sins through crucifixion. He resurrected bodily from the grave and ascended to Heaven by His own righteousness to intercede on our behalf and pave the way for our salvation. Similar to His miraculous ascension into heaven on a cloud, He will return to Earth in the future to bring judgement against evil and bring all of His people into the presence of God. This is the good news of Jesus Christ — the Gospel.

My chosen references are Isaiah 53; John 1:1–14 and 3:13; Acts 1:9–11; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 2:9; and Hebrews 1:1-13, 2:14-18, and 4:15.

Next, I’ll read those excerpts from the Bible and explain why they made the list.

Isaiah 53

Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has The Arm of the Lord been revealed? For He grew up before Him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; He had no form or majesty that we should look at Him, and no beauty that we should desire Him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth. By oppression and judgment He was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that He was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although He had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush Him; He has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, He shall see his offspring; He shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul He shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the many, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong, because He poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet He bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.

What’s incredible about this section of the book of Isaiah is that it’s a detailed description of none other than Jesus according to the Gospel accounts, yet written either 5 or 7 centuries prior the incarnation of Christ, depending on which scholarly timeline you are more agreeable to. Either way, at least half a millennium prior to the live events of the Gospel, the book of Isaiah had already described The Arm of the God incarnated into man without visible sign of divinity, despised and rejected by His community, lacking sin and yet bearing the sins of the people who hated Him as He was crushed to the point of death as an offering so that He could intercede on the peoples’ behalf with God.

This is one of the most incredible and obvious instances of OT prophecy fulfilled in the NT.

John 1:1–14

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, yet the world did not know Him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive Him. But to all who did receive Him, who believed in his name, He gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

This passage makes it clear that Jesus Christ is not only from God but IS God and has always been God. Although He is begotten of God the Father, He is not created, but equally eternal, and He directly acted out the will of God to create everything that has been created, which is everything except for God Himself.

John also tells us here that Jesus came as a man, unknown to His people, the people of Israel, to give the right of adoption into God’s family.

John 3:13

No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.

In saying that Jesus ascended it is revealed that He entered the presence of God by His own authority. He was not taken up by God as had been done to Enoch and Elijah. He ascended into heaven because He was the one who came from heaven to begin with.

Acts 1:9–11

And when He had said these things, as they were looking on, He was lifted up, and a cloud took Him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as He went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven.”

This passage reveals more details about the scene of Christ’s ascension into heaven and reveals that He will return to Earth in a similar fashion in the future.

1 Corinthians 15:3-8

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then He appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared also to me.

The point that Paul communicated in that passage is that the most important Christian belief is that Christ came to fulfill the prior Scriptures through his life, death, burial, and resurrection to offer salvation from sin, which was witnessed directly by numerous people prior to Christ’s ascension in heaven.

Philippians 2:5-11

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

This part of Scripture summarizes the nature of the incarnation of God to make clear that God the Son humbled Himself to be incarnated into flesh — fully man and yet also fully God.

Colossians 2:9

For in Him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily.

If you had any doubt that Philippians 2 preserved the full deity of Christ while in the incarnation, this verse from Colossians 2 should put that doubt to rest. The whole fullness of deity dwelt in the body of Christ. It was not a mixture, trade, or confusion of natures. It was two fully complete natures present in the incarnation.

Hebrews 1:1-13

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom He appointed the heir of all things, through whom also He created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and He upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name He has inherited is more excellent than theirs. For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”? Or again, “I will be to Him a father, and He shall be to me a son”? And again, when He brings the firstborn into the world, He says, “Let all God’s angels worship Him.” Of the angels He says, “He makes his angels winds, and his ministers a flame of fire.” But of the Son He says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.” And, “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands; they will perish, but You remain; they will all wear out like a garment, like a robe You will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But You are the same, and your years will have no end.” And to which of the angels has He ever said, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”?

By referencing the past use of prophets, God emphasizes the contrast and climax of God the Son speaking in perfect synchronization with the will of the Father. Additionally, the Son is said by the Father to be the begotten heir, creator, and sustainer of all things with the same nature as the Father. The angels are his, and He is to be worshipped by them.

