CGamer
Gnome Priest
This is a paper I had to write for my Interpersonal Ministry Skill class describing and supporting Three of my major doctrinal beliefs. I hope you'll read the whole and I hope it encourages you and hopefully take a few insights from it.
I would like to discuss the following three doctrinal viewpoints, the Trinity, the redemptive work of Christ and the eternal security or permanent salvation of the believer. Let me first give a brief explanation of these three topics before I include additional details. The Trinity, nowhere in Scripture is this term found however it is used to describe the three part of the Godhead God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The redemptive work of Christ consists of the sacrifice for sin, death of Christ, and resurrection from the dead. The eternal security of the believer or “once saved always saved” as some people term it, is simply that once a person has genuinely been saved that it cannot be lost.
As I previously stated the actual word, “Trinity” cannot be found in Scripture however, God’s Word is filled with references to the Godhead. The first reference is found in Genesis 1:26a during the creation. It simply states, “And God said, Let us make man in our own image, after our likeness”. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit three completely different personas yet absolutely one and the same. I wrote a paper on Jehovah’s Witnesses for another class and one of their major doctrinal differences is found right there, they completely deny the existence of a three part Godhead only recognizing Jehovah as God. This viewpoint has definitely defined my view of all Jehovah’s Witnesses and in my paper; I defined them as a cult for that reason.
I have had the opportunity to respond to criticisms by a few non-believers because they could not understand the idea of the Trinity; however, it has affected how I respond to their questions. I will admit first hand that I do not completely understand the concept of three completely separate yet completely one God. How can God be separate yet still be one? The best explanation I have been able to give in my preaching, teaching or witnessing to others is a simple one.
I liken it to this example; you have a man John in this example who is the father of two children, to them he is dad, he is also the husband of Mary and on his job, he is Dr. John. John fulfills three distinct roles as father, husband, and doctor even though he fills these roles in different ways and at different times, it in no way takes away from who he or what he is he is still John. This can be applied also to God, God the Father the creator, God the Son the propitiation for our sins, and God the Holy Spirit the comforter. Even Jesus said of himself in John 14:7-11 that in seeing Him we have seen the Father because the Father is in Him. Chapter 14 of John deals with some areas of the relationship of each aspect of God. Then we read in John 10:30, I and my Father are one.
This point especially in some denominations is a source of great conflict. I would have to say the biggest point of contention overall would be how do works factor in or rather not factor in when it comes to salvation. What was/is the result of Christ’s virgin birth, sinless life, death, resurrection, and ascension into Heaven? What significance does that hold for me as an individual and do works factor in there anywhere? Resoundingly the answer is no, works play no part in the salvation of a believer. It is not works that saves us or keeps us saved, it is only through what Christ accomplished. I think Paul explained it best in Ephesians 2:8-9 – For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast. It was because of Jesus’ sacrifice for sin upon the cross that I can be saved according to Hebrews 9:26 - For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. The resurrection is supremely important to the believer for a few simple reasons. First, had He not risen then His death alone would have been ineffective, all people eventually die. The resurrection was necessary to fulfill Scripture and offer us hope that we will be resurrected as well. Luke 24:45-46- 5Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
46And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day. The entire process of salvation lies within Christ there is nothing we can do or ever will that will make us worthy of that salvation. However, Jesus did it that we might be saved according to Acts 4:12 - 12Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Eternal Security or “once saved always saved” is a highly discussed topic among a majority of Christians, there are those that are completely one-sided or the other and then those who are undecided on the point. The real question remains though, “Can you lose your salvation at some point?” I believe the answer is definitively, No, and I believe that Scripture enforces this point.
