Hi Friend!
Life Well Inspired is my personal blog; therefore, these are my beliefs as I have been taught and as the Lord has taught me as I have walked with Him. I am very aware that these statements could be quite different than what you believe or what the Lord has shown you. The beauty of our faith is that while there are plenty of black-and-white areas of our faith, there are more grey areas. My pastor once spoke on those and shared that the grey areas are there so that we will study the Bible for ourselves and seek the Lord for answers. The way He leads then becomes our black and white. That is one reason there are different denominations within Christianity. Yet, God calls us to unity within the corporate body of believers, not just with people who believe the same way we do.
So, would you do me a favor? Please stick with me. If you are a believer, then we can agree that Jesus died for our sins, and we will have eternal life and enjoy Heaven together, even if we don’t agree on each point. I wrote this Statement of Faith and realized these points tip deeply into theology. The Lord has put it on my heart to study each of these points and examine both sides. At first glance, it appears that the different opinions are different sides of the same coin, and there is room for both views.
As I study these points of theology, I plan to write about both sides and what I discover. I will also keep an open mind, as the Lord may uncover wrong thinking I have been taught. I will add those posts to this page as I write them, and who knows- these statements may change. I do hope we can have kind conversations over in the Facebook Group as we discuss the different sides and discover sound theology for ourselves. In today’s world, we must know what we believe to stand firm in our faith.
So, here is my Statement of Faith.
I believe in the Trinity- three-in-one: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They have existed before time began, created the world, and sovereignly reign together over and outside of time. (Matthew 28:19, John 10:30, Matthew 3:16-17, John 14:16-17, John 17:20-21, Apostles and Nicene Creeds)
I believe in scripture alone. The Bible is God-breathed and complete. It was written by many human authors but divinely inspired by the Holy Spirit. It is how God speaks to us today. Because God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, His Word is always relevant. (2 Timothy 3:16-17, Revelation 22:18-19)
I believe in the gospel. We were created to be with God but separated from Him because of our sins. Good works or deeds are not enough to pardon those sins. Jesus was sent to earth to pay the price of our sin by dying on the cross and rising again, gaining victory over death, sin, and the devil so that all who the Father gave to Him will come, receive eternal life, and be changed to live lives that glorify God.
I believe in total depravity. Romans 3:10 says, “There is none is righteous, no not one.” There is nothing inherently good within us, but instead, we are dead in our trespasses and sins, in need of new life given at the point of salvation when we are made new in Christ. It is God who initiates this conversion from dead to alive in Christ. Without that work of God to turn a person’s heart from its depraved state to receive Christ, a person will spend eternity in Hell, eternally separated from God. (Romans 3:10, 5:8, Ephesians 2:4-5, Isaiah 64:6.)
I believe there is only one way to the Father and eternal life: through Jesus Christ’s death on the cross and resurrection. Only through Christ can we leave our state of total depravity, sentenced to Hell, to become alive in Christ, citizens of Heaven. (John 3:16, 10:1-18, 24-30 Acts 4:11-12, Romans 9:16, Ephesians 1:3-6)
I believe in irresistible grace alone. We are saved from our total depravity through grace by faith, which is a gift from God and not because of any works we could do. When the Lord calls our name, and we hear his voice, we will respond. (Ephesians 2:8, John 15:16, Galatians 2:15- 3:14)
I believe in faith alone. Without faith, it is impossible to please God. If we are saved by faith, then we are saved not by works but by grace alone. (Rom. 11:6, Hebrews 11:6)
I believe in the perseverance of the saints for the glory of God alone. God created us to glorify Him and worship him forever. Our lives and all we do should glorify God and point others to Christ, making disciples and furthering God’s kingdom. A Christian’s perseverance and obedience is a work of the Lord brought about in the believer’s life. Without His enabling us, we could or would not.
As I follow the Lord’s lead, I’m praying we will mature in our faith and grow closer to our Father’s heart as we search the scriptures for truth. Regardless of how God convicts us on each point, I believe He wants us to know more deeply what we believe and why to build a strong foundation on which we can solidly stand.
I hope you’ll join me for this series (subscribe below!) and in the Facebook Group for some friendly discussion. You’ll need to be a subscriber, so if you aren’t already, before you request to join, subscribe to my email list in the box below. I’m looking forward to seeing you inside!
~Lucille