Statement of Faith

That sounds so… So professional to put it like that….

- Statement of Faith - 

Hehe. I’m no professional. I think we all know that. I run on opinion just as much as any of the rest of us do. I make mistakes. I lie. Accidentally lie, not on purpose but simply by misinformation… But that’s because I’m human. We all are. You are too. But you knew that. This isn’t to remind you of how human you are. 

This is just a page stating what I believe. This is a page stating the things I consider undeniable truths. You may not agree with this page. That’s ok with me. That doesn’t affect me. It affects you and I think it affects you in a pretty eternal way, depending on which part you disagree with. But it doesn’t affect me. Or my beliefs. 

If you want to keep reading this blog simply because you like it, but you don’t like Jesus… Well. I can’t make you like Jesus. I won’t make Christianity palatable to you just so I get blog views. I won’t change my faith just so you’ll like me. I don’t speak to offend you, nor will I play neutral or politically correct. 

But please! All I ask is that you read this to the end of the page. Don’t get mad about your opinions. Don’t argue with it as you read it. No matter how much you disagree. Try not to argue until after you have all the things I have to say, and even then try to wait until you’ve actually considered them. It’s too easy to say you disagree and just say why. It takes a lot of work to actually take into account everything being said instead of just the stuff that ticks you off. 

But that’s what I ask of you. Don’t get mad at the first thing you come across that you don’t like. Don’t even get mad at the fifth thing. Actually ask yourself, after finishing reading this, why you disagree. Don’t make an opinion until you have the whole thing to make an opinion about. Know that I treat any comments or arguments with the same respects, even if I disagree with the whole thing. 

Try to be mature about this, please?  

It’s not like I’m going to force this down your throat, after all. 

So here, straight from the Bible, and from the New Testament, is what I consider to be a good statement of what I believe. This is Romans 1. Paul says it so eloquently, but I’ll put in explanations of it in this font where I feel necessary, in addition to underlining the actual text I want you paying special attention to.

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. (In other words, for the Jews who were the firstborn first chosen children of God, and for the gentiles which is me and probably you who were adopted into the kingdom of God by justice satisfied through the blood of the one true righteous God who is both fully God d fully Man. More simple, salvation is made available to everyone who believes by Jesus’ death.) For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith." (that’s important.)

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 

Now pay attention to this next part. 

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man--and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.

In other words, God gave us all kinds of info about himself. We have an entire old testament. And since God is unchanging really we just need like, the Song of Moses for instance. But to put it in modern language, we changed the glory of the incorruptible God into something we were more comfortable with. Something that didn’t mean we had to make ourselves follow rules. Something that let us do and act simply by how we feel. Whether that means deciding God loves us no matter what we do therefore we are allowed to do whatever, or deciding God didn’t really say something that is clearly stated and re-stated. Or interpreting what was said to fit what we want it to say. Etc.

 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. 

For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. For those of you who don’t quite get that statement, in other words he’s saying men who stopped having sex with women and started having sex with men, and women who did likewise. And God let them, because that’s free will. He gave them up to the lusts of their hearts, and let them decide to dishonor their bodies. 

And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; Basically, people rejected God and they didn’t want Him. And because they didn’t want them, well, He wasn’t going to force anyone to love Him.

being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. Note that this isn’t defining gays. This is defining all people who sin ever. Christian or not. 

This is romans 2 now. The whole book is a really good summation of the Bible and of Christian faith. If there was anything to do a bible study on, pick that. But again, read it without anyone else’s opinions of it. Read it as yourself. Question yourself.

Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. 

But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. 

And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? 

But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who "will render to each one according to his deeds": eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness--indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 

For there is no partiality with God. 

For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law

 To finish… I breifly touched on this once here but I’ll say it again in a more definitive way. 

People complain about hell. People complain about the cruelty of God. They say that because it’s a life or death matter, God forces us to choose him and threatens us with death otherwise. And how could he punish us for the sins of one man once? 

That’s not true. 

Well, sort of. But you’re looking at it wrong if you think that.

God put together a beautiful world. He surrounded the first humans with everything they needed and everything they could ever want. He made a paradise for them. He even gave them a fruit through which they could live eternally.

He gave them one rule. 

A snake came along and twisted His words. 

Through a twisting of His words, the first humans answered to their own desires. For herself, Eve broke the only rule of Eden. 

The terrible punishment we think we perceive isn’t so terrible. If we had stayed in Eden, we would never have learned what it was to love. There was only one rule. Now there are many, yes. But every rule is to lead us out of loving ourselves. 

As for heaven and hell, we make it to be something so drastic. We make hell out to be this great and terrible punishment and then focus on how cruel that is. How dare God send a good person to fire and brimstone simply for not loving God!

But consider this. Strip all that away as add ons to the facts. 

Heaven is the place where God is. Heaven is a place of eternal worship. Heaven is full of all joy and rejoicing because of God. Because in God there are no insecurities. In God our happiness does not depend on other people nor does it depend on our circumstances. That is what an eternity of being in Heaven with God means. It means an eternity of loving Him and being free within and because of that. 

So then what is hell? Is hell that place of torture and demons and all that?

Sort of. But so is earth. 

Hell is the place where God isn’t. Hell is the place where people who do not want go. Why would someone who doesn’t want God want to go to a place where they spend eternity with Him? Hell is the place where, without God and without his Grace and Mercy, people are left completely to their own insecurities and pains and that lack that can’t be filled. Hell is a place where you can’t simply ignore how much you’re hurt. Hell is a place where people only love themselves. Where people do good only for themselves. And because there will be no God nor goodness of God there, self hatred will become an all consuming fire.

Heaven is the place where God is. Hence it takes a relationship with God to get there. 

Hell is the place where people who don’t want God go. Not as a punishment. Merely as a choice. 

Make sense?

So that is my statement of faith. And I have completely switched fonts. But that’s ok.

Now that I have spoken my piece, please try to understand it. Weigh it as a whole. And email me if you have questions. Endlesstunnels@gmail.com. Comment if you’ve emailed so I know to check that one though… 

Thank you for taking the time to read this. It really does mean a lot to me. Time is of such great value. Thank you for using yours to listen to me.