By Benjamin H. Liles
As a Christ-follower, a disciple of His, through my faith in His shed blood to cover my sins, redeeming me from death and hell, this is all I believe, or rather my statement of faith:
About the Bible
I believe the Bible is authentically and authoritatively the word of God. It possesses attributes which tell me how I sinned, and fall short of God's glory, His standards, and am in need of a Savior; His Son, whom He ordained from the beginning of the world, to go to the cross, shedding His life and blood in order I may have life and live in His righteousness when He rose again from the grave.
About God (God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit)
He is holy, just, pure and His commands are given out of love and are to be obeyed. Even when I cannot fulfill certain commands I know He is loving, faithful and true, able to pardon and forgive my sins, thus allowing me to live in His grace, being His disciple and living in His perfection and Strength. Along with that I also believe the Holy Spirit causes me to remember all that Jesus commands, thus proving that His laws are written on my heart - to love God with all my heart, my mind, body and strength; and the second like it, to love my neighbor as myself.
About Death and Sin
I recognize, even before I became a Christ-follower, that I sinned and fell short of His glory and His standards. Not only did I do this without knowing of Him or His laws, it was passed on through my parents, who in the end also descend (in a way, from Adam and Eve, the first human parents). I believe without God's gift of grace to redeem me I am lost and can do nothing without Him. To me this means that if I remained in my sins I would be punished and a place in Hell awaited me. But thanks be to God who forgave me my sins. It is by His grace, through the Son Jesus Christ, I have been set free. Of course, I still sin but when i confess those to Him He is able and just to forgive me, cleansing me from unrighteousness and helps me to live life in the power of His grace.
Concluding Thoughts
In honest assessment that is a mouthful, but at the same time I want everyone to see and to know what can be expected when you repent, which is a full changing not only of the mind to God's way of thinking, but employing the device in which you fully turn from your sins, desiring no longer to live therein. In that sense, sin and death have no more power over me, even though I still sin daily and will do so until I am called home. By having submitted myself to God's authority, I have exchanged my "home," which is this perishing world, for a "destination" that is far greater and better than the coming wrath of God on sinful man. This destination has a name and it is Heaven where God reigns and lives over all, in which Jesus Christ is seated at His right hand, waiting for the day when the Father tells Him it's time to come back, to receive all who believe in Him by faith to live forevermore with Him in His kingdom. I pray this helps and encourages you in your walk and in your faith as well. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.