Coming from a Charismatic background, I was always taught that doctrine was bad and only damped the Spirit of God’s ability to move in one’s life. Although I was deeply devoted to the Lord, that vein of thinking, left me standing on a foundation that was quite unstable. I could not share exactly what I believed, because I didn’t really know what I believed.

In October of 2009, two precious brothers in Christ, Aashik Rao and J.M. Vergara, shared with me something that absolutely changed my life. They recommended I read two books: The Attributes of God by A.W. Pink and The Sovereignty of God by A.W. Pink. My understanding was stretched to its limits. I could not grasp what was being stated regarding God or even man.

I began praying that the Lord would open the eyes of my understanding. As I got halfway through The Attributes of God, the Lord indeed opened my understanding and oh! What light! What glory! What amazing revelation of God Almighty! I felt as though I had been re-born again!

What began as a simple question as to whether God was in reality, sovereign, became a life changing experience and set me on a journey to know Him in His fullness.

Doctrine indeed became life. The study of God became sweet and precious. How it provoked me to deeper study. How it pressed upon my soul the glories of His majesty! That which caused death in others, brought life to me as the Spirit of God unveiled my understanding and drew me into deeper fellowship with Him.

Here are the doctrines to which my heart adheres and why I have become reformed in my Theology. Although, my short definitions of each doctrine cannot sufficiently do them justice, I pray God, in His great mercy, will remove the scales from your eyes that you may see the beauty and the glory of these precious truths.

The “doctrines of grace” produce . . .
a fine morality,
a stern integrity,
a delicate purity,
a devout holiness,
consecration in life,
calm resignation in the hour of suffering,
joyful confidence in the article of death.
This must be a true gospel—which can produce such lives as these! – Charles H. Spurgeon

I.  I Believe In The Total Depravity Of Man. This doctrine teaches that man’s nature is so depraved that he cannot even believe on Christ unless God draws him.  The Scriptures teach that man is dead in his sins (Ephesians 2:1-5), blind (Ephesians 4:18); powerless (Rom. 5:6); stoney-hearted (Ezek. 36:26); an enemy of God (Rom. 8:7); all of which imply a complete inability (John 6:44) to do anything to remedy his condition. In essence, to be totally depraved means that we are in absolute rebellion against God and everything we do in this rebellion is sin. We have no ability to submit to God or reform ourselves. We are utterly deserving of hell.

Key Scripture passages:

Jer. 13:23: Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.

1 Cor. 2:14: The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are spiritually discerned.

Rom 3:10-12: As it is written, There is none righteous, no not one; There is none that understandeth, There is none that seeketh after God...

Eph 2:1-3: And you did He make alive, when ye were dead through your trespasses and sins..

Other references: Gen 2:17; Job 14:4; John 3:19; John 6:53; Rom. 3:10-12; Rom 5:12; 2 1 Cor. 1:18; 2 Cor 1:9; Eph. 2:12

II.  I Believe In Unconditional Election. This doctrine teaches that those who will be saved are chosen before the foundation of the world, based not on whether one chooses to believe but on God’s eternal decree.  The Scriptures teach that God chose His elect completely apart from any merit of our own, even that of believing, which in itself can become a work and a point of boasting.  Simply put, election refers to God’s choosing whom to save and it is unconditional in that there is no condition man must meet before God chooses to save him. Man is dead in trespasses and sins, so there are no conditions which he can meet before God chooses to save him. Of course, man must meet the condition of faith in Christ in order to inherit eternal life, but faith is not a condition for election. It is because of God’s election from the foundation of the world, that He purchased us and quickened us which brings us to the faith in Him.

Key Scripture passages:

Psalm 65:4: Blessed is the man You choose, And cause to approach You, That he may dwell in Your courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, Of Your holy temple.

John 5:21: For as the Father raiseth the dead and giveth them life, even so the Son also giveth life to whom He will.

John 13:18: I speak not of you all; I know whom I have chosen.

John 15:16: Ye did not choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that ye should go and bear fruit.

Acts 13:48: And as the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of God; and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.