If all that still isn’t enough for you to affirm the deity of Christ, God refers to Christ as God explicitly when the Father said to Jesus, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever”.

Hebrews 2:14-18

Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death He might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. For surely it is not angels that He helps, but He helps the offspring of Abraham. Therefore He had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because He Himself has suffered when tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted.

This is the Scripture that explains the need for God to be incarnated as man instead of coming in some other divine or angelic form. To establish the kind of relationship that He sought with his human creations it was necessary for Him to take on the weakness of our flesh and let us see Him live as man and give Himself up to death in our place.

This is immensely more meaningful and evidential for God’s love than simply divinely waving away the consequences of sin and death — that He chose to suffer on our behalf and show us how to be holy.

Hebrews 4:15

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.

This statement clarifies that even as a man tempted as any other Jesus Christ lived a perfectly sinless life to both sympathize with our difficulties and yet demonstrate the standard of God’s righteousness.

C. God the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is also fully God, proceeding from the Father through the Son to provide every believer a direct personal relationship with God. The Spirit indwells and empowers, convicts and comforts, sanctifies and regenerates. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are ongoing, and in accordance with the Word must be tested by Scripture to ensure authenticity.

My chosen references are John 14:16–17 and 16:7–15; Acts 5:3–4; Romans 8:11; 1 Corinthians 12–13; Galatians 5:22–25; 1 Thessalonians 5:19–21; Titus 3:4-7; and 1 John 4:1-3.

Let’s consider how those references clearly differentiate the Holy Spirit from Father and Son.

John 14:16–17

I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. You know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

Here the Son speaks of the Helper which will be sent by the Father, and calls Him the Spirit of truth.

John 16:7–15

Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send Him to you. And when He comes, He will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see Me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth, for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak, and He will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that He will take what is mine and declare it to you.

Jesus again refers to the Helper as THE Spirit, having what is Christ’s just as Christ has what is the Father’s. He will convict concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment. Furthermore, He will speak what He has heard just as Christ did. In this we see that both the Spirit and the Son submit to the Father’s authority — in other words, they act on His initiative.

Acts 5:3–4

But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.”

Lying to the Holy Spirit is lying to God because the Holy Spirit is God.

Romans 8:11

If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

The “Him” who raised Jesus from the dead was God the Father, who now gives life through His Spirit. This is the regeneration of the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 12–13

Spiritual Gifts

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit. Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as He wills.

One Body with Many Members

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body — Jews or Greeks, slaves or free — and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as He chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.

The Way of Love

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

To protect against the deceptions of other religions we are told that one speaking through the Holy Spirit will never curse the name of Jesus and it is a gift of the Holy Spirit that we have the faith to call Him our Lord. All of the various spiritual gifts come from the same Holy Spirit to each person according to His will. Yet, each gift and receiver of that gift is important to the body of Christ and cannot be tossed aside any more than the hands can toss aside the feet without losing the ability to walk.

Not every believer will receive the power of every gift of the Spirit but we should earnestly desire these gifts for the good of the body. If I were a hand, I would earnestly desire to have feet so that I wouldn’t have to do the job of the foot by crawling. A hand can’t crawl nearly as well as a foot can walk.

All that said, God wants us to clearly realize that greater than the gifts of prophecy, discernment, tongues, and all the rest is the gift of love. Speaking in tongues is not more than obnoxious noise without love. Likewise, if I understand the mysteries of the universe and have faith to move mountains but do not love I am nothing. Prophecies and tongues will one day no longer be needed, but love is the eternal gift of God that directs all other gifts, so it is the love of God that is the greatest gift that we have through the Holy Spirit.

Galatians 5:22–25

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

I really appreciate that this verse not only describes the fruit of the Spirit, but also that it tells us that there can be no law against it and that we should live in step with the Spirit and in peace with each other.

1 Thessalonians 5:19–21

Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good.

These commands show us that the gifts of the Spirit are ongoing and should not be detested but tested according to what is good, which from what the Bible says elsewhere means testing everything according to Scripture and what we know to be true. That means that supposed prophecy that contradicts Scripture is not from God and therefore not prophecy but deception.

