Transforming Beliefs

Description

Theology by itself is not wisdom. Doctrine is not automatically knowledge. What constitutes wisdom and knowledge is an interactive relationship with God, a life that abides in His presence and takes on His character. Stephen W. Robbins states in the Preface, "My intention for writing this book is not to merely transfer information from my brain to yours. How sad would that be! I want to help you be a transformed (not just an informed) believer."
Transforming Beliefs presents an accessible and straightforward study of the Apostles' Creed. Each chapter addresses one of the affirmations in this statement of faith and concludes with a set of questions and exercises. Designed to help you advance in Christian spiritual formation, this study (1) focuses and expands your vision of who God is and what life looks like in His immediately available kingdom, (2) builds your intention to love God and neighbor in everyday life, and (3) provides you with useful means to do this on your spiritual pilgrimage.
Whether you read it on your own or in a small group, this study of the Apostles' Creed provides spiritual guidance for your journey on the road of transformation.

Subjects

• Books
• Savoirs
• Religions

Informations

• Published by: Wipf and Stock Publishers
• Published: 01 August 2006
• Reads: 0
• EAN13: 9781725243606
• Language: English

Exrait

Transforming Beliefs

Transforming Beliefs

Spiritual Guidance troug te Apostles’ Creed

S W. R

TRANSFORMING BELIEFS Spiritual Guidance troug te Apostles’ Creed

Copyrigt © 2006 Stepen W. Robbins. All rigts reserved. Except for brief quotations in critical articles or reviews, no part of tis book may be repro- duced in any manner witout prior written permission from te publiser. Write: Permission, Wipf and Stock Publisers, 199 W. 8t Ave., Suite 3, Eugene, OR 97401.

ISBN: 1-59752-631-2

Cataloging-in-Publication Data:

Robbins, Stepen W.

 Transforming beliefs: spiritual guidance troug te Apostles’ Creed, Stepen W. Robbins

ISBN: 1-59752-631-2

xii + 126p.; 23 cm.

Unless oterwise identified, all Scripture quotations in tis publication are taken from te New American Standard Bible (NASB), © he Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977.

To my Dad and Mom Thank you for your love and example every step of the Way

Contents

Preface/ix 1 I Believe In . . . / 1 2 God / 7 3 he Fater Almigty / 12 4 Maker of Heaven and Eart / 16 5 Jesus Crist / 21 6 His Only Son Our Lord / 27 Wo Was Conceived by te Holy Spirit, Born of te 7  Virgin Mary / 32 8 Suffered unde r Pontius Pilate / 38 9 Was Crucified, Dead, and Buried; He Descended into Hell / 44 10 he hird Day He Rose from te Dead / 51 He Ascended into Heaven, and Sits at te Rigt Hand of God 11  te Fater Almigty / 57 From here He Sall Come to Judge te Living and 12  te Dead / 65 13 he Holy Spirit / 73 14 he Holy Universal Curc / 83 15 he Communion of Saints / 90 16 he Forgiveness of Sins / 98 17 he Resurrection of te Body / 104 18 he Life Everlasting / 111 19 Amen / 118 RobbinsNest Ministries/125

Preface

he Apostles’ Creed I believe in God te FaterAlmigty, maker of eaven and eart, and in Jesus Crist His only Son our Lord; wo was conceived by te Holy Spirit, born of te Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into ell; te tird day He rose from te dead; He ascended into eaven, and sits at te rigt and of God te Fater Almigty; from tere He sall come to judge te living and te dead. I believe in te Holy Spirit; te oly universal Curc; te communion of saints; te forgiveness of sins; te resurrection of te body; and te life everlasting. Amen.

“ is not practical.” his statement from a senior pastor bot T bewildered and botered me. To believe tis would mean losing my bearings. I ave always tougt tat my belief about God and His reality affected my worldview and saped my caracter. His assertion made me wonder: ow many pastors and parisioners disconnect teir fait from

i

x

x

Preface teir everyday lives? Is tis number increasing? Witout tinking, ave we taken a wrong turn on our Cristian journey? Are we lost in te world? Statistics sow tat tere is no difference in beavior between people inside te curc and tose on te outside. We tink and act alike wen it comes to marriage and family, business and pleasure. We can be just as mean and uncaritable, arrogant and impatient as our un-curced neigbors. Wat appened? Were we too busy keeping up wit te Joneses? Have we been listening to te wrong experts? I believe we ave. his is wy I offer tis study. he Apostles’ Creed presents footprints on te road of transformation. hese deep imprints, made by men and women wo ave gone on aead of us, lay bare a well-worn, wor- ty, and reliable pat on “te Way,” te Cristian’s journey of a lifetime. We ead in te rigt direction wen we follow in tese footsteps, wen we study and apply te series of positive affirmations expressed in te creed. he truts we confess clarify ow we are to proceed wen te crossroads in life confront us. he statement of fait keeps us focused on, and attentive to, important matters on our spiritual pilgrimage. heologyispractical! heology by itself, owever, is not wisdom. Doctrine is not automati- cally knowledge. Wat constitutes wisdom and knowledge is an interactive relationsip wit God, a life tat abides in His presence and takes on His caracter. Wise people muse and meditate on God. hey are at ome in Him. hey arrange teir lives (abits and scedules) wit te intention of becom- ing te kinds of people wo love wat God loves and are devoted to wat He is devoted to.

Wisdom nowere found Until space creates— Wisdom now ere found

My intention for writing tis book is not to merely transfer information from my brain to yours. How sad would tat be! I want to elp you be a transformed (not just an informed) believer. his study concerns your spiri- tual formation (sanctification). hink of it as training more so tan teacing. Reflecting on “tat form of teacing to wic you were committed” (Romans 6:17) is not an end in itself. It is a means to te end of exercising an obedience of fait, a life committed to loving God and neigbor in everyday life. Eac capter you read will include many Scripture references. I encour- age you to keep a Bible by your side as you go troug tis study. Look up verses in teir original context wen you ave a question or want more clarification. Furtermore, eac capter you read will conclude wit a set of questions and exercises. hey are designed to focus and expand your vi- sion of living in God’s immediately available kingdom—a reality were His