Proposed Statement of Faith Article 6

We believe that the Holy Spirit, in all that he does, glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ. He convicts the world of its guilt. He makes sinful people alive to God through faith in Christ, and through the Spirit they are baptized into union with Christ and adopted as heirs into the family of God. He also indwells, illuminates, guides, equips, and empowers believers for Christ-like living and service.

God's gospel is applied and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Our Christian faith is anchored in history. Reflecting the Apostles' Creed, our proposed SOF declares that Jesus was crucified "under Pontius Pilate" (Article 4). The mention of a first-century Roman governor may seem out of place in a broad formulation of essential truth in most religions—but not in the Christian faith. Instead, it situates the gospel at a particular place in the chronicle of human events. In that way, it is consistent with the Bible's own emphasis. The climactic event of the Bible, the coming of God into the world, is rooted in history (see Luke 1:1-4). The Scriptures tell us that a Jewish baby named Jesus was born in a village called Bethlehem some 2,000 years ago. We are provided with actual eyewitnesses to the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. The Bible declares that this story is actual history.

But a question arises naturally from this claim: How could something so far away in space and time affect our lives here and now?

Jesus himself anticipated that question in his final words with his disciples on the night before he died (see John 14:15-27). He was departing from them, and in one sense, he would no longer be with them. But he assured them that they would see him again (John 14:19), that he would continue to love them, and that they would know that love (John 14:21). In other words, Jesus promised a relationship with his followers after his departure.

How did Jesus envision being with his disciples even after his death, resurrection, and ascension? The answer is largely found in Jesus' words of promise: "I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth" (John 14:15-16). We believe that this Spirit, this other Counselor, still unites us with Jesus the Son and so draws us into a personal relationship with God as our Father and with one another. In this way the barriers of space and time are overcome, and the life of Jesus touches our lives today.

We will be worshipping in the light of these wondrous and mysterious truths this weekend.

To His glory,

Dr. Greg Waybright
Senior Pastor