So, what exactly do I mean when I say I am a "Christian"? What do I believe? Here are a few of the beliefs I consider fundamental to my faith (for discussions on why I believe these things, see my discussion page):

• God
  I believe God is real, God created the universe and everything in it, God is all-powerful (omnipotent), all-knowing (omniscient), and everywhere at once (omnipresent). God existed before time was time, and will exist forever.
  I do not believe God is male or female. I do not believe God is white, black, or any other race. God is above all gender and race. God is a being above all humankind. However, God does care about each one of us. God is a very personal God and wants us to have a personal relationship with God.
• Jesus
  I believe Jesus was a real human being. He was not simply a good teacher or a prophet, He was the Son of God. He was a physical representation of God (similar to sheet music being a physical representation of a song.)
  He was actually born to a virgin named Mary, lived a perfect life, and was crucified on a cross to forgive us of our sins. But even more than that, He actually physically rose from the dead.
• The Bible
  I believe the Bible is inspired by God and absolutely inerrant. I believe every word of the Bible is true, and it is applicable to our daily lives. I believe God uses the Bible to teach us and to let us know more about God and Jesus.
• Salvation
  I believe salvation comes only from God. You cannot earn your way into Heaven by good works. Nothing you could do would be good enough. God offers us salvation as a gift. If we confess that Jesus is Lord and believe that God has raised Him from the dead, we will be saved. You do not have to quote a certain prayer, but "head knowledge" is not enough either. Even Satan and his demons know Jesus was raised from the dead! But we must accept Him as Lord of our lives and surrender to Him.
  I also believe that once you are saved, you cannot lose your salvation. You only have to become a Christian one time, and you are a Christian forever.
• The Role of the Church
  I believe the church was designed by God to provide a place where we can come to worship God and to learn how to live our lives on a day-to-day basis. The Christians in the church are there for support and guidance. Being a member of a church does not make you a Christian, but if you are a Christian you should attend a church. It is commanded by God.
• Baptism
  I believe the only correct form of baptism is by immersion (being pushed under water and brought back up again) after a person becomes a Christian. Baptism is not what saves you, but it is an outward sign to everyone that you now belong to God. But most importantly, God commands it in the Bible.
• The Afterlife
  I believe that anyone who dies and is a Christian will go immediately to Heaven. Anyone who is not a Christian no longer has a chance to accept God and will be cast into Hell. However, God is not a "mean" God for doing this. We all deserve Hell because we are all sinners, but God gives us a chance to go to Heaven if we will only accept God's invitation. We choose Hell by rejecting God's invitation.

Page last updated Tuesday, September 20, 2005.