Titus 3:4-7

When the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

This passage names the Holy Spirit as the active agent performing the renewing of all those who are saved through Jesus Christ — not because of our own works but because of God’s mercy.

1 John 4:1-3

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.

This passage reaffirms that we are to be discerning, but not only with prophecy — with everything we are told to believe, because there are many false prophets. Test everything against the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which doesn’t just refer to the Synoptic Gospels, but to the entire Word of God which is in unison with those Gospels of Christ as all Scripture must be.

IV. HUMANITY, CREATION, & SIN

Statement 4 pertains to the topics of humanity, creation, and sin.

Humanity is created by God, for God, in the image of God, and given life through His breath. Because of these truths, all human life at all stages of life, which begins at conception, belong to God and are worth defending.

Humanity fell under the curse of sin and death through disobedience to God. This curse affects all humans since the first Adam.

My chosen references are Genesis 1:26–27, 2:7, and chapter 3; Psalm 8:4–5 and 139:13-16; Jeremiah 1:5; Luke 1:41; Romans 3:23 and 5:12; and Ephesians 2:1–3.

Now, to read each passage and show how they inform our understanding of humanity, creation, and sin.

Genesis 1:26–27

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

I didn’t mention this in regards to the persons of the Trinity, but in light of the inspired harmony of all Scripture the phrase “let US make man in OUR image” is the first revelation of the multi-personhood of God from the very first book of the Bible because the words “us” and “our” imply a plurality of persons acting to create in their own image.

For the topic at hand though, this part of the creation story reveals that God created mankind in His image as both male and female. Furthermore, He created mankind to have dominion over the earth and all of its other inhabitants.

Genesis 2:7

Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.

So, God created man from dust and life through his breath.

Genesis 3

Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ” But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” And he said, “I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” To the woman He said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you.” And to Adam He said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them. Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever —” therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden He placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.

Eve was deceived by the serpent and Adam failed to correct her error, so they both sinned against God, triggering the initiation of the curse of sin and death for humanity, which also impacted all of creation.

Psalm 8:4–5

What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You care for him? Yet You have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.

So, despite the fact that God raised us from the dust, He still cares for us and wants to give us glory and honor…

It’s amazing!

I’m aware that I’ve already read the entirety of Psalm 139, but I’m going to re-read verses 13-16 now because they are particularly important for this subject.

For You formed my inward parts; You knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.

This shows the intentional action of God in creating mankind within the womb even as an unformed substance, and that clump of cells is referred to with a term indicative not merely of substance but of personhood — me.

Remember that this is Scripture, breathed out by God. That means that not only does God create man in the womb of woman just as He did from the womb of the earth in the beginning, but that He perceives a person in that unformed substance.

If God perceives a person there, it’s necessarily implied that there is life. Thus, life begins with the unformed substance conceived in the womb.

Jeremiah 1:5

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.

This verse again affirms the agency of God forming man in the womb, and furthermore reveals the intention of creation for his own purpose of consecration, which means to be made sacred or dedicated to God. We are not made for our own purposes, but for God’s purposes. Not our will, but his will.

Luke 1:41

When Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

This verse ensures that we can’t take the previous verses about conception and life too metaphorically, because it describes a literal action of a baby in a womb when that baby is touched by the Holy Spirit of God. The fetus is a baby, and that baby must be truly alive to be able to experience and respond to the Holy Spirit.

As an aside, if you ever find yourself puffing out your chest because of how filled with the Holy Spirit you are, just remember that even a person still in the fetal stage of life can jump for joy when filled with the Holy Spirit.

Everything good that we do must be enabled by the Holy Spirit because of our sin nature.

Romans 3:23

All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

This verse is the arrow against any man who claims to live in sinless perfection. No one but God can maintain the standard of God’s perfection.

Romans 5:12

Just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.

This verse affirms that while one man was responsible for the entry of sin and death into creation all of mankind is guilty because of their own personal sins.

Ephesians 2:1–3

You were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience — among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

This passage affirms that humans are born initially as children of wrath because of our nature, the sin nature that tempts us to follow the way of sin and death.

V. SALVATION

Statement 5 is in regards to salvation from the curse of sin and death.

