What I Believe

Though it might not seem needed on this website, I feel as though my belief system cannot be separated from who I am and the work I do on a daily basis. Because I do not want this web page to be a theological paper, I am going to list some of my core Christian beliefs without extended explanation on each bullet point and try to articulate them simply for many to understand. It is a raw list in no specific order and will probably be added to over time. There are reasons I believe the below points and have personally studied into each one but there are some teachings I recommend from others throughout the list that can possibly help to bring clarity for any point that might not seem clear. Alongside the highlighted teachings below, one free video course that I was recently encouraged by is called Living In Anticipation of the Kingdom of God. It is a good overview of many of the points below.

• I believe that from the point of Adam and Eve disobeying God in the Garden of Eden and throughout the entire Old Testament, that followers of God were watching and waiting for a baby to be born from a woman who would eventually be the One to restore all things. He is called the Messiah, Christ or Anointed One. Unbelieving Jews are still waiting for the Messiah to come but I believe He has already come.

• I believe that Jesus was/is the chosen Messiah, God in flesh, who was purposed to be the living example and pattern for all humanity through His life, death and resurrection. (The Gospel of the Christ)

• I believe those claiming Jesus as their Messiah should follow His example, waiting patiently for Him to eventually set His resurrected feet upon the earth, restore all things and set-up His Kingdom in Jerusalem, forever ruling perfectly. Because Jesus is the Messiah, I am not. Thus I leave justice issues up to Him and merely seek to listen and obey, doing justly according to His leadership. (How Then Shall We Live)
  

• I believe that the Messianic Kingdom (the Messiah’s Kingdom and Kingship) will be established on this earth at the Day of the Lord when Jesus returns and not before then. (Exegesis of “Kingdom Now” Passages)

• I believe that the Holy Spirit was/is given as a gift to ultimately lead believers to the Day of Jesus’ return in righteousness through the grace He gives from asking in prayer. (Prayer as the Means of Grace For Faithful Sojourning)
  

• I believe that the Holy Spirit can lead believers into trials, tribulations and/or struggles for the sake of maturing them as faithful witnesses. In doing this, they are prepared to be presented blameless before the Lord at His return. (The life of Jesus, Paul and other apostles testifies to this – Restoring Biblical Context For Trials & Embracing The Wisdom of the Cross)

• I believe that every human is depraved and deserving of hell. Thankfully Jesus came in the flesh, died sinless and rose again as the true Messiah, showing us the way by which to live (the cross) if we desire the same outcome as He (bodily resurrection unto eternal life).  (Hopeless Christianity & Jesus Call To Discipleship)
  

• I believe that salvation is not complete until the return of Jesus, where both the righteous and wicked will receive their resurrected bodies unto either glory or damnation. Therefore, enduring to the end, in obedience to God by the help of the Spirit, through grace given in prayer, is essential and not an option to those who wish to be resurrected unto life.

• I believe that from the beginning since the fall it has been God’s intention to make His dwelling with man once again on our current earth. I believe that death is not an escape from earth so that we can live for eternity in some heavenly dwelling forever.
  

• I believe that God will restore His creation at the end of this age (including the current earth we live on and the bodies we now have) and will not throw it all away or dispose of it. (The Glory of the Original Earth)
  

• I believe in the work of the Holy Spirit as a sign of the coming judgement as well as the restoration that God will bring at the end of the age; serving as an encouragement for believers to remain faithful to the end while causing hope and/or judgment to unbelievers that they might repent and turn to God. (Example: healing points to the future resurrection of our physical bodies encouraging us to remain faithful till it comes; casting out demons points to the future punishment when all demons and the wicked will be thrown into hell, encouraging unbelievers to repent and believe in Jesus as the coming Messiah and King). (Sustaining Prayer Through The Powers of the Age To Come)
  

• I believe that all those who are alive, including Jesus’ followers, will live through the coming Great Tribulation at the end of the age, and that believers will serve as God’s faithful witnesses to unbelievers, especially through increased martyrdom, not loving their lives even unto death (Rev. 12:11). Through believers literally laying their lives down during the darkest climatic point in history, there will be a great harvest of people coming to faith in Jesus immediately prior to His return.  (Martyrdom: The Glorious Destiny of the Church & The Rapture: Ready When He Returns)
  

• I believe that Biblical resurrection is defined as one’s physical body raising from the dead at the return of Jesus. (The Resurrection From The Dead)

• I believe that Biblical hope in the life of a believer is defined as resurrection of the physical body unto unending life at the end of this age (as opposed to the second death experienced by the wicked in hell).

• I believe that even the deceased believers of history past sit before the throne of God looking upon the resurrected body of Jesus yearning to receive their own bodies back in resurrected form so that they can finally be fully restored as God promised.

• I believe that “faith” discussed in the New Testament of the Bible is centered on believing Jesus as the Messiah in order that the life of the believer would actually be lived in preparation for His return and ultimately enter His Kingdom when He and it comes (Cruciform Apocalypticism).

• I believe in a real prison within the earth which now holds the spirits of those who were wicked while living in this age. I also believe that there will be a real place on the restored earth in the age to come following Jesus’ return which will hold the wicked resurrected people of this current age. (Hell Defined)