WHAT WE BELIEVE
At Free to Be, we believe in the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We believe He is our Savior, and died on the cross so that one day those who accept Him may have eternal life in Heaven. We believe God created us as Triune beings, needing harmony of body, mind, and soul to find true peace. We believe through the work of the Holy Spirit, reaching into the deep places of our hearts, is where we can find freedom from our pain.
Creation
One God eternally exists in three persons; The Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God is holy, just, knowable, immutable and good. He is creator, ruler and sustainer of all things. He spoke all things into existence. He made man and woman in His image, with ability to think, feel, know and create, and breathed life into them. Man and woman were designed for relationship with God and with one another. All that was needed for life and relationship was provided in the garden by God.
Fall and Redemption
When Adam and Eve ate of the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which God had forbidden them to, it disconnected humankind from our natural connection with God, created disunity among our body, mind and spirit, and left us with a fallen nature. Drawing then on our own understanding left a vacuum of unmet, or dysfunctionally met, needs, pain and brokenness, in the world, and an inability to save ourselves from sin and death. No one is exempt from the consequences of sin. Those needs and longings, a renewed mind, body, spirit, and salvation from sin, can only be fulfilled through a relationship with Jesus Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit.
God had a plan for the redemption of sin. He sent His Son, born into this world of a virgin, to do what we could not do for ourselves and atone for our sin. Jesus only, being both fully God and fully man, could fulfill the payment for sin and overcome death. He was put to death, rose from the dead, resides now in heaven and will return again. Eternal Life is freely offered and those who confess their sins and believe in Him as their Lord and Savior, are shown mercy and forgiveness forever. His redeeming power gives birth to new life within us.
Transformation
When Jesus ascended into heaven he did not leave us alone. He sent a helper, the Holy Spirit, to be ever present in those who believe in Jesus. The Holy Spirit reveals, convicts, renews, baptizes, indwells, seals, empowers, heals, comforts, equips, and sets us apart for a life consecrated to Christ. Transformation of the heart happens by going below the surface, beyond cognitive processes/ understandings and behavior changes to experience the presence of The Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Allowing God to teach us about Himself, interact with us in our areas of wounding and need is what sustains change. God makes himself known through His living, active, inerrant, infallible word and through the manifestations of the Holy Spirit.
“Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Freedom” 2 Corinthians 3:17
Consecration
God has uniquely designed, equipped, and prepared us for purposes that are for our good and will bring Him honor and glory. Jeremiah 1:5 tells us that He knew us before we were formed in our mother's womb. He set us apart for Him and appointed us. The sovereignty of God over our lives means that we believe He created all, knows all and is in all. Whatever we walk through passes through his hands and has great eternal purpose. He has given us free will to choose, surrender, and walk with Him regardless of our circumstances. He mourns the depravity of the world, comforts and heals the brokenhearted, and equips those willing to answer the call to serve Him. Joy is found in Him, and in being a part of the work He is already doing, not in our circumstances.
"The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever."
-Westminister Catechism
TEST OF DISCERNMENT
We believe that as we hear from the Holy Spirit, it is important to discern what is God's true voice and what is not. We believe in putting every thought through the test of discernment to truly be able to hear from the Lord effectively.
"I know My sheep and My sheep know me," John 10:14
THE SHEPERD'S VOICE
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Exalts God and reveals His character.
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Lines up with scripture. God’s voice and His word are always in total agreement.
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Edifies the believer. Refines believers heart and draws her closer to the Lord.
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Is smarter than me/bigger than me. (God’s perspective)
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Will be confirmed by Godly counsel.What does my Christian community say?
MY VOICE
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Exalts self and exposes my flesh
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Neglects the value and necessity of the word of God and His truth. Wrongly interprets Scripture.
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Draws believer more into pride, selfishness and desires of the flesh
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Is limited / earthly perspective
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Trusts self rather than others who may be farther along on their faith journey.
THE ENEMY'S VOICE
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Distorts character / identity of God
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Distorts, lies, misuses, malign, casts doubt and contradicts the word of God
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Draws believer away from the Lord and into the world of sin and temptation
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Sinful / evil perspective
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Will always lie about myself/others and situation. Will always claim there are no consequences for sin