All topics addressed by the Word of God are important, but this is one of the most important subjects for us to be on the same page about and to effectively communicate to the world.

We can tolerate disagreement on secondary issues, but this is THE doctrine impacting the eternal destiny of each human being. So, listen closely, think carefully, and spend more time on this if you are at all unsure of your stance on this issue — or if you are sure but in disagreement with the mainline Christian beliefs that have been established since the days of the early Church.

Here is the statement:

Because God is just and all of mankind have fallen short of the standard of righteousness, we are dependent on God for salvation. Yet God does not force salvation upon us, but by his will He requires that we respond to repent and believe. He judges each person perfectly according to the degree of revelation received. The spiritual rebirth produces good works, but no work of ours can wash clean the stain of our sin. Thus, salvation is acquired only by God’s grace through faith in Christ’s death and resurrection by which He suffered the consequences of sin for all believers despite having never been guilty of sin Himself. Furthermore, even our faith is a gift from God, and yet He still commands us to receive it. By this, God’s gift is shown to be not inconsiderately enforced but lovingly offered.

My chosen references are Joshua 24:15; Mark 1:15; Luke 12:47–48; John 14:6; Acts 2:38 and 17:30-31; Romans 1:18-21, 2:12-16, and 3:19-31; and Ephesians 2:8–10.

Listen to the clarity that the Word of God provides on this subject as I read through each of those passages and briefly explain their purpose in that list.

Joshua 24:15

If it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

This verse affirms the free will of choosing what master we will serve.

Mark 1:15

Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the Gospel of God, and saying “the time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel.”

This is Christ’s simple command: repent and believe in the Gospel — meaning turn away from your sins and have faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for salvation.

Luke 12:47–48

The servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.

In this Jesus reveals that God will judge fairly according not merely to the weight of our sins but with consideration for our degree of understanding of our sin — meaning that those who sin in ignorance will have the less severe judgment, but those who sin knowingly will be judged more severely.

John 14:6

Jesus says, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

Jesus is the way. There is no other way, no side door into heaven, no cheat code to eternity. You are either saved through Jesus or you are destined for Hell.

Acts 2:38

Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

So, we turn from the way of sin and are baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for forgiveness of our sins and the reception of the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 17:30-31

The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now He commands all people everywhere to repent, because He has fixed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom He has appointed; and of this He has given assurance to all by raising Him from the dead.

God proves the identity of Christ through the resurrection as the one who will judge the world, and calls us to repent before the coming Day of the Lord.

Romans 1:18-21

For the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

In Scripture we find that none have an excuse. There is a general revelation of, at the bare minimum, the power and divinity of God through the witness of creation. It is futile and foolish thinking that prevents people from recognizing God in creation, even without hearing the Gospel of Christ.

Romans 2:12-16

For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them on that day when, according to my Gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.

In this letter to the Romans, God reveals that not only do we have the external witness of creation to direct our attention to God, but we also have his law written on our hearts, which we experience through what is called the conscience. The evidence is in the substantial overlap of moral laws across the ages and cultures of the world. A man’s conscience must be dulled by his own self-deception to believe that murder is acceptable because God gifted us the law written into our beings to afford us a guide to show us how to combat our sin nature.

Romans 3:19-31

Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it — the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance He had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, since God is one — who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.

So, because all have sinned and fallen short of the standard of righteousness, we are dependent on the redemptive love of God for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ and the sacrifice of his blood to pay for our sin. In this way, God has satisfied his own law through faith in Christ on our behalf and calls us to join in this faith.

Ephesians 2:8–10

By grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

This is the mystery of faith: that it is a gift from God and yet as He reaches out to give it He also calls us to receive it. It’s not our doing, and yet the emphasis through Scripture is the command for us to receive it. We aren’t required to work out the systematic mysteries of faith to begin taking part in it. We are simply called to be obedient in our reception of it and let that faith produce the work of God in us.

VI. THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH

Statement 6 is a summary explanation of the Church.

