It’s no secret that I don’t necessarily fit the traditional American Christian mold. In the numerous debates, discussions, or arguments that I get into about faith, biblical interpretation, eschatology, etc, I often get asked “so what DO you believe?”

Well, here goes nothing:

I believe God is our eternal Father.

I believe God is the great artist and all creation comes from him and only him.

I believe God came incarnate as Jesus Christ, his only son.

I believe God walked the earth in grace and truth.

I believe God was crucified.

I believe God suffered under God’s own judgement for three days.

I believe God did this so we won’t have to.

I believe God resurrected.

 

I.

Believe.

God.

Resurrected.

I believe God is alive.

I believe he speaks to us and operates in and through us through his Holy Spirit.

I believe that through his Holy Spirit we have an advocate. That we have comfort and peace. And that we have power to see God’s Kingdom enter this world and bring abundant life.

I believe God will return to us and will judge the world with his perfect grace, mercy and love. (I also believe God’s judgement may look quite a bit different than our judgement.)

I believe that a new heaven is just waiting to explode in the midst of this world, creating a new earth in perfect harmony with the Kingdom of Heaven.

I believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God. I also believe that this is different than it being the literal, inerrant words of God (which I do not believe).

I believe that through the ages we’ve gotten a lot of things wrong. That a lot of people have been hurt, oppressed, killed, driven to atheism—by a dysfunctional family that’s still trying to figure it all out.

I believe there are a lot of things we’ve focused on that God wants to, in his perfect grace, shift our hearts and minds away from and toward issues that really matter.

I believe there is a place for everyone in the Kingdom. Everyone.

Every. One.

I believe there are new things and new ways of living that God is slowly revealing through his Spirit. We just need to listen (and be willing to let our old understanding fall by the wayside).

I believe in faith, hope, and love. The greatest of these being love.

 

These are the things that I know to be true.