Statement of Doctrine

by Ken Ainsworth

I am a Christian.

Unfortunately being identified as such sometimes comes with a significant amount of baggage. There have been many people over the past 2000 years who have called themselves Christians who were, in fact, nothing of the sort. The same is true today. I really wish those who commit so many sins and atrocities in the name of Christ would truthfully confess whom they actually follow.

Since releasing Machias Morning, I've had a number of people ask me "What, exactly, do you believe about God?"  Sometimes the question comes as an open challenge, sometimes it comes with a certain amount of skepticism. But since we are charged by Peter to always be ready to give a defense for the hope that lies within us (1 Peter 3:15), I always try to give as clear an answer as I can.

What follows is my personal doctrinal statement. It is not exhaustive, but consists of those truths for which I will contend until my dying breath. For these beliefs I am willing to be burned at the stake.

I believe in one God, the Eternal Spirit, who existed from eternity past and will exist to eternity future. (Deuteronomy 6:4).  I believe the one God is eternally existent in three persons, The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Genesis 1:2; Genesis 1:26; Matthew 3:16; John 1:1-3; John 6:27; Hebrews 1:8; Acts 5:3-4; John 14:16) God called the worlds into being, created man in His own image, and set before Him the ways of life and death.  He is the Creator and Sustainer of all. (Genesis 1:1;Psalm 33:6; Isaiah 48:13; Hebrews 1:10)

In the person of Jesus Christ, God has come to us, shared our common lot, conquering sin and death and reconciling the world to Himself.  I believe in Christ's virgin birth, His perfectly sinless life, His willing sacrifice of that life on the cross so that we as sinners may be justified before God. (Romans 5:6-9)  I believe that Jesus was raised (bodily) from the dead, appeared to many witnesses, then ascended to rule at the right hand of the Father. (Acts 1:11)  I believe that He will come again to establish His earthly kingdom. (Revelation 22:12)

I believe the Holy Spirit indwells Christians to draw them closer to God, teaching them God's Truth (John14:26), testifying of Christ (John 15:26), and helping them with their Christian walk. (John 16:7)  He also convicts men of sin and of judgment to come. (John 16:8-11) It is the Holy Spirit that leads Christians to righteousness.

I believe the Bible, in the original languages, to be the only inspired, immutable, infallible Word of God, (2 Timothy 3:16) given and interpreted by the working of the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:20-21).

I believe that man is born into sin, is totally depraved, (Romans 3:23) and cannot have a relationship with the most holy God apart from Jesus Christ. But by accepting the free gift of salvation made possible by Christ's death and resurrection, the Christian is able to receive God's grace through faith, which is a gift of God. (Romans 10:9; Romans 3:25-26; Galatians 3:13; Ephesians 2:8-9)  By the indwelling of God the Holy Spirit, the Christian is progressively sanctified and empowered to perform works according to the will of God. (Ephesians 2:10; James 2:15-20)

I believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to life, and the unsaved to condemnation. (John 5:29)  I believe there is no work I can do to earn my salvation, so I must, through the faith granted to me by God, believe that Jesus paid my penalty in full so that I can spend eternity in heaven with Him.  (Luke 10:20; John 14:2; Ephesians 2:8-9); Revelation 7:9) 

"If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:9)