The church is the body of Christ, and Christ is the head of the Church. With the tearing of the veil Christ metaphorically proclaimed what was in a later Scripture clearly established: the priesthood of all believers. This was done so that by His intercession with the Father every believer has a direct connection to God through the Holy Spirit. The Great Commission that Christ gave for all members of his Church is to make disciples of all the people of the Earth, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

My chosen references are Matthew 28:18-20; 1 Peter 2:5-9; 1 Corinthians 12:12–27; Ephesians 1:22–23 and 5:23; and Revelation 1:5-6.

Consider how these passages individually and all together inform us of God’s design for the Church.

Matthew 28:18-20

Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

This is a depiction of Jesus acting on his authority as the head of the Church by issuing the command to go out and disciple all the people of the world.

1 Peter 2:5-9

You yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame.” So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

In this both Christ and his people are depicted as the stones that are collected and used to construct a new temple, the Church of Jesus Christ. All who are included in the new temple are called priests and called to proclaim the truth of Christ.

I already read all of 1 Corinthians 12 earlier in discussing the Holy Spirit, but I’m now going to re-read just verses 12–27 to point out the application to the identity of the Church.

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body — Jews or Greeks, slaves or free — and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

In this metaphorical description of the Church as the body of Christ, it is pointed out that no part of the body is independent of any other. An eye cannot hear without an ear, and a mouth cannot preach from a stage without feet to walk the body up the steps.

Just as every part of the body has its place and function regardless of the appeal of its form, every member has a place and purpose in the Church. Even the covering of less presentable parts is not to be done in shame but to protect and honor as the standard of modesty applies to the covering of humanity’s physical intimacies.

This way the Church is lifted up together in unity rather than just as individuals in a meritocracy.

Ephesians 1:22–23

He put all things under his feet and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

This reaffirms the headship of Christ over the Church, as well as his place of authority over all things — because Christ isn’t just the head of the Christian Church, but over the rest of creation as well.

Ephesians 5:23

The husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is Himself its Savior.

This verse serves to show that the model of headship in the Church is similar to the service of a husband’s headship for his family with the Church relating to Christ as a bride to her husband.

Revelation 1:5-6

From Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

This passage plainly states that Christ has made a kingdom of priests out of his people that will last forever.

VII. ORDINANCES

Statement 7 is in regards to biblical ordinances.

There are two ordinances, which are visible proclamations of The Faith ordained by Jesus Christ to be practiced through faithful obedience in remembrance of Him until His second coming. They are water baptism and communion.

• Water Baptism

Water baptism is an outward expression of inward faith in the cleansing renewal of the Holy Spirit. The ritual is not salvific, but celebratory proclamation of salvation.

My chosen references are Luke 23:39–43, Romans 6:3–4, and Titus 3:5-7.

Let’s confirm the prior statement by examining those scriptures.

Luke 23:39–43

One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And He said to Him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in paradise.”

This passage does not relate directly to baptism, but it is an example of salvation without water baptism, thus proving that water baptism is not required for salvation. This is why it is described as an outward expression of faith rather than salvific.

Romans 6:3–4

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

This tells us that water baptism represents being buried with Christ in his death and then being raised to new life.

Titus 3:5-7

He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

This describes the baptism of the Holy Spirit, which is the baptism that every new believer experiences independent of water baptism. Water cannot wash our sins away and justify us before God. Only the cleansing and renewal of the Holy Spirit does that because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

B. Communion

Communion is the practice of breaking bread and drinking from the cup with reverent remembrance of our Savior’s sacrifice. The bread represents Christ’s body offered to be broken for us, and the drink of the cup represents Christ’s blood freely poured out for us. We share in communion to remember his sacrifice with the hope of sharing also in his resurrection. The communion table belongs to God and is open to all reborn believers.

My chosen references are Luke 22:19-20 and 1 Corinthians 11:26.

Listen as I read those passages and point out their contribution to the statement on Communion.

Luke 22:19-20

He took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.

The scene is set as the Lord’s table as the elements and their purposes are described. In this moment Jesus initiated a tradition of celebrating the new covenant.

1 Corinthians 11:26

As often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.

This verse describes communion as a proclamation of faith in Christ which we should practice until his return.

VIII. CHRISTIAN LIFE & IDENTITY

Statement 8 is in regards to the Christian life and identity.

