statement of faith

I was raised Lutheran, and the Apostles’ Creed is my confession to this day:

I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
the Creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ,
His only Son, our Lord:
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day He arose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of
God the Father Almighty,
whence He shall come to judge
the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic (universal) church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting. Amen.

I believe the word of God, the sixty-six books of our Holy Bible, to be the word of truth inspired by the Holy Spirit. I believe that word to be the infallible and unchanging word of God, true in all its statements, no matter what sphere they touch upon (see here).

I believe both testaments of the Holy Bible are in complete harmony with each other and teach the same message: that righteousness or right- standing (salvation or justification) before God is by faith not works (see here). I believe that right behavior or actions (sanctification or obedience to God) is an outcome of true faith, and this admonition to both believe God, and to behave rightly is preached without alteration from Genesis through Revelation.

I believe that there is one God, one gospel, one faith, one message inspired by the one Spirit, and one people of God from Genesis through Revelation (Eph 4:4-5). I believe that God expressed as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is eternal and unchanging, the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb 13:8). I believe that His Word is true from Genesis to Revelation, and that none of it, including Torah, has passed away nor will pass away until all is fulfilled (Psa 89:34, Mat 5:18).

I believe that Moses and the prophets are not in opposition to Jesus and the apostles, nor are Jesus and the apostles in opposition to Moses and the prophets, but rather, Moses wrote about Jesus (Joh 5:46-47), i.e., the Torah is the first teacher of the gospel of grace and salvation by faith, not by works of the Law, lest any man should boast (see here).

I believe that Jesus and the apostles taught us that right behavior or sanctification (obedience to God’s will as expressed in commandments) is evidence of saving faith, lest any man should be deceived (see here).

I believe in the three solae of the Reformation: sola scriptura, sola gratia, sola fide; Scripture alone, grace alone, faith alone. Therefore, I rest from labor and assemble to worship with the believers on the scriptural Sabbath, the seventh day (Saturday), rather than on Sunday which is according to the tradition of men (see here); abstain from pork, shellfish, and other unclean foods (see here); celebrate the feast days of the Lord commanded in Lev 23 and elsewhere (see here); and obey the Ten Commandments as the summary of the Law of God to the best of my ability (see here), because I love the Lord God with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength (Joh 14:15), but not because I can earn salvation by good works.