A Declaration of Faith

I am a follower of the Messiah (a christian), a gentile grafted into the fold, a believer in the power and love of the message of Yashua (Jesus), my Lord and savior. I have been freed from bondage by his life, death, and resurrection. The life of perfect love gives me strength to love as he did, the death of perfect sacrifice give me the reprieve of knowing that my sin has been blotted out, and his glorious resurrection gives me the promise that my heart has been fully restored and of a life forever with him. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,[a] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)

I believe in the message of Adventism, but my allegience is to Christ and Christ alone. I believe that the Bible is an inspired revalation of God to his people, and that to know God fully we must know his word. To this end I find the founders of my denomination an inspiration. Their dedication to searching the truth is as astounding today as ever it was. But I am not bound to their finite findings or their opinions. TRUTH is forever growing, we will always learn more and more. My faith relies on Christ alone. "This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." (Roman 3:22-24)

I believe that all who profess Christ are members of the body, although some have varying degrees of truth (WHOSEVER believes in him). I believe love of humanity and a of love of truth. Christ died for humanity. If the life of the very least human was deemed worthy for the sacrifice of my Creator than love for humanity is my highest calling. 18 " 'Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD." (Leviticus 19:18).

I believe that the Church has a responsibility to free people from bondage. I believe bondage can take the form of lies, mistruths and theological errors, but that bondage is also physical. Jesus healed the sick because his heart broke at the site of fallen man. I am to love as he loved, offering the healing power of truth and sheltering those who need refuge. "27Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." (James 1:27).

I believe that there are differences between people into how to intrepret prophecy, but that it doesn't matter in comparison to the message of love. Denominations exist for a reason, and I belong to the Adventist Church because I believe in her truth. But I believe that when we let that truth divide our love for eachother as members of the body of christ we have stepped into dangerous ground and are erring in the way of the pharisees. The pharisees sin was that they loved truth more than people, they were so zealous for the law they forgot about mercy within the law. They wanted to keep God's law so well that they missed the great essential. Bless us God that we will not do the same. 17"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:17-20)

I don't have all the answers. I am still studying. Some things I must accept on faith until I can know them more fully. I will continue to question (not discount, but simply be looking for other answers as well), and some I may never know on this earth. But I believe that one day my God will make all things known when I am with him forever. For now we see things dimly, through a vale as the children of Israel saw Moses, but someday all things will be made known.