What We Believe

What Do We Believe?

It is popular for current churches to make their statement of faith as vague a possible. While it is understandable in making big tents, it seems disingenuous to conceal a product before selling it. A genuine church sells one product, Jesus Christ as portrayed by the Bible. It is a belief system involving the four branches of philosophy (Epistemology, Metaphysics, Ethics, and Categorical Philosophy), more specifically, the ten doctrines of the Systematic Theology (Bibliology, Theology Proper, Christology, Pneumatology, Angelology, Anthropology, Hamartiology, Soteriology, Ecclesiology, and Eschatology). This series is systematic theology in a nutshell (on “what we believe” in the state of faith), plus some apologetics (on “why we believe so”).

What We Believe about the Bible: Bibliology, pt. 1: Introduction

Postmodernism is born from the complaint that medieval dogma and modern machines robbed full humanity. While the diagnosis is agreeable, the prescription is shameless inconsistency. Manmade dogma (e.g. climate change) are followed religiously; and manmade machines (e.g. smart phones) become indispensable. Full humanity cannot live without mind and doctrines; the difference is in the source. The Bible is where men get doctrines about God. This is why Bibliology should be the first of the ten doctrines of systematic theology. The essence of Bibliology is: (1) the Bible is divinely sourced; (2) it is inerrant and infallible; and (3) it centers on Jesus Christ.

What We Believe about the Bible: Bibliology, pt. 2: How Was the Old Testament Formed?

Modern mainstream academia is committed to naturalism, and makes imaginary theories on the formation of the Old Testament, generally making it late and collective in authorship, focusing on the two foundations of OT and NT (Torah and Gospels), and the two major bridges between them (Isiah and Daniel). Its goal seems to be reducing the authority and authenticity of the Bible. The real history of writing in the world is actually dependent on significant individuals, rather than the mass. By believing in the reality of biblical history, and understanding the many roles of biblical “authors,” we can offer a reasonable “Believers’ Theory on OT Formation.”

What We Believe about the Bible: Bibliology, pt. 3: How Was the New Testament Formed?

Unlike the mainstream academia’s theories that the New Testament was the composition of the church collectively in a long process, recent researches on chronology, history and documents support the believers’ theory on NT formation, that a few significant individuals in NT history were the writers, even translators and editors who formed and published NT in A.D.100.

What We Believer about the Bible: Bibliology, pt. 4: What about Apocrypha and OT Pseudepigrapha? Is Our Old Testament Missing Anything?

The boundary of the Old Testament seems to be fluent. The Protestants’ Bible has the same number of books as the Jews. The Catholics’ Bible has 8 more books and the Orthodox’ Bible has 16 more. The Apocrypha is the name for the group of books counted as “deuterocanonical” by some religious denominations but not by all. OT Pseudepigrapha is another collection of books not claimed as canonical by any denominations, but were quoted or regarded as authroitative. Are they the inspired word of God? Is our Old Testament complete?

What We Believer about the Bible: Bibliology, pt. 5: What about the Versions of Translations? Is Our New Testament Missing Anything?

Some English Bible translations (KJV, NKJV) seem to have a “fuller” text in the New Testament than others (e.g. NASB, NIV, ESV etc.). The KJV-Only Movement claims that the “briefer” NT are incomplete, and those who read the modern translations are heretical in denying the deity of Christ etc. Is that true?

What We Believer about the Bible: Bibliology, pt. 6: How Should the Bible Be Read?

More difference were by interpretation than textual variance. Is there a right way of reading the Bible? Is it possible to find a singular original meaning of the author(s), human and divine? The Church has found a system of rules of interpretation in order to achieve that. It is more urgent than ever to consult these rules, for they came from the experiences of dealing with heresies that came from erroneous readings.

What We Believe about the Bible: Bibliology, pt. 7: Who Should Teach the Bible, and How?

The Bible declares that the teachers are under higher standards of judgment, and forbade women from teaching men. Why are restrictions on teachers of the Bible? What qualifies a Bible teacher? How should the Bible be taught in the Church?

What We Believe about God: Theology Proper, pt. 1: The Existence of One Triune God, and the Fatherhood of God the Father

“God” means different things to different people. People may regard money, idols, self, great man, Lucifer, or Yahweh as their God. “God” can be a spirit or beings with immortal bodies. What differs between biblical Theism and all other –isms in theology is not just in the existence (vs. Atheism), the number within or without the godhead (vs. Polytheism, Pantheism; and vs. Unitarian Monotheisms like Judaism and Islam), but also in the work of God (vs. Deism), and mostly on the moral nature of God. The essential question (1): Is God not only great in power, but also holy in morality? (2) Is there a balance of unity vs. diversity, relations vs. fellowship in Trinitarianism?

What We Believe about God: Theology Proper, pt. 2: The Attributes of God

The Attributes of God are the characteristics of God described in understandable terms to men. There are several classes/groups, such as existential, power, and moral attributes. There are different aspects that need balance, such as greatness and goodness, justice and mercy. A balanced view of God based on the biblically revealed attributes is essential to worshipping and relating to the true God, in the way revealed/dictated/preferred by God, not men.

