I remember a Pentecostal pastor telling me that he never preached theology, just the “pure word of God”. I very much doubt that my pastor friend understood the incongruity of that statement. Theology, even a naive theology, represents the presuppositions which colour and shape our approach to “the pure word of God”. So, as a backdrop or warning to those who visit this site it seems prudent to indicate what are theological footings on which its articles and items rest.
How much of these tenets will emerge and how faithfully they are held to is a decision that readers are at liberty to determine. Not withstanding, it is hoped that readers will find the web-site to be consistent in being:
a ) Reformed Protestant - in so far as it reflects the fivefold Reformation principles that; life, truth, faith, hope and wisdom:
i) are to be understood via the revelation of God as displayed in the scriptures alone (sola scriptura)
ii) are found in Christ alone (sola Christos)
iii) are received by faith alone (sola fides)
iv) come as a result of God’s grace alone (sola gratia)
v) come from God’s glory and therefore when understood and obeyed will serve to glorify God alone (solo Deo gloria)
b ) Creedal - in that it holds to the four historic ecumenical councils (Nicea, Constantinople, Ephesus & Chalcedon) and the three historic Creeds (Apostles Creed, Nicene Creed & Athanasius Creed) as expressing the rule of faith of the one holy universal and apostolic Church, especially in regard to The Trinity and to the Incarnation of Jesus Christ.
c ) Monergistic - as to its understanding of salvation, in that; the human will, being dead in its sin (Eph 2:1), has no inclination of itself toward holiness and faith (Rom7:14), hence it is God the Holy Spirit who is the only efficient agent in the process of regeneration (John 3:3-6, Rom 8:2).
d ) Nomian - in that; God’s Law leads us to the gospel of Christ’s Cross as our justification (Gal 3:24, Acts 13:29), after which the gospel sends us to The Law in order to understand the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit in establishing the essence of the The Law in the lifeof the believer (Rom 8:4).
e ) Pentecostal - in its understanding of the work and gifts of the Holy Spirit; there being nine gifts (1 Cor 12:8-10) dispensed according to The Spirit’s will and purposes (1Cor 12:11), the function of which is to profit all (1 Cor 12:7, Gal 3:5).
f ) Post-millennial - as to its expectation of Christ’s return and in its understanding of Christ’s kingdom; which whilst spiritual in the source of its power and precepts (John18:36), is a reign as stretches over every aspect of life, culture, government, commerce and environment (Acts 10:36b, Eph 1:20-23), and a reign as will increase throughout the course of history (Is 9:7, Phil 2:10).
