Statement of Faith

House of Davidson Statement of Faith
I Peter 3:15 “...always be ready to give an answer to
anyone who asks about the hope you possess.”

Bible:
The infallible, perfect, Holy Spirit inspired Word of God. God inspired it and men under the direction of the Holy Spirit penned it. The original manuscripts are without error, and what we have today is still the inspired Word of God, kept and protected by God. There are 66 books in the God inspired Bible. The Bible is the final authority on all life.

Hermeneutics:
We must read and interpret the Bible with the literal, grammatical, historical method of interpretation. The Bible must be interpreted according to its original, intended meaning to the audience it was written to. Observation, interpretation, and then application.

Theology:
There is one God who is the Creator of everything. God created the world in 6 literal, 24 hour days and rested on the 7th. God is holy, righteous, just, loving, gracious, merciful, long suffering, and does not change. There is one God who co-exist in 3 distinct, yet equal persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

Christology:
Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God. Jesus Christ is God. He is distinct from the Father and the Holy Spirit. He is 100% God, and 100% man. He is the second person of the Trinity, but equal with the other two. He physically died (to pay for the sin of humanity), was physically buried, physically rose again, and appeared to many witnesses. This was predicted by the O.T. as well as Himself. Jesus is presently seated at the right hand of the Father, until His enemies are made His footstool. He is the only mediator between God and man, and He prays on behalf of beleivers.

Pneumatology:
The Holy Spirit is one distinct person of the Trinity, equal with the Father and the Son. He indwells believers in the Church age and is their seal until the day of redemption. He convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. He gives gifts to the Church and individual believers, for the building up of the Church. He also prays on the behalf of believers.

Anthropology & Hamartiology:
Humans are both material and in-material. Men and women are created as eternal spiritual beings in the image of God. Sin entered the world through one man (Adam). Death entered through sin. Humankind is identified with the 1st Adam (in Genesis) from birth. The sin nature is inherited (birth). Sin is also imputed to each individual because of their relationship to humanity by Adam. Bottom line is people are naturl born sinners in need of a Savior.

Soteriology:
We are declared legally righteous before God by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. There are not different kinds of faith, but rather faith in different objects/people. Works are not necessary for salvation, or for the proof of salvation. Salvation is a gift from God and is as secure as Jesus Christ. Justification (being declared legally righteous) is a point in time event (instantaneous and complete) and takes place the moment a person hears and believes the "gospel" (Jesus Christ is God, died on the cross for your sins, was buried, and resurrected on the 3rd day) they are sealed with and by God Holy Spirit. Any believer can have assurance of their salvation because of the testimony of scripture. Their works may or may not look like that of a Christian. God has elected the mean of salvation and there is no other way to be saved.

Ecclesiology:
The Church was born at Pentecost (Acts 2). It is the “body of Christ”, the “bride of Christ”, and is separate and distinct from the nation of Israel. The Church was a mystery in the O.T. The Church age is a parenthetical period of time from Pentecost to the rapture where God has extended His grace to prepare for His Son a bride which will share in His inheritance and His reign. The Church has been commissioned to take the gospel to the ends of the Earth and make disciples.

Eschatology:
It is inevitable that every individual will encounter physical death, and after that comes judgment. Those who are "in Christ" will be judged for rewards, and those who are not "in Christ" will be judged for condemnation. Jesus Christ is the Judge for everyone.
The Church may be raptured at any time. This is followed by the “Bema Seat of Christ” where rewards and positions will be given to believers. For those who are not “born again” the rapture is followed by the Tribulation (7 literal years) where God’s wrath is poured out on the earth. Individuals can still be saved for the first 3 ½ years. The second 3 ½ years the Holy Spirit will stop drawing people, and no one will be saved.
Christ will return with His glorified “bride” at the end of the Tribulation to set up His kingdom. This will begin a time of 1,000 literal years of the kingdom, which Satan is bound and Christ rules with a rod of iron. The Church will rule and reign with Christ over the nations and even the angels according to the inheritance and rewards given to each one.
At the end of the millennium, Satan is released so that Christ can permanently deal with him and those from the kingdom who have not trusted Him as their Savior. Satan, death, Hades, people from the kingdom who did not trust Christ as their Savior, and all the unsaved from all of history will be judged at the "Great White Throne" and then thrown into the Lake of Fire.
The “new Jerusalem” will come down from Heaven and God will dwell with man on the earth as He originally intended. This begins the “eternal state” where God will for eternity unveil His immeasurable glory and grace.

