JLin believes

When my family moves, I like to do research for new churches before we arrive. I scope out the locations, look at photos, check out their ministries, and (most importantly) I look at their beliefs. Before we try out a church, I want to make sure they believe the same thing we do. 

Matthew 7:15 tells us, “Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves.” If their beliefs don’t line up with scripture, it’s not the church for us. 

Which got me thinking.

If someone I don’t know comes to JLin writes how do they know what I believe? I know I am wary of anything on the internet. 

So, I decided to add a “JLin believes” page to my blog so anyone can hop over here and understand where I’m coming from.

I’ve included my “big three” for beliefs below:

(1) The Bible is the Word of God written by man through supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit.  (2 Timothy 3:16 = All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 2 Peter 1:20-21 = Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding, or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God.)

(2) There is one God, creator of all things, existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Colossians 1:15-17 = Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see, and the things we can’t see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. 2 Corinthians 13:14 = May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.)

(3) There is one way to get into Heaven, by believing in Jesus Christ. God’s free gift of salvation to mankind. (John 14:6 = Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. Romans 10:9 = If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Ephesians 2:8-10 = God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. 1 Peter 1:18-19 = For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.)