My Beliefs

Personal Doctrinal Statement of TLThomas

God

I believe in the ineffable, infinite, eternal (independent of Time, independent of Space) Godhead: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit1,2; Be-ing in the “Now” of All-Knowing, All-Seeing; Presence of All-Power, All-Potential; indubitably and utterly Divine3;

I believe in God Triune, ever-Three, ever-One, ever-in-relationship, ever-in-alignment, ever in unity4,5,6;

I believe in God the Father, Creator,7,8,9.14 Sustainer: the Mind of God, the Will of God, the Emotion of God;

I believe in God the Son, Creator,9,10,11,12,14 Sustainer13: the only begotten15,16,17 of the Father, being of and with the same Essence18 of the Father, the Incarnate God,19,20 the Seen of the Unseen, that of the Unseen which is Seen and made visible21,22,23;

I believe in God the Holy Spirit, Creator23, Sustainer: proceeding24,25,26 from and of the Father, proceeding from and of the Son, being of and with the same Essence17 of the Father and of the Son, Breath27 of God, Giver of Life,28,29 from God, of God 30;

 

Humanity as Created and Fallen

I believe that God-in-Three Persons created1 out of nothing, i.e., Latin – ex nihilo, the universe (SpaceTimeEnergy – all existence, both seen and unseen), all that is created by God, but is not God; pure and perfect He created it;

I believe that God the Three-In-One created2 humanity in His own image,3,4,5 created by God, but being not-God;

I believe that God offered humanity the choice to obey or not obey6 the commands He gave them for life in relationship with Him; for without choice there is no free will.7 This choice was given freely, to be exercised freely;

I believe evil and sin entered the universe through the pride of satan 8,9 (the enemy, whom I do not deign to capitalize either his name or his titles);

I believe sin entered the world through this corruption of the universe by satan; and by humanity’s choice6,7,10 to please self instead of God, by humanity’s choice to place self above God,11 by humanity’s choice to be God 12;

I believe that humanity thus has an innate, inborn, sin-caused separation13 from God and His purity and “God-ness”;

 

The Person of the Messiah/ the Christ

I believe the Person of the Messiah/ the Christ is the Son of God,1,2,3,4,5,6 begotten of God2,5,6 not made or created by the Father. The Son is co-eternal,7 co-equal,7 being of the same Essence8 as the Father and the Holy Spirit;

I believe the Son to be one and the same as Yeshua/ Jesus, born of the Spirit9,10,11 in the form of human flesh,12,13 as and to be the Perfect Lamb of God,14 the perfect sacrifice,15 the perfect atonement for the sins of all humanity, for all time16;

I believe that the Person of the Son is fully God,17 fully Divine21;

I believe that this Person of the Trinity was born into SpaceTimeEnergy fully human18,19,20 in Yeshua, the Messiah/ Jesus, the Christ;

 

The Work of the Messiah/ the Christ: Atonement for Sin

I believe that the judgment of the wrath of God1 is upon all of sinful humanity2;

I believe that the rightful punishment for this judgment is death – both a physical death of the body and a spiritual death of the soul3,4;

I believe that Yeshua/ Jesus was born free of (without)5,6 the sin that is innate in humans2, and thereby, being sinless, was, is, and will be, the only acceptable sacrifice7 [see NOTE] for the sins of humanity;

I believe that by this atonement we are made righteous by the righteousness of the Messiah/ the Christ8,9; and we again have right, full, and intimate, relationship with the Trinity; therefore, we can boldly approach the throne of God10 and call him “Abba”11; we can abide in the Messiah/ the Christ and He abides in us12,13,14,15; and be filled with the Holy Spirit16;

 

NOTE:

The sacrificial system for atonement of sin, given by YeHoVaH/ God in the Torah, was the shadow, or copy, of the Reality of the atonement for all the sins of all Mankind, for all time, through all time, by God the Son.17  

In the old system, the High Priest took the blood of the sacrificed life into the Holy of Holies18 – to the Mercy Seat of YeHoVaH/ God on the Ark of the Covenant.19 Yeshua/ Jesus was the perfect Lamb of God20,21,22,24 to give the atoning blood23 as a sin offering for the sins of the world.25

Yeshua/ Jesus, as our High Priest in the order of Melchizedek,26 took His own Blood (Life), 27 as the ultimate atoning sacrifice, into the Holy of Holies18 – to the Mercy Seat of YeHoVaH/ God,19 as our Intercessor and Mediator.28,29,30,31,32

