WHAT I BELIEVE

I believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the inspired, inerrant, sufficient Word of God, and that every word is true, trustworthy, and authoritative (2 Timothy 3:16–17, 2 Peter 1:20–21, Psalm 119:160).

I believe salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone, and not by works. We are saved by His righteousness, not our own (Ephesians 2:8–9, Romans 3:24–26, Titus 3:5, Acts 4:12).

I believe there are three stages of salvation:

1. Justification, which happens at the moment of belief and cannot be undone (Acts 16:31, John 10:28-29, Romans 8:38-39).
2. Sanctification, which is the work of the Holy Spirit, and which continues throughout the life of a Believer as they apply themselves to good works (1 Thessalonians 5:23, 1 Peter 1:2, Hebrews 10:14).
3. Glorification, which is our ultimate destiny, is the culmination of God’s redemptive plan for humanity. It is when we will be made perfect and sinless like Christ, after this life is over (2 Corinthians 3:18, 1 John 3:2, Philippians 3:20-21).

I believe Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man. He was born of a virgin (who later had other children), lived a sinless life, died a substitutionary death on the cross for the sins of all humankind, was buried, bodily rose again on the third day, and will bodily return again (John 1:1, 14, Colossians 2:9, Isaiah 7:14, Hebrews 4:15, 1 Corinthians 15:3–4).

I believe the Holy Spirit regenerates, sanctifies, convicts of sin, comforts, teaches, gives gifts, and empowers believers to obey God and to endure faithfully to the end (Titus 3:5, John 16:8, John 14:26, John 14:16–17, 2 Thessalonians 2:13).

I believe God created humanity male and female, and that marriage is a covenant between one man and one woman for life (Genesis 1:27, Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19:4–6, Malachi 2:14).

I believe the Church is the Body of Christ, made up of all believers in every nation. We are called to holiness, discipleship, fellowship, and unity in the truth. We all receive gifts from the Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation that are meant for the service of the Body, but that must be honed throughout our sanctification (1 Corinthians 12:27, Ephesians 4:1–6, Acts 2:42, Hebrews 10:24–25, 1 Peter 1:15–16, 1 Corinthians 12:4–7, Romans 12:4–8, 1 Peter 4:10).

I believe the Christian household is a primary place of witness, worship, formation, and generational faithfulness (Deuteronomy 6:6–7, Joshua 24:15, Psalm 78:5–7, Ephesians 6:4).

I believe beauty, discipline, virtue, reverence, and joy belong in the Christian life, not as aesthetics for performance but as the fruit of abiding in Christ (Galatians 5:22–23, Philippians 4:8, Psalm 96:9, John 15:4–5, Titus 2:3–5).

I believe our speech, conduct, and homemaking should display the sweetness and salt of the Gospel. Colossians 4:6 is the anchor of this work.

This is the foundation and purpose of A Grain of Psalt.