I will admit right up front I was raised in a Christian home. My grandfather and then my father were small-town preachers. I literally grew up in church. I did not believe in Christ for myself until I was sixteen. I worked through a lot of thought processes and experiences before I may that commitment in life. I have a Bachelor of History, so I am very aware of Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism, as well as fringe religions. I have respect for the true believers of these religions but I do not adhere to their beliefs nor do I feel all roads lead to the truth because that is contrary to all religions in how they exist. I also know the history of Christians in the world and the abuses they perpetuated over the years. I will say this, man will always find an excuse to rise to power, money, fame, or just plain evil. Christ was none of these but so-called followers have been.
At thirteen I witnessed a demon-possessed man which scared my senses. I have had people threaten my life more than once, especially a devil worshiper, who did not know me yet. They told me my name, where I lived, and that I was a Christian on our very first encounter with each other.
I believe in the Bible. I believe that God our creator, who is, was, and always will be (sorry no beginning and no ending) inspired different people to write what is now our Bible. I believe that God does not make mistakes. I also believe in free will. This is why sin and evil exist in our world. I believe salvation is a gift and that God truly desires a relationship with His creation. I also believe that I can live above sin, not mistakes, but sin. I also believe there is a heaven and a hell and the choices we make in life decide where we end up. I also believe that even when I am forgiven for my sins here on earth I still face consequences for my choices.
My belief is not dependent on anyone else and is not for anyone else. I can not make someone else believe. I can live my life so that it makes people think about Christ, I can pray the Holy Spirit prompts people to consider but belief is the very core of each individual and God and only can be decided on that level.
I also believe that this world is broken, full of sin, evil, and darkness. Yet I live with a hope that is within me that helps me get up each day and take on my world. Death no longer scares me and to die just gets me home. I believe that my relationship with God, through Christ’s salvation and the daily walk with the presence of the Holy Spirit which is all the same God, just like there is my physical body (like Christ), the personality and thoughts that make me that people see, (God the father) and then there is the deepest spark of what drives me, pushes me and is the essence of who I really am (Holy Spirit). I am all these yet just me. I was made in the image of God, which means like Him, but I am not God.
I believe that Satan is a fallen angel and bent on destroying anything to do with God, whether through apathy, lust, pride, control, or any other idea he can try. I do not believe he is equal to God. I also believe he has an end date.
I believe in the power of prayer and I live my life to make God happy just like I do with my wife. I don’t have too, I want too. I believe everyone has a soul.
Back to the other religions, Muslims have a check list on how to live and yet they are still not guaranteed, heaven. Buddist believe in plains of living, Hindus believe in reincarnation and a very strict cass system, sorry I do not buy into any of these ways of thinking. I believe in a God who guarantees that if I accept salvation and I have a relationship with Him I will reach heaven. Each day I live the choice is completely in my hands. I also do not live by the requirements of the Old Testament because I am not from Israel of that time period. I live in the era of the New Testament and the covenant with Christ through his death and resurrection. That is what I believe. I also believe that I am to strive for perfection but that I am in no way perfect. That will not occur until I reach heaven. I do believe the world will end someday. When or how it will end, I leave for people much smarter than me.
The foundation of what I believe is simple, Nothing is impossible for God. As an author once expressed the reason bad things happen to us is because we live between two gardens. The garden of Eden where there was no sin until Adam and Eve screwed it up, and the garden of Life which will be in heaven and eternity. Write now, I live in a broken, destructive world.
One last thing, I do not believe in fairness, that is a man made concept. I do believe in justice, not man’s justice but God’s. I also believe true freedom comes with responsibility, and guard rails to keep from losing it.