Through the baptism of the Holy Spirit every believer is baptized into the death of Christ for freedom from death and into the resurrection of Christ for eternal life. Because of this a believer’s life is replaced and sustained by the life of God the Son such that our identity is found in Jesus Christ, our Savior.

However, until the second coming we must continue to endure the fallen creation and wrestle against our sin nature. This requires that we daily die to ourselves and choose to live as Christ so that when we sin, we quickly repent, turning away from the sins of the dead flesh and reminding ourselves of our identity in Christ.

God showed His love for us by sacrificing His Son on the cross while we were still sinners. Therefore, to be Christ-like requires us also to love sinners by rejecting sin and pointing them to the cross where they too can find their identity in Christ.

My chosen references are John 8:10–11; Romans 5:8 and 6:3-10; 1 Corinthians 6:9–11; Galatians 2:20; and Colossians 3:1–11.

Allow me to read the truths of the prior statement directly from the Word of God now.

John 8:10–11

Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”

God does not forgive our past without addressing our future. The judgement of life with no condemnation comes with the command to sin no more.

Romans 5:8

God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Simple, straightforward, and incredible is the fact the midst of our rebellion is the scene for God’s greatest expression of love through sacrifice.

I already read Romans 6:3-4 in discussing baptism, but now I’m going to read verses 3-10 as it paints a wonderful picture of the Christian life and identity.

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with Him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with Him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death He died He died to sin, once for all, but the life He lives He lives to God.

The old self of the flesh is a slave chained by sin to death and only freed from sin through the consequence of death, but Jesus has broken the chains of sin that bound us to our cursed fate.

This is how we are saved through Christ: that our identity is no longer in ourselves but in Him as through faith we spiritually share in his death and resurrection and find our identity as written in the book of life no longer in our own insufficient selves but in the perfectly fulfilling identity of our Savior.

1 Corinthians 6:9–11

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Names are representative of identity, and attached to our names are the labels of our past sins. This is why God places our identity in the name of Jesus Christ by his Holy Spirit.

Galatians 2:20

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

This is a great summary of the new identity of every believer: that it is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me by faith.

Colossians 3:1–11

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its Creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.

Our identity is no longer in our earthly origin but in Christ. This body may have been born into the dust of some particular community and culture on earth but I am from God, for God, and found in God.

The sinful parts of my prior identity including every type of sinful and unholy thing must be put to death to walk in the life of Christ, and since we are still living in the cursed creation until the day that we are fully returned to our Creator we must choose every day to put to death the sin that tries to wrestle back control of our lives.

We must not dwell in our sin, but live the life of Christ through faith.

IX. MARRIAGE & SEXUAL ETHICS

Statement number 9 pertain to marriage and sexual ethics.

Marriage is not an invention of humanity, but a discovered gift of God accounted for by his designs for male and female. God defines marriage as one man and one woman, and commands that sexual intimacy is reserved for the private context of marriage not for shame, but for honor.

My chosen references are Genesis 2:24, Song of Solomon 4:16-5:1, Matthew 19:4–9, 1 Corinthians 6:18–20, and Hebrews 13:4.

This has become a rather controversial topic in our culture, despite the relative unity of the Church throughout history on this subject, so the Church needs to be reminded of the clarity of Scripture on this topic.

Genesis 2:24

Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

God describes marriage as none other than a man and a woman leaving their families of origin to be joined intimately in the formation of a new family.

There are descriptions elsewhere in the Bible of other kinds of relationships involving homosexuality and more than two individuals, but this is the prescription for marriage — the one approved model for us to replicate.

Song of Solomon 4:16-5:1

This text starts from the bride’s point of view and then switches to the groom’s point of view.

First, the woman says:

Awake, O north wind, and come, O south wind! Blow upon my garden, let its spices flow.

Together in the Garden of Love

Let my beloved come to his garden, and eat its choicest fruits.

Then, the man says:

I came to my garden, my sister, my bride, I gathered my myrrh with my spice, I ate my honeycomb with my honey, I drank my wine with my milk.

This passage well represents the biblical approach to describing the intimacy of marriage to others outside of the marriage itself.

It begins with the woman calling her husband to her, and then switches to the husband speaking in the past tense affirming the consummation of the marriage.

