Concise Statement of Faith

I have been working on a short, one-page statement of faith.  I have a long one, about 8 pages with scripture texts, but I have not worked to be concise.  The following is a concise statement.  I encourage you to work on your statement of faith.  It is hard, but worthwhile work.

I believe in one living God in three persons.  These persons are fully God and fully distinct as persons.  God is eternal, incomprehensible, invisible, immutable, infinite, almighty, perfectly wise, just, good, and the overflowing fountain of all good.  I believe that this one true God created the entire universe, out of nothing, for and at His pleasure.  God also created humanity, male and female, in the image of God. This creation, including the first humans, was very good in every respect. 

I believe that through the introduction of willful disobedience, sin and death entered into this good creation causing every aspect of creation to suffer a lack or depravation from its created good.  Currently creation retains glimpses and elements of its created good, but it also contains elements and entire movements that have drifted far from its created good.  All of creation groans awaiting the promise of restoration to its created good at the end of time.  Humanity also is fallen from our state of created goodness.  We are sinners by inherent sin through birth and by choice.  All of us are rebellious against the person and will of God.  As such, we justly deserve His displeasure and separation from God.

God’s promise of restoration and redemption was worked out among the members of the Godhead before the creation of the world.  In His sovereign mercy, God decided to allow the eternal and holy Son of God, whom we know as Jesus, to become incarnate as a man.  Jesus was born of a virgin, and He lived a perfect life free from sin and marked by doing the will of God. He died a cruel death He did not deserve.  In His death, the wrath of God was poured out upon Him for the sin of all who believe.  In His resurrection, Jesus began the restoration of all creation by overthrowing sin and death. 

As humans, we must repent of our sin and believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.  Yet, as we actively repent and believe, even our faith is a work of grace and a gift of God.  When we believe, we are justified before God.  We are also then adopted into God’s family, and we are given the full rights of sons.  From this moment of first faith in Jesus, we begin the journey of growing back toward our created good through living a life of repentance and faith.  In this process, we have the gift of the Holy Spirit who comes to live within the heart of all believers leading us into a life of increasing holiness.

I believe in the coming Kingdom of God where evil will be ultimately destroyed and all things will be set right.  Currently this Kingdom is present, but soon it will be realized.

I am a Protestant by affirmation and choice.  I believe that God’s will is expressed perfectly and finally in the Holy Scriptures.  It is our final and ultimate authority as the Word of God.  It contains all that is needed for our faith and our practice.

I am also a Confessionalist at heart.  I believe the teaching of the Three Forms of Unity contains and describes the true teaching of scripture.  I affirm the teaching of the Apostle’s Creed and the first four great Ecumenical Creeds of the Church.  I also appreciate and affirm the teaching of the Westminster Confession of Faith.