Acts 16:14: And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.

Acts 18:27: And when he [Paul] wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed.

Rom 8:29-30: For whom He foreknew, He also foreordained to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren; and whom He foreordained, them He also called: and whom He called, them He also justified: and whom He justified, them He also glorified.

Rom 9:11-12: The children being not yet born, neither having done anything good or bad, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of Him that calleth, it was said to her, The elder shall serve the younger. Even as it is written, Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.

Eph 1:4-5: He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blemish before Him in love; having foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Jesus Christ unto Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.”

2 Thess 2:13: God chose you from the beginning unto salvation in sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.

Rom 9:15-18: For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.  16  So then [it is] not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy….  18, Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will [have mercy], and whom he will he hardeneth.

Rom 9:20-21:“Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Or hath not the potter a right over the clay, from the same lump to make one part a vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor?”

Rom. 11:7-10: What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded 8  (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.  9  And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them:  10  Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.

Jude 1:4: For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Other references: Exodus 8:23; Ex. 33:19; Deut. 7:6-8. Deut 10:15. 1 Kings 19:18 Ps. 147:20.. Prov. 16:4; Prov. 21:1; Amos 3:2. John 6:37: John 6:65: John 15:16: John 17:9: Romans 9:12-24; 1 Cor. 1:27-29; Eph. 1:4-14; 1 Thess. 5:9.

III.  I Believe In Limited Atonement. This doctrine teaches that Christ died on the Cross specifically for the elect, and therefore all for whom He died will be saved. The atoning work of God through Christ on the cross, canceled the debt of our sin, appeased God’s holy wrath against us and purchased our salvation. However, it is limited in that, God had in view the actual redemption of His children. Christ died for His own and therefore did not just create the opportunity for them to be saved, but actually purchased all that was necessary to get them saved, including the grace of regeneration and the gift of faith whereby He causes us to believe.

Key Scripture passages:

Isaiah 53:11: He shall see of the travail of his soul, [and] shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many [not all]; for he shall bear their iniquities.

Acts 13:48: As many as were ordained to eternal life [and only they] believed.

Mat 1:21: And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people [and only they] from their sins.

Mat 26:28: For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many [not for all] for the remission of sins.

Mark 14:24: And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many [but not for all].

Luke 1:68: Blessed [be] the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people.

John 6:39: This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.

John 6:45: It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.

John 10:11: I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

Act 20:28: Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

Other references: John 10:14-15, 27-28; John 11:49-52; John 15:13; John 17:2, 6, 9, 12; Rom. 5:19; Rom. 8:28-30.

IV.  I Believe In Irresistible Grace. This doctrine teaches that when God’s electing, unconditional saving grace is extended to man, man will respond and the effects will be life-transforming, for God’s purposes will not be thwarted. The term “irresistible” has often been opposed on the grounds that it appears to say that man may try to resist God’s grace but cannot. That argument is irrelevant because when God regenerates the depraved heart, that person’s will is changed, and he will not resist because he is no longer at enmity with God. For example, when a person hears a preacher call for repentance he can resist that call. But if God gives him repentance he cannot resist because the gift (of repentance) is the removal of the resistance. Not being willing to repent is the same as resisting the Holy Spirit. So if God gives repentance it is the same as taking away the resistance. This is why this work of God is “irresistible grace”.

Key Scripture passages:

Jer 32:40:  And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, and I will not turn away from following them, to do them good; and I will put my fear in their hearts, that they may not depart from me.

Ezek. 36:26: A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

Ps. 51:6: Thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

Psalm 110:3: Your people shall be volunteers In the day of Your power.

John 3:8: The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.

John 15:16: Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit.

Acts 16:14: And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.

2 Cor. 5:17: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

2 Cor 9:8: God is able to make all grace to abound unto you; that ye, having always all sufficiency in everything, may abound unto every good work.

Eph 2:10: For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

2 Thess 3:3: The Lord is faithful and will establish you and guard you from the evil one.

Tit 2:14: who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.

Tit. 3:5: Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.

