Tenets of the Faith
In addition to adhering to the likes of the Westminster Confession, the Apostles Creed and the tenets of the reformed faith, there are several daily guiding Biblical principles that we adhere to: The principles of Our Purpose, The Word, Our Work, The War, Our Confidence.
Our Purpose
God has created each of us for a purpose, that He alone has determined and that He alone can fulfill through our lives (Eph 2:10). Until a Christian understands and submits to the glorious truth that his life does not belong to himself, but to God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ alone, he will be kicking against the goads. Submitting to God and understanding the purpose of our lives is crucial to how well we will run and finish the race. The word speaks of our purpose in both specific and general terms.
First, the general: “For by Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him” (Colossians 1:16). “For in Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever!” (Romans 11:36).
These scriptures make it clear that God alone has the say about our lives, our purpose and everything else. We, by His grace are called to submit ourselves to this highest and most fulfilling calling, chosen by Him for His glory!
Second, the specific: “For we are God’s workmanship (His masterpiece), created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10). Discovering our specific calling is one of the greatest and most satisfying discoveries of life. Apart from this knowledge we are likely to feel dissatisfaction and frustration with God. We long to have the confidence that we are doing His will, and what He uniquely created us to do. God equipped us with certain skills and abilities to provide the wealth we need to live and to accomplish His work (Deuteronomy 8:18 says this is a sign of His covenant with our forefathers) “But remember the Lord your God for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms His covenant, which He swore to your forefathers, as it is today.” “We have different gifts according to the grace given us…let him use it…” (Romans 12:6). Surely God has specific work designed for each of us that only we as individuals can complete. Let us all seek to do His will to the praise of His glorious grace.
More specific purposes: We are Christ’s ambassadors (2 Cor. 5:20). We are like living stones (1 Peter 2:5). We are a Holy and Royal Priesthood (1 Peter 2:5, 9). We are children of God (1 John 3:1). We are the body of Christ and each one is a part of it (1 Cor. 12:27).
The Word
“His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” 2 Peter 1:3. Because the knowledge of Christ comes to us through the word of God, apart from the scriptures, we cannot hope to know Christ intimately or attain the promises of God. Further, according to Matthew 4:4 “It is written: Man does not live by bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” Jesus makes it crystal clear that our life and health is as dependent on the spiritual nourishment of the word as it is on physical food and water.
These truths, as do the word of God through Moses in Deuteronomy 32:47 “They are not just idle words for you—they are your life” elevate the necessity and place of the word in our lives light years above food, drink, comfort and everything else. Thus, we choose to immerse ourselves daily in the word in various ways: reading, listening, studying, mediating, and memorizing it. Tying the word on our hands and binding it to our foreheads (Deuteronomy 6:8) as it were, not only serves to transform our minds and our hearts making us more like Christ, but it is truly our only hope for knowing the fullness of Christ and attaining His promises.
Our Work
The only work we do in this world that matters is that work which is built on the foundation of Christ, the Chief Cornerstone of God’s Kingdom. We tremble to think that because in our human nature we are prone to deception, that some (perhaps most) of the work we believe is built on the foundation of Christ will on that Day be revealed for the wood, hay and straw that it is (1 Cor. 3:12-15). We abhor and recoil at the thought that on that Day of redemption we could see most of what we put our hand to while sojourners on this earth, burned up by the fire and revealed for what it is…man exalting. When we meet the Lord it will be too late, there will be no turning back the hands of time, no opportunity to redeem how we stewarded our time and resources. We will not be afforded the luxury of rebuilding on the foundation of Christ.
Therefore, our humble prayer is, “Dear Lord, let us not waste our time building works of wood, straw, and hay. Let us not waste the precious time, resources and skills you’ve given us on work that exalts or pleases the flesh, work that brings you no glory, nor serves to build your Kingdom. We pray that the work we do will be those works prepared for us to do before the foundation of the world. We earnestly pray that the work of our hands would have eternal value and bring much glory to Christ Jesus our Lord. We know, dear Lord, that it’s not by power, nor by might, but by Your Spirit that any good work at all can be done through our lives. To You alone be the glory.”
The War
William Gurnall wrote in his famous treatise on Ephesians 6, “The Christian in Complete Armour” “The whole world is engaged in the quarrel, either for God against Satan, or for Satan against God. The stage whereon this war is fought, is every man’s soul. Here is no neuter in this war.” Every child of God was chosen by God and saved by Christ out of the enemy’s camp and reassigned as a soldier of the Living God. (The sooner the Christian acknowledges this role to which He has been assigned the stronger and more spiritually astute he will become).
Jesus Christ, Lord Sabaoth, is our Commander in Chief. He expects His soldiers not to get involved in civilian affairs (2 Timothy 2:4) or enjoy friendship with the world, which is spiritual adultery and hatred toward God. (James 4:4). Thus we choose to live our life with kingdom purpose and intentionality.
This involves recognition that God has given us divine weapons for which we are responsible for knowing how to wield and which, if we diligently seek Him, He will be faithful to instruct us in the effective use of. The weapons of our warfare are described in Ephesians 6:10-18, Hebrews 4:12, Psalm 149:6 as faith, righteous living, prayer, the word, and worship. Apart from these weapons we cannot expect to fight this war successfully. In fact, we can only expect to get beaten up by the evil one who “prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).
Our Confidence
As we seek, in all humility to carry out this mission, we understand that living consistent with these Guiding Convictions will make the difference between success and failure. On that day we long to hear the words, “well done good and faithful servant” and share in the happiness of our Master (Matthew 25:23). We also understand that our confidence in living by and fulfilling the mission is not in ourselves, but in God. “Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant–not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” (2 Cor. 3:4-6).
Our confidence in running the race set before us and finishing well is strengthened before the throne of grace where we find mercy and grace to help us in our time of need (Hebrews 4:16) and by the reality that the Holy Spirit has indwelt us and works in us to will and to act according to His good purpose (Philippians 2:13). Finally, our confidence is in the cross of Christ, and the blood of the eternal covenant which has, by His grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone and the word of God alone; secured for us every Spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms and an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade . To God alone be the glory!