Furthermore, nothing is described explicitly in literal terms. What is stated explicitly is in metaphorical terms. Even in this text where romantic love is such a prominent theme and in so many ways poetically discussed and depicted, the Holy Spirit’s inspired work in this Scripture demonstrates a closed-door model for romance. So, while the consummation of marriage is good and intended, this text along with the other biblical examples referring to it teach us that the details of the marriage bed are to be kept within the intimate confines of the marriage itself.

Matthew 19:4–9

He answered, “Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” They said to Him, “Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?” He said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.”

In this passage, Jesus first affirms the definition of marriage and then elevates our understanding of it as a prescription from God that is not to be dissolved by divorce except in extreme circumstance.

Jesus makes it plain as day that marriage after an unjustified divorce is already tainted by adultery because marriage carries a moral responsibility to lifelong faithfulness and shouldn’t be ended without a serious reason — and again, the reason for this is that it is not an invention of mankind, but the joining of two into one by God.

1 Corinthians 6:18–20

Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

We are not our own, but owned by our Creator and commanded to glorify God with our bodies by staying away from every kind of sexual immorality.

Hebrews 13:4

Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.

This verse beautifully contradicts any negative attitude regarding physical intimacy categorically by explicitly telling us that God sees honor in marriage.

It also reminds us that the marriage bed is exclusively for the married couple — meaning that anything else is immoral by God’s standard, the only standard that matters.

X. CHURCH LEADERSHIP

Statement 10 regards church leadership.

Church leadership is prescribed by the Word, which reveals Jesus Christ as the head of the Church extending authority through qualified men in the office of biblical eldership. This is not due to the inability of women to lead men, but rather due to the authority of God’s Word.

God the Son submitted humbly to the authority of God the Father through their unified will, without dominance or inequality. Similarly, all members of the Church, both male and female, are to submit humbly to the authority of the Elders as the Elders submit to the authority of Christ. This reflects God’s design for order, responsibility, and love as also evident in both the Trinity and family structures.

To qualify for eldership, a man must have a good reputation according to the expectations of Scripture. He must be sober-minded, disciplined, respectable, hospitable, holy, not arrogant, not a drunkard, not a lover of money, not quarrelsome, and not prone to violence. He must hold firm to the Word of God and be able to teach it and correct those who contradict it. He must manage his household well so that if he has children they are submissive according to The Faith, and if married he must be a faithful man of one wife. He also must not be a recent convert, so that he will be spiritually mature for leadership.

The elders must also be held accountable as unlike Christ they are fallible and not above rebuke.

The references for this section are especially obvious. They are Galatians 2:11–14; 1 Timothy 3:1–8 and 5:19-22; and Titus 1:5–2:1.

While this is not a primary issue for Christian faith, it is still critically important to follow the biblical mandates on this issue, and it’s been a hot topic for quite a long time.

Furthermore, there are an unfortunate quantity of church bodies that are suffering greatly at the hands of unqualified leadership. For this reason, in addition to the simple need to submit to Scripture in all regards, the Church as a whole desperately needs to regain a greater adherence to the scriptural standard for leadership.

Pay attention to the prescription of God’s Word on this topic.

Galatians 2:11–14

When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the Gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?”

The purpose of this reference is to show that even the leaders held in highest regard in the Church apart from Christ Himself are still fallible and not above rebuke and correction from others in the Church.

We should not wait for outsiders to point out our hypocrisy. We should name it and excise it ourselves, bringing correction wherever possible.

1 Timothy 3:1–8

The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.

Qualifications for Deacons

Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain.

This passage describes in detail the qualifications for eldership as well as comparing another tier of leadership that carries a lesser but still very real degree of authority in the body.

1 Timothy 5:19-22

Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear. In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality. Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure.

So, we are not to judge our leaders on rumors but with the confirmation of witnesses and rebuke in the presence of all because the offense of a leader is against everyone that he is responsible for, not just the people who recognized the error.

This is about protecting the Church from the fallacies of its human leaders and ensuring that no one is placed on a pedestal next to Jesus Christ, the true head of the Church.

Titus 1:5–2:1

This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you — if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it. For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party. They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach. One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in The Faith, not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth. To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled. They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.

