By Duane Hamilton

1. I believe in the God of the Bible

Any way you look at it, the universe is a miracle, and human existence manifoldly so. Evolution or creation are equally miraculous. I have reasonable, logical reasons for believing the latter.

2. I believe 1 John 4:7-8 (KJV)

“Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.”

As explained by a theologian, “God is Love” means that love, other-centeredness, is not just a facet but lies at the very core of His being. Love is God’s Essence. The most astonishing conclusion I reach is that everything that has happened, is happening, or will ever happen, even when we don’t understand, especially when we don’t understand, has been filtered through a proximate God who loved us enough to become Emanuel, God WITH us. Though sin and its sordid results are always with us, we’ve been promised their reign will one day cease. The old song says, “We’ll understand it better, by and by.”

3. I believe there are those who call themselves Christians but live selfishly.

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Matt 7:21 (NKJV)

But understand this, that in the last days, there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.

2 Timothy 3:1-5 (NKJV)

4. I believe “Love” is defined as valuing each person as Christ did when He laid down His life.

That sacrifice was not just for the unborn, the White Evangelical, the American. It was made for every person who has ever inhabited this earth. That means Red, Yellow, Black, White, Gay, Straight, Conservative, Liberal, Biden supporter, Trump supporter, WHOMEVER; if I am true to my confession, I must see them all through Christ’s eyes, and His utmost goal is their salvation. HOW DARE I (OR ANYONE ELSE) MARGINALIZE ANYONE CHRIST IS TRYING TO SAVE?

5. I believe Dr. King was right.

“Destructive means cannot bring constructive ends, because the means represent the-ideal-in-the-making and the-end-in-progress. Immoral means cannot bring moral ends, for the ends are pre-existent in the means.”

Excerpt From Strength to Love chapter on Communism., Martin Luther King Jr

To me that simply means you cannot use Satan’s tactics to bring about God’s kingdom. “By any means necessary” is a statement no Christian can ever utter. Only righteous means will ever bring about righteous ends.

6. Finally, I believe in the judgment.

“A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.”

‭‭Daniel‬ ‭7‬:‭10‬ (‭KJV)‬‬

People fear the judgment, but that’s unwarranted. In a very real sense, God is putting Himself on the stand, inviting us to examine His dealings with mankind to see if anything but love and justice motivated any of His actions. Those who’ve committed to other-centered living, no matter what their failures may be, will be counted righteous, not because of themselves, but because of the Gift. Only those committed to looking out for number one, doing it “my way,” living self-centered need fear. For me, it’s extremely comforting to know that nobody ever truly gets away with anything.

Love, Agape Love, will triumph in the end.