I was recently given the advice to begin exploring my spiritual beliefs in such a way as to refine them on paper and really take them to heart. The reason for this is that I will soon be graduating and will need to choose a seminary...I will then one day be hired by a Church (Lord willing) which will no doubt be very concerned with the detail of what I believe. Thus was prompted by the question,
"Do you know what you believe?"
To which I said,
"yes, on most matters."
I was then asked,
"Do you know why you believe what you do?"
I could say,
"yes, for the most part."
Yet further I was challenged,
"could you communicate these things in an instant?"
In other words, can I "give an answer to every man that asks you for the reason of the hope that is within you” (1 Peter 3:15). I am going to take this as a personal challenge over the next months (or however long it takes) to work through my beliefs, some theological and some social, and try to report exactly what I believe and why. The topics will include: God (Father, Son & Holy Spirit), Jesus, the Bible, Salvation & Life after death, and certain social standards or "hot topics" possibly including alcohol and sexuality. Don't consider all of those listings to be one post. I may also decide to explore more areas, but those are some basics. The "why" will first be biblical, because as I am sure I will discuss I believe the Bible. For now that is a presupposition, but in a future post I will try to answer the "why" even to that. Other reasons “why” could be scientific, observational, historical, philosophical, etc... but not after first wrestling with Scripture. Apologetics, that is a study of reasonable defense, is very important, but I consider it secondary after I conclude that the Bible, in its proper context, is both reliable and authoritative for my spiritual beliefs.
As you may well know, when I blog it is typically about books I have read, or wisdom I have learned as a college student, Barista, and through ministry and the study of the Word. To separate all of these things, Personal Faith will be the heading for all of my posts in line with this subject.
Let me first challenge you (and really myself): is your faith personal? We talk about 'personal faith' or 'personal beliefs'...as in "It's mine!" Well, Christian, is it? What about you, believer in something? Do you know what you believe? Do you know why you believe it? Do you know what that even means? This is my personal answer to 1 Peter 3:15.