 

Salvation

I believe that the fully God, fully human Yeshua the Messiah/ Jesus the Christ, through His crucifixion, death, resurrection, and ascension has provided the way, the opportunity for all of humanity to be saved (i.e., salvation) from the wrath of YeHoVaH/ God;

I believe that by His crucifixion, Yeshua/ Jesus took upon Himself, as our substitute, the pain and suffering of the world;

I believe that by His death,14,15,16 by dying in His physical, human body, Yeshua/ Jesus experienced fully His common humanity with us.17 By, in some inexplicable way, experiencing separation from His relationship in the Trinity, yet ever in Trinity, Yeshua/ Jesus fully experienced humanity’s separation from God;

I believe that by His resurrection,18,19 Yeshua/ Jesus conquered satan and re-assumed the authority (given by God to humans, and usurped from humans in the Fall) over sin and death in the world20;

I believe that by His ascension,21,22,23 Yeshua/ Jesus is restored to His full glories, majesty, and sovereignty21,22,23,24; and is Intercessor and Mediator25,26 on our behalf before the Father;

I believe that by His work of atonement, Jesus/ Yeshua reconciled 27,28,29 the separation between humanity and God; and “made expiation for our sins, disarmed death, overcame damnation and hell, and by His resurrection from the dead, brought again and restored life and immortality”10;

I believe that we are justified by grace through faith30,31,32;

I believe that Yeshua/ Jesus is the only true way to salvation.33

 

The Church

I believe that the Church is an assembly, a congregation, of “called ones”1,2,3,4;

I believe the Church is called to be different from the world,5,6 to be a “priesthood of believers”7,8,9,10;

I believe the Church is to be the Body of the Christ/ the Messiah,11 with Him as the Head12,13,14; and that its members are to work together in His will and His way.15,16

I believe the Church is to continue the work that Jesus the Christ/ Yeshua the Messiah began with His ministry on earth – expanding the Kingdom of Heaven/ Kingdom of God on earth; through love and works, 17 especially toward the poor, orphaned, widowed, oppressed;18 that these works not be required for salvation; but, rather as our grateful response to salvation;

I believe the Church, as individual Disciples as well as in aggregate, is to work to fulfill the commandments19,20 of the Messiah/ the Christ;

I believe the people of the Church are to live day-by-day preaching, teaching, modeling, equipping, etc., the members of the Body in the life and work of Yeshua the Messiah/ Jesus the Christ; i.e. discipling Disciples in order to make Disciples who make Disciples.21

 

The Practical Implications of this Doctrine

 

For My Life

This statement professes the beliefs on which I seek to use as the basis of the way I live my life, the basis of my date-to-day living.1,2,3

In my daily walk with the Godhead, I seek to grow into greater spiritual maturity.4,5

My passion is to help others grow spiritually6,7: to become spiritually mature8 Disciples of Yeshua the Messiah/ Jesus the Christ, discipling and making other mature Disciples who disciple disciple-making Disciples.9

 

For My Ministry of Discipleship

I work to help others to do more than believe in the Messiah. I want to help them believe the Christ is Who He says He is1,2,3,4 and will do what He says He will do.5,6

I want to help Believers of the Messiah to become Followers of the the Messiah.

I want to help Followers of the Christ become Disciples of the Christ, who disciple other Believers and Followers into being disciple-making Disciples,7 to the glory and honor of God and for the expansion of His Kingdom of earth.

I want to help the members of the Body, utilize their gifts of the Spirit in order to benefit the Church.8,9

I want to help the Church show the fruit of being the “True Church,” especially as stated in the Second Helvetic Confession.10

I seek to help the Church and its members to grow by the methods outlined in Spener’s Pia Desideria (1675)11

 

Footnotes

God

1   Athanasian Creed, 6 (appeared in Gaul in the early sixth century) http://www.ccel.org/creeds/athanasian.creed. html

2   Second Helvetic Confession, Chapter 3 “God Is One.” (Written in Latin in 1566) http://mb-soft.com/believe/txh/helvtext.htm

3   http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/divine?s=t

4   Athanasian Creed, “3.

5   Second Helvetic Confession, Chapter 3 “God Is Three.”

6   Fairbairn, Donald. Life in the Trinity. InterVarsity Press, 2009, 52 [Orth. Faith, bk. 1, chaps. 6, 8 (FC,vol. 37, 174, 185)]: John of Damascus on the Trinity (ca. 750):

