I promised my brother, Richard in Connecticut ...

After my use of a caricature of Barack Obama with a crown of thorns in a recent posting, and many other "over the top" comments on the politics and events of our country and the world, I promised my brother that I'd state up front what exactly it is that I believe vis-a-vis Jesus Christ and my Christian faith.

The quote from David Anson Brown (below) says it all, although "believing" and "knowing" are two entirely different concepts and "hoping" is yet another. I personally cannot "know" that Jesus will condemn even one of His children (Muslim, Atheist, Buddhist, fallen away Christian, or whatever) to an everlasting Hell such as is preached in my church of choice on Sunday afternoons.

But that aside, I believe ...

• that God is the creator of the universe creating both of the seen (physical) and the unseen (spiritual) realms and that God the creator is also the giver of life.
• that the Holy Bible is God's word Personally spoken by God for mankind for the purpose of revealing who He is and it is without error in all issues to which it speaks.
• in some "form" of the Triunity (Trinity), one God in three Persons, consisting of Father, Son Jesus, and Holy Spirit. (No, I can't explain my belief in this concept.)
• that Jesus Christ is Divine God who came from Heaven to mankind as a man yet retaining the Divinity of God and who while living a sinless life was rejected and betrayed by man to be crucified and die on the cross yet not to remain dead but to Resurrect the third day in accordance with His Everlasting Divine life.
• that the death of Jesus on the cross provided complete atonement for all the sins of the world therefore cleansing those who choose to be cleansed from their sin to then receive the Holy Spirit and by receiving the Holy Spirit becoming "Born Again" and being Born Again becoming children of God. Children in the family of God and as children in a personal relationship with their Father who is God above all and as children also inheritors in the Heavenly Kingdom of Jesus the kingdom that is without end.
• that Jesus is the judge of all of mankind's thoughts, intentions and actions and that He is just and wise in His judgment. As judge, Jesus will judge the unjust to everlasting condemnation while to the righteous He will give of His life, His gifts, and His glory. Somehow, I believe that God's infinite mercy and infinite justice will meld in a manner that allows these to be "understood" in the Great Beyond--perhaps, we will all be seen to have done "the best we were able" ... maybe ...
• that Jesus physically rose from the dead, was seen by and interacted with many eyewitnesses including the Disciples and Apostles and that Jesus has now ascended back into Heaven where He originally came from. Jesus is currently seated in Majesty, Power and Authority alongside the Father and He is now accessible to us in both Prayer and Fellowship. (Yes, I pray to Jesus!)

I only modified the quote from David Anson Brown slightly to reflect my lack of infinite knowledge.