I realize that a section dedicated to ‘tenets of faith’ or 'spiritual beliefs' is almost exclusively found on church websites, but I feel in my spirit that I should include this on my site as well. As the owner of this company, I want to be upfront and open with what my personal spiritual beliefs are. These beliefs influence our apparel styles, designs, & the way we operate as a company. Furthermore, many people have very different beliefs and understandings of who “God” is. Each of us have been given complete free will to seek knowledge, wisdom and understanding of who we are, who created us, and what our purpose is in life. I am sharing what I personally believe. You may agree or disagree. I do not view anyone who holds a different view from my own as any less of a person nor would I ever want to imply that. I say that because unfortunately some people do view others in that way—but that is not my heart and that is not how we were called to view one another. When a lawyer questioned Jesus as to what the greatest commandment was, Christ answered him,
“‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” -Matthew 22:37-39 (NKJV)
I can get more into the law of love at a later time, but I wanted to make it clear that I love everyone and treat everyone fairly regardless of your spiritual beliefs, political views, socioeconomic status, etc. Some folks put people into boxes and label them—I just see people. People loved by Jesus!
Sincerely,
Mike Lee | President Threads That Testify
"Declare & Believe!"
My Personal Beliefs:
1. I believe in the one true God—The God of Israel—He who is known as “Jehovah,” “Yahweh,” and the great “I Am.” God reigns and there are no other gods—only dead idols that were created, fed, and maintained by human hands. (Exodus 3:13-15, Deuteronomy 4:35,36, & 39)
2. I believe the Bible, in its entirety, is the true, inerrant, infallible Word of God. It is true & anything that counters it is false. Things that may seem to disprove the Bible are misunderstood by us and cannot be proven true. There is not a single area of math or science that can be tested/demonstrated/proven that cuts against the Word of God—rather all demonstrable things only confirm the works of God and natural laws He set in place. (2 Tim 3:16)
3. I believe the Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit exist eternally—they always were and always will be. (Genesis 1:2, 1 John 5:7)
3. I believe in the deity of Christ who was born of a virgin. He lived a sinless life, and never married, dated, nor fathered any children. He performed the miracles recounted in the Bible and atoned for the sins of the world through his shed blood, death, & resurrection from the grave. He ascended into Heaven & is seated at the right hand of the Father. (John 1:14-18 & 3:16, 1 Timothy 3:16, Romans 3:25,26)
4. I believe the only path to salvation and heaven is through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. That is to say that through the disobedience of Adam and Eve, sin entered the world and the curse of death, sickness, and disease fell on man. That sin separated man from God. Jesus was sent by God the Father to break that curse. In order to be freed from that curse and death, a person must confess with their mouth and believe in their heart that Jesus Christ is Lord. (Genesis 3:9-19, Romans 5:12-21, Romans 10:9, )
5. I believe those who have accepted the gift of salvation and declared Christ as their personal Savior should be water baptized. (Matthew 28:19, Mark 16:16)
6. I believe followers of Christ should also be baptized in the Holy Spirit. (Acts 1:5, Acts 2:1-4, Acts 19:1-6)
7. I believe the gifts, which can also be understood as the physical manifestations of the Holy Spirit are still active today and can be experienced/demonstrated by those who have been baptized in the Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:7-11, 27-30)
-These gifts/manifestations include:
-Words of wisdom
-Words of knowledge,
-Faith
-Healings
-Miracles
-Prophecy
-Distinguishing between spirits
-Speaking in tongues
-Interpretation of tongues
8. I believe the beautiful institution of marriage was designed by God. I believe marriage is to be between one man and one woman to unite them in covenant for a lifetime. Just as man was made in the image of God, marriage is sacred and is a reflection of the union between Christ and His church. (Genesis 1:27 & 2:24, 2 Corinthians 6:14, Hebrews 13:4, 1 Peter 3:7)
9. I believe in sexual purity. That is to say that any sex outside of the exclusive confines of marriage is wrong. This includes sex between two people who are single, engaged, or married to other people. God created sex to work within the union of marriage and when it is practiced outside of that framework, it always leads to problems, even when it is not noticeable on the surface. God created us and He has our best interest in mind. Sexual immorality is sinful, separates us from God, and burdens our spirit with things we were never created to bear. (1 Corinthians 6:13-20, Colossians 3:5, Hebrews 13:4)
10. I believe each of us is uniquely created and gifted/equipped to effectively spread the Gospel. With the leading of the Holy Spirit, each of us is called to a different area of ministry. Each of us has also been blessed and enabled to facilitate the growth of the church and the redemption of the lost. The purpose of the Church is to spread the Good News to the ends of the earth until the day Christ returns. (Romans 12:6,8, 1 Corinthians 12:12-20, Ephesians 4:7-16)
11. I believe that anyone can pray, confess, and talk directly to God. The Lord says “Call to Me and I will answer you…” Church is important and every believer should absolutely be involved in a Holy Spirit-filled church; however, I am specifically addressing the unScriptural notion that God can only be accessed through people/priests who man has established and declared to be the gateway to the Father. Through Christ, we have a new relationship with God. He listens to us and answers. Call upon His name and He will answer you! If you are not a believer, call upon His name and He will reveal Himself to you! (Jeremiah 3:33, Jeremiah 29:12,13, 1 John 5:14,15) 12. I believe the church (Christians) will be resurrected/raptured prior to the second coming of Jesus Christ and will not be on the earth during the tribulation. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 & 5:9,10, Revelation 1:7,8 & 3:10 )
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