7   Apostles’ Creed (reached its final form ca. A.D. 700) http://www.creeds.net/ancient/apostles.htm

8   Nicene Creed (approved at the Second Ecumenical Counsel, A.D. 381) http://www.earlychurchtext.com/public/nicene_creed.htm

9    Genesis 1:1

10   Nicene Creed

11   John 1:3

12   Colossians 1:16

13   Colossians 1:17

14   Second Helvetic Confession, Chapter 7 “God Created All Things.”

15   John 3:16

16   Athanasian Creed, 22

17   Nicene Creed

18   Nicene Creed

19   Athanasian Creed, 29

20   John 1:14a

21   John 14:11

22   John 12:45

23   John 14:9

24   Genesis 1:2b

25   Nicene Creed

26   Athanasian Creed, 23

27   Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible, NASB
ruwach 7307 H. breath, the breath of one’s mouth, i.e., the creative Word of God; the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit. The basic meaning is ‘air in motion.’ pneuma 4151 G. wind, breathe, blow, breath, spirit, Holy Spirit

28   Nicene Creed

29   Genesis 2:7

30   Fairbairn, Donald. Life in the Trinity. InterVarsity Press, 2009, 47 [On HS, par. 48 (Anderson, 76)]:  Basil the Great on the Holy Spirit (ca. 375):

 

Humanity as Created and Fallen

1   Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible, NASB
bara1254 H. that which only God can do

2   Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible, NASB yatsar 3335 H. formed from previously created material with connotations of being squeezed and molded, as of clay by a potter

3   Genesis 1:27

4   Note: man4 (H. Adam120) was made from the ground5 (H. adamah127) Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible, NASB adam 120 H. the original man, humanity There is probably some original connection to the ruddiness of men’s complexion, see adam119 H. ruddy, red

5   Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible, NASB adamah127 H. earth, ground, land, soil. The body of the first man, Adam, was formed from adamah.

6   Genesis 3

7   Second Helvetic Confession, Chapter 9 “Man Does Evil by His Own Free Will.”

8   Luke 10:18

9   Second Helvetic Confession, Chapter 7 “Of Angels and the devil…”

10 Second Helvetic Confession, Chapter 8 “The Fall of Man.”

11   Fairbairn, Donald. Life in the Trinity. InterVarsity Press, 2009, 94 [City of God, bk. 14, chap. 13 (Bettenson, 573)]: Augustine on the Fall (ca. 420)

12   Genesis 3:5

13   Romans 3:23

 

The Person of  the Messiah/ the Christ

1   Apostles’ Creed

2    Nicene Creed

3    Mark 1:11

4    Matthew 16:16

5    John 3: 16

6    Athanasian Creed, 22

7    Athanasian Creed, 6

8    Nicene Creed

9    Luke 1:35

10  Apostle’s Creed

11  Nicene Creed

12  Hebrews 2:14-17

13  Fairbairn, Donald. Life in the Trinity. InterVarsity Press, 2009, 202 [Schol., chap. 1 (Fairbairn’s translation)]: Cyril of Alexandria on Salvation in Christ (ca. 432):

14  John 1:29

15  Exodus 12:5

16  Hebrews 10:10,12

17  Philippians 2: 6-8

18  Hebrews 2:14

19  Second Helvetic Confession, Chapter 11, “Christ Is True Man, Having Real Flesh.”

20  Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible, NASB mashiyach 4899 H. Messiah, the Anointed One; from  mashach4886 H. to rub or anoint with oil

21  Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible, NASB christos5547 G. Christ, the Anointed One; from chrio5548 G. to anoint with a sacred or religious meaning

 

The Work of Christ – Atonement

1 John 3:36

2    Romans 3:23

3    Romans 6:23

4    Fairbairn, Donald. Life in the Trinity. InterVarsity Press, 2009, 177-178

5    2 Corinthians 5:21

6    Hebrews 4:15

7   Romans 5:18,19”

8   Second Helvetic Confession, Chapter 15 “Imputed Righteousness.”

9   1 Peter 3:18

10  Hebrews 4:16

11   Romans 8:15

12   John 15:4a

13   John 15:5

14   John 15:10

15   1 John 2:24

17   Hebrews 9:23-26

18   Hebrews 9: 6,7

19   Hebrews 9:2-5

20   John 1:29

21   1 Peter 1:17-19

22   Second Helvetic Confession, Chapter 11 “Jesus Christ Is the Only Savior of the World, and the True Awaited Messiah.”