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

The REAL Jesus



December 2, 2008 - Tuesday
The REAL JesusCategory: Religion and Philosophy
Everyone has something that just grates on their nerves...maybe several! I also have one particular thing that frustrates me to no end!


I believe that the God of the Christian Bible (the one true God) who is Creator, Sustainer, and Savior of the world, came to this planet in the form of a man (Jesus of Nazareth). No intelligent person disputes the existence of this man Jesus;however, even Christians have a distorted view of what Jesus was like while He was on this earth.


Jesus was 100% God AND 100% man. Confusing? Slightly. We as humans have a hard time understanding how the universe even opperates, let alone can we fully grasp the depths of who God is and what He has done for us. The explaination of the God-man Jesus is a subject for another time. I at this time am ranting about people's view of Jesus as a man!


The typical 'Christian' view of Jesus is a long and wavy haired, neatly trimmed bearded, soft white skinned, peircing blue eyed, white robe (dress) wearing, sandal wearing, sheep hugging, quiet speaking, timid, always serious, never humorous, and quietly arrogant peasant man.


SHAME!!


Jesus was a man!! Not just a 'male', but a 'man'! Culturally He would have followed in his father's occupation of being a carpenter. If this is true, then he would have been skilled with His hands, as well as have calloused hands from working with wood. He would have been physically fit from His job as well as walking everywhere. He probably did NOT have long hair, because the men typically had short hair. Some people think He had long hair because He was from Nazareth, but He did not take a Nazarite vow (which prohibited the person from cutting their hair).


Jesus probably had shorter lengthed hair, He drank wine, and ate meat. Jesus never got drunk (sin), never was a glutton (sin), and never had sex (sin outside of marriage).
He was labeled a 'friend of sinners', hung out with those rejected by society, went to fun parties, and spoke quite harshly with 'religious' people.


Oh yeah! Jesus didn't wear a halo, and He didn't glow or float slightly above the ground!
Isaiah 53:2 says, 'He had no stately form or majesty that might catch our attention'. Jesus was God Himself wrapped up (veiled) in a human body! Jesus was a fun guy to be around! He was enjoyable, friendly, manly, humorous, strong, outgoing, and...He was sinless!


Too many Christians confuse holiness with arrogance. Holiness isn't staying away from sinners. If this is true than Jesus was not holy. Jesus was and is God!! God befriended sinners! God spoke truthfully and harshly with the religious zealots! God is the perfect example of being in the world, but not of the world. Jesus is God. Jesus is 'the man'!


P.S. Read Revelation 19:11-16 to get a snapshot of the REAL Jesus that I am talking about. Jesus shows up on a white horse, with a sword, ready to make war! I'm on His team!

2 comments:

Adam Pastor said...

Greetings Scott Davidson

On the subject of the
the REAL Jesus
& the Trinity,
I highly recommend this video:
The Human Jesus

Take a couple of hours to watch it; and prayerfully it will aid you in your quest for truth.

Yours In Messiah
Adam Pastor

Scottacus said...

I am not sure what you meant by "quest for truth", but let me be very clear. I believe Jesus of Nazareth is Jesus Christ! He is God! He claimed it, showed it, proved it, lived it, and I believe it! I will check out the video you suggested, but just to be clear...Jesus is the God-man I Timothy 2:5! Jesus is God who became a man without giving up ANY of His deity. Jesus is God! Jesus is my Savior! Thanks for you comment, and I hope to hear from you in the future. Thanks again for the video suggestion.