Unabashedly Unashamed

And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming. --1st John 2:28

I am a Christian--a Christ follower.

I believe that life exists because of a creator God, the God of the Bible. I believe that the Bible is God's true, inspired and holy word for his people. I believe that God, although wonderfully mysterious, desires a personal relationship with his creation. In order to do this, he had to provide a way for the most imperfect, unrighteous, unholy of us to be allowed to stand in his perfect presence.

He did this by sending his one and only son, Jesus, who was both fully human and fully God at the same time. Jesus stood trial for our sins; he took on every sin of every man, woman and child from the past, present and future of humanity, and was condemned to crucifixion on a cross. Three days after his death, he returned to life. His resurrection proves that he had conquered spiritual death, thus removing the barrier between us and God.

I believe that Jesus' life, death and resurrection are historically accurate and viable. I believe that Jesus is the holy son of God, and not just a good teacher or prophet. Through Jesus, I have been extended the gift of grace, which is God's riches as Christ's expense. This is not because of anything I have earned or done.

Daily I try my best to live a life of faith and integrity. Because I am a Christian, I know that others are looking at me and evaluating my character to see if my life is consistent with what I say, do, and write. Sometimes I don't do this well, but this is because I am still learning. My entire life's goal is to bring honor and glory to God, and this takes practice. I can't always explain my faith very well, but I always want to be willing to try. I want to somehow let as many people as possible know that who I am means nothing unless I identify myself as a Christian. God is as real to me as my family members, friends and co-workers.

I know without a doubt that God is real and that he loves me unconditionally. Every blessing I have been given in life is because of him. Also, it is only because of the strength he gives me that I can stand firm in the face of adversity. Being a Christian doesn't mean that life is always easy, but it does mean that I don't ever need to dwell on feelings of hopelessness or despair, because I know that God is always at work in my life in ways I cannot see.

I am not ashamed of my faith. I am not ashamed of my relationship with God. I make no apologies for things I do because of my faith that may seem absurd or simplistic to those who don't understand them. I am a Christian--a Christ follower. That identity brings me more security and peace than I could ever fully describe.