My Basic Beliefs

August 15th
I attend a book club each Monday morning in which we analyze and discuss a chapter of an inspirational book each week. When one of the members mentioned a while back that he had written down his basic beliefs and compared them with a friend, I realized that I had never done that. I decided to give it a try and the following is my first attempt. Feel free to offer constructive criticism.

Basic Beliefs of Stanley O. Seely August 12th, 2007

I Believe That:

1. I have purpose and I am a part of the design of the triune, sovereign God of the universe as described in the Bible.
2. That there was a time when I was not, but there will never be a time when I am not.
3. I have God within me in the form of the Holy Spirit.
4. My basic purpose in life is to bring glory to God by having the great commandment as my goal: To love God with all my heart and to love my neighbor as myself.
5. That I was born with a selfish, sinful Adamic nature and that I need to have God’s power through the Holy Spirit to become “selfless.”
6. I am inadequate to “save myself”, but that Christ has completely taken care of my sin problem through his death and resurrection.
7. That religion is the human attempt to find God, but that Christianity is God’s attempt to reach mankind.
8. That if Christ’s plan is understood, it must be accepted or lead to eternal separation from God.
9. That if I am following God’s plan for my life and using His resources, I will be experiencing what will be “supernatural” events in the eyes of the world, but what will be seen as “natural” from God’s view and the consequence of the application of His universal laws.
10. That life is full of paradoxes as illustrated and stated in the Bible: such as being blessed by not seeking blessings, but by seeking to be a blessing to others.
11. That the Bible correctly interpreted is my sufficient guide for life and that science and history correctly interpreted will be in agreement.
12. That God in His omnipotence and sovereignty has chosen to give me free will as far as my attitudes and my choices, and that in some way I can be predestined and have free will at the same time. I feel that this paradox relates at least partially to God being outside time and therefore seeing what I see as past, present and future as if they are one.
13. I have the right and responsibility to continue to grow in the wisdom and knowledge of God throughout my life, and consequently in the future I may add to or take away from some of the above statements.