This I Believe

Pastor Pat CookOctober 2013

I still don’t understand a lot of the Bible, but it makes more

sense to me now than it ever did.

Look, God is greater than we can understand. (Job 36:26)

Here are a few things I have come to believe in my journey.

Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading

in every part of our lives. (Galatians 5:25)

I believe God loves me the same at all times, no matter what I

have done, or not done.

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us

while we were still sinners. (Romans 5:8)

I believe I no longer have a sinful nature, despite what many new

Bible translations imply.

Through these he has given us his very great and precious

promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the

corruption in the world caused by evil desires. (2 Peter 1:4)

I believe that knowing who I really am in Christ has produced more good things in me than all

my efforts put together.

But by the grace of God I am what I am… (1 Corinthians 15:10)

I believe that God primarily sees me as His son, and not His

servant.

Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child.

(Galatians 4:7)

I believe that God does not count my sins against me – past,

present, or future.

For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against

them. (2 Corinthians 5:19)

I believe that my Christian life is about grace and faith from start to

finish. The way I got saved is the same way I live my life.

How foolish can you be? After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to

become perfect by your own human effort? (Galatians 3:3)

I no longer feel distant from God or dirty before Him, because my

Christian life is based on what Jesus did, not what I do.

…let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to

make us clean… (Hebrews 10:22)

I believe that a better understanding of the covenants

of the Bible has helped me immensely in my Christian life.

…rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15)

I believe that Christ’s death, not His birth, ushered in

the New Covenant.

God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law…

(Galatians 4:4)

I believe that Christ’s death ushered in the New Covenant, that there was a period of 40 years when both the

Old Covenant and the New Covenant were around…

Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these

things have happened. (Matthew 24:34)

I believe that Christ’s death ushered in the New Covenant, that there was a

period of 40 years when both the Old Covenant and the New Covenant were

around, but the destruction of Jerusalem in AD70 ended the Mosaic covenant

forever.

By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what

is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear. (Hebrews 8:13)

I believe that the Mosaic law has no part in my life, except to remind me that I can never be good enough for

God through my efforts.

The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where

sin increased, grace increased all the more… (Romans 5:20)

I believe that the message of dying to yourself is Old Covenant, and that the message of “I did die

and now I’m alive” is New Covenant.

For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.

(Colossians 3:3)

I don’t believe in cheap grace; I believe in free grace.

And since it is through God’s kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God’s grace would not be what it really is—free

and undeserved. (Romans 11:6)

I believe that the spirits of believers are united with

the Holy Spirit, so we don’t need to “seek” God.

But the person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him.

(1 Corinthians 6:17)

I no longer hunger and thirst for God, because Jesus told me I

wouldn’t have to.

Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will

never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:35)

I believe that preaching grace will lead people to sin less, not more.

Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the

requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace. (Romans 6:14)

I believe that I am enough for Jesus…

…always thankful to the Father who has made us fit to share all

the wonderful things that belong to those who live in the Kingdom

of light. (Colossians 1:12)

…and I believe that He is enough for me.

For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you

have been made complete. (Colossians 2:9-10)

I believe that the message of “do more, pray better, try harder” is

the main reason people give up in the faith.

This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish

by faith. (Romans 1:17)

I believe that there are only two commandments that Christians are under.

Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are

not burdensome. (1 John 5:3)

And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one

another as he commanded us. (1 John 3:23)

I do not believe that bad things that happen in life are from God as a sort of punishment. I

believe that all my deserved punishment was on Jesus at the cross.

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities;

the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.

(Isaiah 53:5)

I believe we need each other, despite our flaws, maybe even because of

them.

And in him you too are being built together to become a

dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. (Ephesians 2:22)

Although there are lots of things I don’t believe in,

I’d rather talk about what I do believe…

…the love of God, and the grace of Jesus.