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Statement of Beliefs:
Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior

October 12, 2013

We have started a discussion regarding a Statement of Beliefs for those who identify as First-Century Apostolic Christians, those of us who believe our practices are closely aligned to the practices of the first-century church. We began to look at how we believe that Christian faith includes a life of faith with works and that to live a live with one without the other is dead. Last week , we examined our belief in the existence of God the Father, Jesus Christ the son, and the comforting power of the Holy Spirit. Today we will consider verses that support our believe that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior.

We believe that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior who died for our sins so that we might live and we practice this by following the new commandment that Jesus gave to us prior to his death, that we are to love another as Jesus loved us, and that we are to obey Jesus as Jesus obeyed the Father.

Consider these verses:

2 Peter 3:18
But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen.

Peter, the apostle who would lead the early church affirmed that Jesus was both our Lord and Savior. With this direct evidence, there can be no wavering in our faith that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior.

1 Corinthians 15:3
For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

Paul, the most prolific writer of the New Testament, affirmed that Jesus died for our sins. Having persecuted the early church, Paul saw the power of the Holy Spirit that came through the death of Jesus.

1 Corinthians 15:20-26
But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

Paul also affirmed that it is through Jesus that we are made alive through the resurrection, and that even though Jesus died a physical death, in doing do he was empowered to destroy the last enemy of death.

John 13:34
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

Jesus was a living sacrifice for us and he layed down his life for us that we might live eternally. As brothers and sisters in Christ, we are to have this same capacity to love. The good news is most of us will never have to demonstrate love to the degree that Jesus had for us.

2 John 1:5
And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.

John, the disciple who Jesus loved, the disciple who likely lived longer than the others knew it was important for us to know that the commandment to love one another was a novel idea, but one that was scripturally based and intended from the beginning of time.

Living a life of faith as Christian requires us to believe believe that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior who died for our sins so that we might live and we practice this by following the new commandment that Jesus gave to us prior to his death, that we are to love another as Jesus loved us, and that we are to obey Jesus as Jesus obeyed the Father. There is much more to explore regarding this topic. A Statement of Beliefs is not intended to fully represent all of our beliefs, and is intended to provide a reasonable summary so that others can succinctly understand what we believe. It can also provide us with a reflective consideration of our own religious faith. The more we understand who we are and what we believe, the more we can help others understand who we are and what we believe, the more we will be able to celebrate what is good, embrace what is good, and do what is good.

All verses are from the King James Version.
This site provided by Tom Laign. To all who may believe differently, I also extend peace and love.