Why I Believe What I Believe...Or Don't Believe

Recently I have been deemed pessimistic in my Christianity... I kinda agree, but not in such a way as I see I should change it. Thought I'd kind of outline what it is I believe about different issues (to see what I believe on specific theological issues, you can just read through the Westminster Confession or the Baptist Confession of 1689 on those)


1. I do not believe that there is any good in a man, there is no hidden goodness buried deep in our hearts that we simply must pull out with human reasoning and self-help (Jer. 17:9). Nothing on television or in any magazine is going to help you change your inner nature (Eph. 2:3). Only Christ will ever have that power, and the only thing good that will ever be within us is Christ's righteousness (Rom. 7:24-25). Put in other terms, I do not believe in self-esteem, mainly because it is never taught in the bible.

2. I do not believe God is ONLY love, at least in the sense that people classify this word called love (Nahum 1:2-3). He is love, He is justice, He is holy. He will have His justice on the wicked and the righteous will rejoice (Psalm 58:10). Let's stick to using the word "love" in the biblical sense not the human understanding of it (Prov. 27:5).

3. I do not believe you can save yourself. Never in the entire Bible does it say it is the work of man (Matt. 19:26) ...in any sense at all. The whole process is God (Isaiah 59:16, 63:5).

4. I believe when the bible says fear the Lord (Psalm 111:10) it literally means, be scared for your life, fear the things He can do to you (Luke 12:5), tremble and be at awe of His awesome power. It will encourage you to tell others of the wrath to come (2 Cor. 5:11) and that fear and trembling will soon lead you to understand that the only refuge from God's wrath is God Himself. (Psalm 2:11)

5. I do not believe all these thursday night and wednesday night worship group's are the true church. They are great things to go to and pray and worship and praise, they are great for outreach on campuses and other areas. But there is no accountability (James 5:16), there is no oversight from the elders (1 Peter 5:1-2), there is no discipline in most such as delivering one who continues in persistent unrepentant sin out of the church (1 Cor. 5 Whole Chapter), there is no sacraments (1 Cor. 11:23-26)

6. I do not believe that the ends justify the means. As Martin Luther puts it, "Unity wherever possible, but truth at all costs." Not making my point exactly but it goes along with it. Just because you have 500 converts in one night and 500 baptisms and church attendance goes up, does not by any means justify the ways by which you attained it. I would rather have 1 person saved than 500 who think that they are saved and will end up in hell all the same. And so Luther puts it well, I would love unity but I would never forsake the truth of Christ for it.

7. I do not believe the church is a business. My roommate once told me of a lady who asked him what he wanted to do someday and asking what he was wanting to major in. he said, "perhaps go into the ministry." She said, "he should major in business." He asked why, and she responded that you must keep track of the money flow and how the church is doing financially. I have had someone actually tell me the same exact thing, no kidding. I don't know how much more I must explain to get across that this is ludacris to me.

8. I do not believe the KJV is the only legitimate version of the Bible in this language. You know the Pharisees made up nifty little laws too and tried to make their way the right way, we call them legalists.

9. I do not believe in this once saved always saved in the way that many see it today. I do not believe that you can at one moment profess to love Christ and to trust in Him for salvation and then go back to your old life as if nothing is new (Romans 6:1-2). Believe me I am a perseverance of the saints advocater to the fullest, but those that are truly saved will be mantained by the hand of God (John 10:29).

10. I dont not believe that the Old Testament does not apply to us in some way, like the New Testament word of God is of more value than the Old Testament word of God is. And that it somehow does not apply to us (2 Tim 3:16), make sure you know that when Paul says this, the New Testament had not yet been put together in its fullness, He was probably referring to the Old Testament. There is other reasons but I'll leave it at that for now so I can get ready to eat.


So yes I suppose I may be pessimistic in my Christian convictions, but then again if someone can truly give me a great objectiion as to why scripture should be leading me otherwise I will be more than happy to listen.

Have a great weekend everyone and a great Lord's Day!