1 John 3:9: Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

Other references: Ezek. 11:19-20; Jer. 31:18; Rom. 6:14; 1 Cor. 10:13; Eph. 1:19; 1 Pet 2:9; Col. 2:13.

V.  I Believe In The Perseverance of the Saints. This doctrine teaches that true saving faith cannot be lost but will cause one to continue in the faith and ultimately be eternally saved.  God’s people are foreknown, the foreknown are predestined, the predestined are called, the called are justified, and the justified are glorified. No one is lost from this group. I believe in the eternal security of the elect, which means that God will so work in those whom He has chosen for eternal salvation, that He will enable them to persevere in faith to the end and fulfill, by the power of the Holy Spirit, the requirements for obedience. Will there be some that “fall away”? Yes, but if they do, it only proves their faith was not genuine and they were not truly born of God.

Key Scripture passages:

Ps 34:7: The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him and delivereth them.

Ps 138:8: Jehovah will perfect that which concerneth me.

John 5:24: He that heareth my word, and believeth Him that sent me, hath eternal life, and cometh not into judgment, but hath passed out of death into life.

Rom 8:29: For whom He foreknew, He also foreordained … and whom He foreordained, them He also called; and whom He called, them He also justified; and whom He justified, them He also glorified.

Rom 11:29: The gifts and calling of God are not repented of.

Rom. 14:4: Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls.  Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.

2 Cor 4:8-9,14: We are pressed on every side, yet not straightened; perplexed, yet not unto despair; pursued, yet not forsaken; smitten down, yet not destroyed; … knowing that He that raised up the Lord Jesus Christ shall raise us also with Jesus.

Phil 1:6: Being confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ.

2 Tim 4:18: The Lord will deliver me from every evil work, and will save me unto His heavenly kingdom.

Other references: Ps. 23:6 Jer 31:3, John 4:14. John 6:47. John 6:51. John 10:28. John 14:19. 2 Cor 2:14. Eph 1:5. Eph 4:30. Phil 3:20 2 Tim 2:19.  Heb 10:14. 1 Pet. 1:5  1 John 5:13.

VI.  I affirm the Five Solas of the Reformation.

Sola Gratia

I affirm that in salvation I was rescued from God’s wrath by His grace alone.  It is the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit that brought me to Christ by releasing me from my bondage to sin and releasing me from spiritual death to spiritual life.  I deny that salvation is in any sense a human work.  Human methods, techniques or strategies by themselves cannot accomplish this transformation.  Faith was not produced by my unregenerate human nature.

Sola Fide

I affirm that justification is by grace alone through faith alone because of Christ alone.  In justification, Christ’s righteousness was imputed to me as the only possible satisfaction of God’s perfect justice. I deny that justification rests on any merit to be found in myself, or upon the grounds of an infusion of Christ’s righteousness in me, or that an institution claiming to be a church that denies or condemns sola fide can be recognized as a legitimate church.

Sola Scriptura

I affirm the inerrant Scriptures to be the sole source of written divine revelation, which alone can bind my conscience. The Bible alone teaches all that is necessary for my salvation from sin and is the standard by which all my Christian behavior must be measured. I deny that any creed, council or individual may bind my conscience, that the Holy Spirit speaks independently of or contrary to what is set forth in the Bible, or that personal spiritual experience can ever be a vehicle of revelation.

Solus Christus

I affirm that my salvation was accomplished by the mediatorial work of the historical Christ alone.  His sinless life and Substitutionary atonement alone was sufficient for my justification and reconciliation to the Father. I deny that the gospel is preached if the Law and Christ’s Substitutionary work are not declared and the gift of faith in Christ and His work are not solicited.

Soli Deo Gloria

I affirm that because salvation is of God and has been accomplished by God, it is for God’s glory and that I must glorify Him always.  I must live my entire life before the face of God, under the authority of God and for His glory alone.  I deny that I can properly glorify God if my worship is confused with entertainment, if I neglect either Law or Gospel in my preaching, or if self-improvement, self esteem or self-fulfillment are allowed to become alternatives to the gospel.