What We Believe about Christ: Christology, pt. 1: The Person, Word, and Work of Christ

Jesus Christ is a real historical person, whose birth, death and resurrection are commemorated by Christmas and Easter. Some of his words became popular, e.g. “Do to others what you want them do to you.” Some are taken out of context, e.g. “Do not judge so that you will not be judged.” His work on the cross transformed the fate of humanity, not only the eternity destination for the believers, but also the life experience of all.

What We Believe about Christ: Christology, pt. 2: The Nature of Christ

The nature of Christ is about his divinity and humanity. This topic was hotly debated in the church history. The issue is not moot as it seems now, for your answer to it could determine your eternal destiny, at least it will classify your theology to be either orthodox or heretical.

What We Believe about the Holy Spirit: The Doctrine of Pneumatology

The Doctrine on the Holy Spirit (Pneumatology) is the most debated doctrine in the Church during the 20th -21st century, but in the statement of faith in most churches, very little are said about the Holy Spirit beyond simply mentioning in the Trinity. We derive from the Scripture what the Holy Spirit is, what He did and does, what He likes and hates, and how can we distinguish the Holy Spirit from the other spirits.

What We Believe about the Angels: The Doctrine of Angelology

Most churches do not mention Angelology at all in their statement of faith, even though the understanding about them divide major religions from each other. We derive from the Scripture answers to questions like what the angels are, when they were created, how they are divided, what do they do, and what is they end.

What We Believe about Mankind: The Doctrine of Anthropology

Men/Mankind/Humanity is the being that we belong to. What are we? Where did we came from? Where are we going? Why are we in trouble? What Is our hope? We can derive a biblical anthropology to answer all these questions.

What We Believe about Sin: The Doctrine of Hamartiology

The Doctrine about Sin is called Hamartiology. Most people have never heard of the name, and the topic is rarely mentioned in the statement of faith of any church, even though sin is the central problem for humanity. The Bible gave us a description on the reason, nature, and effect of sin, and prescribed a cure.

What We Believe about Salvation: Soteriology, pt. 1: The Mechanism and the Way

ABC’s Statement of Faith is abundant on the doctrine of salvation (Soteriology), as that of most evangelical churches. The complete process of salvation actually includes: (1) Justification (an event, salvation of the spirit), (2) Sanctification (a process, salvation of the soul), and (3) Glorification (an event, salvation of the body). What evangelicals commonly say as “salvation” is Justification; it is the acceptance of the Redemption through Christ Jesus; it happens at the same time as the Regeneration by the Holy Spirit, and the Adoption by the Father.

What We Believe about Salvation: Soteriology, pt. 2: The Controversies and the Solution

Before the beginning of the process of salvation as known to men (Salvation [= Justification, Regeneration, Adoption, and Betrothal], Sanctification, and Glorification), God has done a lot more: Election (= Foreknowledge), Predestination, Redemption, and Call. There are different opinions on the big picture of salvation, differing on how much weight one gives to the divine and the human will on salvation. If we draw a spectrum of soteriology, on the left are Pelagianism, Semi-Pelagianism, and (Classical, Wesleyan, and Modern) Arminianism; and on the right are Moderate, Classical, and Hyper-Calvinism. Historical church councils have judged three left-side opinions as heretical. But what is the biblical and balanced position? We analyze the ways to build theology from the Bible, and propose a satisfying solution.

What We Believe about the Church: The Doctrine of Ecclesiology

The result of salvation is the Church. The doctrine of the Church is ecclesiology. It involves (1) the doctrine of Sanctification and Practical Theology, (2) the definitions of the Universal Church and the Local Churches, (3) the rites of the Church, (4) the governments of the Church, (5) the dogma, councils and creeds of the Church (the boundaries of faith), (6) the history of the denominations, and (7) the Church-and-State relationship. Ecclesiology is the least complete doctrine of systematic theology, together with Eschatology and Pneumatology.

What We Believe about the End Time: The Doctrine of Eschatology

Eschatology is the doctrine on the End Time. It is progressively approaching total conformity to the Biblical prophecy as historical evidences accumulate. One essential issue in Eschatology is the role of Israel in the big picture of salvation history. Even though Israel is essentially a physical illustration for the spiritual principles to teach the Church, the Bride of Christ ordained before the foundation of the world, God promised to save the remnant of Israel spiritually through the Tribulation before the Second Coming of Christ. Questions remain on whether it is by God’s permissive will or perfect will. The big pictures of the end time are analyzed historically as seven positions: (1) Apostolic and Jewish Dispensationalism, (2) Patristic Premillennialism, (3) Realized Eschatology, (4) Amillennialism, (5) Postmillennialism, (6) Zionist Dispensationalism, and (7) Christo-centric Dispensationalism.