First, consider where our salvation comes from, God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, back to the source of all things the Trinity. How was our salvation purchased? Hebrews 9:22 - 22And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. It is no small thing that our salvation was purchased with but, was done through the sacrifice and shed blood of Christ upon the cross. Therefore, to consider that our salvation can be so easily gained and lost is a fallacy. God being omniscient, omnipresent, knowing and seeing all things definitely knows the heart look at what God said to Samuel in 1 Sam. 16:7, “the Lord looketh on the heart”. So again, I say God who knows all, is it even possible to trick God into saving us. Jesus spoke about the security a believer can have in John 10:27-29, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
28And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
29My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.” Jesus plainly says If God is greater than all who can take them away from Him. Many people would say of the idea of eternal security that it gives them free reign to sin, again this is fallacy of thinking. Consider the following verses from John 5, “38And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. 39Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. 40And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.” Just because a person claims to have something does not necessarily make it a true statement. I’d like to close this section with two final verses for thought, Romans 8:9, 16. 9But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 16The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
I decided to wait until the end of this paper to answer the three questions posed to us because I felt that I couldn’t properly answer them without first stating why and how I believe what I believe.
1. How do these beliefs affect your worldview?
I think on the surfaces my views of the Trinity, the Redemptive Work of Christ, and Eternal Security have really formed the basis for my whole belief system world wide. In regards to the Trinity specifically, many world religions have a miasma of gods they worship, one that controls weather, crops, gods that punish because of failure to sacrifice appropriately, concerns of offending one god over another. Personally, it would be extremely confusing to have to consider all those possibilities. The Trinity places all my faith and confidence in one God whether it be the Father, Savior or Comforter. God provides all I need and more. The Redemptive Work of Christ is highly influenced by my belief in the Trinity, the realization that God has provided everything I need to be saved and I don’t have to put my trust in any other thing or person is of great comfort to me. I’m spoiled in a sense because if you look all throughout the world at world religions you see people struggling daily with the thought, “Am I doing enough to ensure my place in a good eternity or reincarnation?” I don’t have to fear that because I have the assurance of God that He has taken care of my eternity for me. Finally with eternal security it is again heavily influenced by the previous two beliefs. It saddens me to realize that people all throughout the world struggle with being good enough, doing enough that when they die it might not be enough.
2. How do these beliefs directly affect your personal walk with the Lord?
The whole basis of my walk is forged by these set of beliefs. To really take time and consider all that God has done me causes me to want to strife daily to live closer and walk closer with Him. I’m strongly reminded of what Paul wrote in Romans 12:1 - 1I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. In relation to all that God has done for us to strife daily to walk closer, live holier is but a small thing, it is our reasonable service.
3. How do these beliefs practically affect your ministry to others (include how these beliefs affect your reliance on the Lord as you assist others)? What makes biblical helping distinctively Christian? On the surface it truly causes me to see the real need people have to be saved and for those who don’t what they are rejecting. In talking with unbelievers I realize I was in the same boat as them once and without God’s intervention I’d still be on a sinking ship. Also I realize that without God I can’t do anything even the simplest things like breathing. So how much more dependant should I be upon Him when talking with others about such a precious gift as salvation.
The problems people face in life are directly or indirectly affected by sin in some form. I’m not saying that every bad thing or hardship is a result of sin in a person’s life but rather our lives, this world are corrupted by it. Until we realize the impact that sin has had upon this world we can’t begin to resolve the issue. This is what makes Christian helping unique. Secular helping doesn’t take sin into account when attempting to help others. Until people realize that the real enemy is not our parents, friends or each other but is the devil we are fighting a losing battle.
Statement Of Faith
The Trinity
I have had the opportunity to respond to criticisms by a few non-believers because they could not understand the idea of the Trinity; however, it has affected how I respond to their questions. I will admit first hand that I do not completely understand the concept of three completely separate yet completely one God. How can God be separate yet still be one? The best explanation I have been able to give in my preaching, teaching or witnessing to others is a simple one.
I liken it to this example; you have a man John in this example who is the father of two children, to them he is dad, he is also the husband of Mary and on his job, he is Dr. John. John fulfills three distinct roles as father, husband, and doctor even though he fills these roles in different ways and at different times, it in no way takes away from who he or what he is he is still John. This can be applied also to God, God the Father the creator, God the Son the propitiation for our sins, and God the Holy Spirit the comforter. Even Jesus said of himself in John 14:7-11 that in seeing Him we have seen the Father because the Father is in Him. Chapter 14 of John deals with some areas of the relationship of each aspect of God. Then we read in John 10:30, I and my Father are one.
