Reformed and Charismatic: A Creed of Sorts
I believe God exists, and that he created everything for his glory (1). I believe this is the ultimate purpose for each and every person: to joyfully glorify God (2). However, we have fallen short of that goal, to the point of maligning his glory continually (3).
I believe God chose me and every other believer in Christ before the foundation of the world (4). I believe this was decided without consulting any choice or decision we would make in our lives (5); rather, I believe God’s sovereign election causes our decision to repent, embrace Christ and follow him (6). I believe that in the fullness of time, so that God’s righteousness would be vindicated, he sent his Son as the propitiation for our sin, to reconcile us to God and breathe his life into our souls (7). I belive that no one comes to the Father except by the Son in this manner (8).
I believe we who have been chosen are—in a very real, spiritual sense—crucified with Christ and that Christ now lives in us (9). I believe that this life we live is as the eyes, ears, hands, feet, etc. of Christ (10). I believe that, in the beginning of the New Covenant, God laid out specific roles for the members of Christ’s body, to be powered by his Holy Spirit, and that these roles are outlined in Scripture (11, 12) and still in effect today (13). I believe that cessationism is unbiblical behavior which rejects certain members of the body (14).
I believe we cannot live for God apart from his Holy Spirit residing in us (15). I believe we are the body of Christ in such a sense that, if a brother is in need, we ought to assume Jesus desires to meet his need through us (16). I believe the “good works” we do are really being done by the Spirit of Christ, in and through our bodies (17). Thus, God does all the work and deserves all the glory for our righteousness (18).
I believe God-given prophecy always was, is and will be completely accurate. There was only one test given by God with which to judge whether a prophecy was of God: whether what was foretold came true (19). I reject all attempts to water down this gift into a form of “God-told-me-so” happy-fluffy-talk as false prophecy (20, 21, 22).
I believe God has given a wonderful gift by which we can spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ into all the world: the gift of languages [tongues] (23). I believe all gifts are given to build up the body, and that it maligns Scripture to treat any self-serving function of a Spiritual gift as its primary purpose (24, 25). The glossalia was given to further God’s goal of gathering a people from every people, nation, tribe and language [tongue]. Any other use is second-best at best (26).
I think I’ll stop there for now. I would love to dive further into each of these areas, but if the Lord wills, I’ll live and be visiting family in Miami over Thanksgiving. Perhaps I’ll make a point to come back to these issues in December.
November 22nd, 2005 at 11:58 am
LOL!!
I believe in superman, the bestest man alive. He’s the coolest and the pictures are way better than the non-illustrated bible. Plus he saves the world plenty of time, Jesus only did it once.
November 22nd, 2005 at 12:52 pm
Wow. You sure got me.
Note to comment-makers: I’m all for debate, but flame-baiting is immature and dumb.
November 22nd, 2005 at 6:55 pm
Sorry, it wasn’t nice. My appolgies. But the claim stands. There is more litterature on Superman (or Archillies) than Jesus. So why one “book” over another? Maybe the message is more important than the messager (real or imaginary, like Santa Clause).
November 23rd, 2005 at 11:09 am
· Was Jesus just a myth?
· Manuscript evidence for superior New Testament reliability
And here’s something regarding bias from another page at that site: “Being biased about something does not mean that you cannot tell the truth. Take for example the case of a robbery. The robber shoots and wounds two employees, escapes, but is later apprehended. At the trial the employees, who have recovered from their injuries, are brought in to testify. Both of these witnesses are biased in that they want to see the perpetrator properly punished. But, under oath their testimony is accepted as perfectly valid — providing there aren’t obvious problems. So, being biased does not automatically mean that the testimony they give is not true.”