23   Leviticus 17:11

24   Fairbairn, Donald. Life in the Trinity. InterVarsity Press, 2009, 171 [On Incar., par. 9 (Thompson, 153-55)]: Athanasius on the Death of the Word (ca. 315)

25   Hebrews 10:18

26   Hebrews 4:9,10

27   Hebrews 9:13,14

28   Hebrews 9:15a

29   Hebrews 12:24a

30   1 Timothy 2:5

31   Fairbairn, Donald. Life in the Trinity. InterVarsity Press, 2009, 138 [Com. Jn., bk. 6, chap. 1 (Randall, 84, translation modified)]: Cyril of Alexandria on Christians as Christ’s Sheep (ca. 225):

32  Fairbairn, Donald. Life in the Trinity. InterVarsity Press, 2009, 141 [On Trin., bk. 4, chap. 12 (Hill, 161)]:  Augustine on Christ “as God” and “as Man” (ca. 410):

 

Salvation

1  Philippians 2:6-8

2    Hebrews 2:14

3    Second Helvetic Confession, Chapter 11, “Christ Is True Man, Having Real Flesh.

4    John 14:6

5    Romans 5:8

6    Second Helvetic Confession, Chapter 11 “The Fruit of Christ’s Death and Resurrection.”

7    Romans 5:1

8    Romans 5:9

9    Hebrews 12:2

10  Second Helvetic Confession Chapter 11 “The Fruit of Christ’s Death and Resurrection.

11  1 John 2:2

12  Isaiah 52:4,5

13  Second Helvetic Confession, Chapter 11 “Our Lord Truly Suffered.”

14  Apostles’ Creed

15   Athanasian Creed, 38

16  Second Helvetic Confession, Chapter 11 “Our Lord Truly Suffered.”

17   Hebrews 2:9b

18   Second Helvetic Confession, Chapter 11 “Christ Is Truly Risen from the Dead.”

19   John 11:25,26a

20   1 Peter 1:3

21   Apostles’ Creed

22   Athanasian Creed, 39

23   Mark 16:19

24   Second Helvetic Confession, Chapter 11 “Christ Is Truly Ascended Into Heaven.”

25   1 Timothy 2:5

26   Hebrews 9:15

27   2 Corinthians 5:18,19

28   Colossians 1:19,20

29   Second Helvetic Confession, Chapter 11 “The Fruit of Christ’s Death and Resurrection.”

30   Romans 3:23-25

31  Second Helvetic Confession, Chapter 15 “We Are Justified on Account of Christ.”

32  Titus 3:4-7

33  Second Helvetic Confession, Chapter 11 “Jesus Christ Is the Only Savior of the World, and the True Awaited Messiah.

 

The Church

1 Matthew 16:18

2 Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible, NASB ekklesia1577 G. Congregation, those called out, assembly

3   Hebrews 12:22,23

4   Second Helvetic Confession, Chapter 17 “What Is the Church?”

5   James 1:27

6   1 John 2:15,16

7   Exodus 19:6a

8   1 Peter 2:9

9   Revelation 1:6

10  Second Helvetica Confession, Chapter 18Priesthood of All Believers.

11  1 Corinthians 12:7,12,14,27

12  Ephesians 1:22, 23

13  Second Helvetic Confession, Chapter 17 “Only One Church for All Times.”

14  Second Helvetic confession, Chapter 17 “The Church the Temple of the Living God.”

15  Ephesians 4:11-16

16  Colossians 1:9,10

17  Matthew 5:16

18  Matthew 25:37-40

19  John 14:15

20  John 15:12

21  Matthew 28:19, 20

 

The Practical Implications of this Doctrine

For My Life

1   Matthew 6:33

2   2 Corinthians 5:7

3   Galatians 2:20

5   Colossians 3:1, 2

6   2 Peter 3:18 KJV

7   Hebrews 6:1

8  1 Corinthians 14:20

9  John 13:34,35

 

For My Ministry of Discipleship

1 John 4:25,26

2   John 11:25

3   John 14:6

4   John 3:16

5   John 3: 17

6   Matthew 20:28

7   Matthew 28:19,20

8   Romans 12 6-8

9   1 Corinthians 12:1,4,7,11

10  Second Helvetic Confession, Chapter 17 “Of the Notes or Signs of the True Church.

11  Spener’s  Pia Desideria (1675) excerpted from Pietists: Selected Writings. Edited by Peter Erb. Classics of Western Spirituality. New York: Paulist Press, 1983.

 

© 2016 by the author