The Redemptive Work of Christ
46And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day. The entire process of salvation lies within Christ there is nothing we can do or ever will that will make us worthy of that salvation. However, Jesus did it that we might be saved according to Acts 4:12 - 12Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Eternal Security
First, consider where our salvation comes from, God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, back to the source of all things the Trinity. How was our salvation purchased? Hebrews 9:22 - 22And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. It is no small thing that our salvation was purchased with but, was done through the sacrifice and shed blood of Christ upon the cross. Therefore, to consider that our salvation can be so easily gained and lost is a fallacy. God being omniscient, omnipresent, knowing and seeing all things definitely knows the heart look at what God said to Samuel in 1 Sam. 16:7, “the Lord looketh on the heart”. So again, I say God who knows all, is it even possible to trick God into saving us. Jesus spoke about the security a believer can have in John 10:27-29, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
28And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
29My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.” Jesus plainly says If God is greater than all who can take them away from Him. Many people would say of the idea of eternal security that it gives them free reign to sin, again this is fallacy of thinking. Consider the following verses from John 5, “38And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. 39Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. 40And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.” Just because a person claims to have something does not necessarily make it a true statement. I’d like to close this section with two final verses for thought, Romans 8:9, 16. 9But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 16The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
I decided to wait until the end of this paper to answer the three questions posed to us because I felt that I couldn’t properly answer them without first stating why and how I believe what I believe.
1. How do these beliefs affect your worldview?
I think on the surfaces my views of the Trinity, the Redemptive Work of Christ, and Eternal Security have really formed the basis for my whole belief system world wide. In regards to the Trinity specifically, many world religions have a miasma of gods they worship, one that controls weather, crops, gods that punish because of failure to sacrifice appropriately, concerns of offending one god over another. Personally, it would be extremely confusing to have to consider all those possibilities. The Trinity places all my faith and confidence in one God whether it be the Father, Savior or Comforter. God provides all I need and more. The Redemptive Work of Christ is highly influenced by my belief in the Trinity, the realization that God has provided everything I need to be saved and I don’t have to put my trust in any other thing or person is of great comfort to me. I’m spoiled in a sense because if you look all throughout the world at world religions you see people struggling daily with the thought, “Am I doing enough to ensure my place in a good eternity or reincarnation?” I don’t have to fear that because I have the assurance of God that He has taken care of my eternity for me. Finally with eternal security it is again heavily influenced by the previous two beliefs. It saddens me to realize that people all throughout the world struggle with being good enough, doing enough that when they die it might not be enough.
2. How do these beliefs directly affect your personal walk with the Lord?
The whole basis of my walk is forged by these set of beliefs. To really take time and consider all that God has done me causes me to want to strife daily to live closer and walk closer with Him. I’m strongly reminded of what Paul wrote in Romans 12:1 - 1I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. In relation to all that God has done for us to strife daily to walk closer, live holier is but a small thing, it is our reasonable service.
3. How do these beliefs practically affect your ministry to others (include how these beliefs affect your reliance on the Lord as you assist others)? What makes biblical helping distinctively Christian? On the surface it truly causes me to see the real need people have to be saved and for those who don’t what they are rejecting. In talking with unbelievers I realize I was in the same boat as them once and without God’s intervention I’d still be on a sinking ship. Also I realize that without God I can’t do anything even the simplest things like breathing. So how much more dependant should I be upon Him when talking with others about such a precious gift as salvation.
The problems people face in life are directly or indirectly affected by sin in some form. I’m not saying that every bad thing or hardship is a result of sin in a person’s life but rather our lives, this world are corrupted by it. Until we realize the impact that sin has had upon this world we can’t begin to resolve the issue. This is what makes Christian helping unique. Secular helping doesn’t take sin into account when attempting to help others. Until people realize that the real enemy is not our parents, friends or each other but is the devil we are fighting a losing battle.
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