Teach Sound Doctrine

But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine.

This text implicitly denies the model of an exclusively centralized governing body over the world-wide Church by prescribing the appointment of elders in each local area.

Elders are also to hold firm to the Word of God and correct those who contradict it, because every local body is still part of the greater corporate entity of the body of Christ.

False teaching must be stopped and those who deny God by their works are not fit for service to the Church.

XI. LAST THINGS – ESCHATOLOGY

Finally, statement 11 pertains to the last things — eschatology.

The Bible has many prophecies regarding the end of this age, yet for now we know only in part what will come to pass. What we are sure to affirm with certainty is that Jesus Christ will return for His second coming to judge the world. At this time, He will gather to Himself the faithful and cast all those who persist in their unrepentance into Hell, which is the consciously torturous experience of permanent separation from God for all that remain unholy.

After that judgement, God will cleanse creation and establish a new Heaven and Earth with no more pain or death where the fullness of His presence will dwell with His people for eternity.

My chosen references are Matthew 25:31–46, Mark 3:29, Acts 17:31, 1 Corinthians 13:9–12, and Revelation 20:10-21:27.

Listen now as I read some of the most terrifying and encouraging statements of God pertaining to the future of all creation.

Matthew 25:31–46

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on his glorious throne. Before Him will be gathered all the nations, and He will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And He will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed Me, I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you visited Me, I was in prison and you came to Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? And when did we see You a stranger and welcome You, or naked and clothe You? And when did we see You sick or in prison and visit You?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to Me.’ “Then He will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave Me no food, I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome Me, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

In this passage Jesus describes Hell as the eternal punishment prepared for all those who do not serve Him.

While this is a terrifying fate, it is not the cost of accidental misfortune but of intentional rebellion against God.

Mark 3:29

…whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin.

This is to say that eternity apart from God is the consequence of denying the Spirit of God which is our sustenance for eternal life.

It only seems harsh if you don’t realize that it’s the destiny you choose for yourself by denying the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 17:31

He has fixed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom He has appointed; and of this He has given assurance to all by raising Him from the dead.”

This verse affirms that it is Jesus Christ who was raised from the dead who will come to judge the world by the standard of righteousness.

1 Corinthians 13:9–12

We know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

In the acknowledgement by God in this Scripture of our limited knowledge we can take comfort in the intentionality of our current suspense as we await the full revelation of eternity.

Revelation 20:10-21:27

The devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

Judgment Before the Great White Throne

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

The New Heaven and the New Earth

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

The New Jerusalem

Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, “Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.” And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed— on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And the one who spoke with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city and its gates and walls. The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width. And he measured the city with his rod, 12,000 stadia. Its length and width and height are equal. He also measured its wall, 144 cubits by human measurement, which is also an angel’s measurement. The wall was built of jasper, while the city was pure gold, like clear glass. The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of jewel. The first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

For the final judgement, God will raise the dead to be judged. Those not found in Christ will be cast into the lake of fire which is described as an eternal torment, which does not indicate literal annihilation.

After this judgement, those who remain faithful to God will witness the re-perfection of creation through the new creation in which God replaces the sun in the sky with the brilliance of his immediate presence and wipes away every stain resulting from sin — all pain, sorrow, and regret.

Never again after that time will anything unholy be found in all of creation.

WRAPPING IT UP

This discussion has by no measure provided a complete list of all Christian doctrines. There are other doctrines and mysteries that are worth the time and effort to understand for wise application through the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

However, those included in this list of statements are intended to constitute a foundation for the regular practical needs of The Faith as presented by the Bible and known since the early days of the Church.

If we are consistent with Scripture regarding at least these truths, then we will have a firm foundation for Christian living.

OUTRO

The study and application of God’s Word always blesses and restores me. I pray that what you’ve heard today draws you to deeper reflection and conversation with The LORD.

If this message encouraged you, you can follow this podcast or find The Wisdom Crucible on YouTube for more reflections and teachings.

The algorithms may run on numbers, but this ministry runs on God’s truth — and my hope is that it kindles your faith in Him.

May the Lord bless you — and within you continually refine wisdom through truth.