Skip to main content

CELEBRATING EVANGELCALISM

 Some in our culture nowadays would think this blog will be about politics since the word evangelical has been hijacked to mean a far right-wing Republican using the Bible as a weapon. How sad is that definition and so closed-minded?  But no I am going to look at this from its original meaning. Just know that not all evangelicals are political nuts nor are we showy TV preachers faking holiness to get easy money. 

I took a test some years ago that was quite lengthy and at the end, it evaluated that I was evangelical in my beliefs. An evangelical believes in four major foundations to qualify them into this category. I will not go into deep detail but give a cliff note summary so let us begin.

The first belief is that a person must be born-again meaning repent of one's sins and acknowledge that Jesus Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead three days later. This is also called being converted and one changes the way one lives. You live for Jesus and not for the world or one's self. Acts 3:19

Secondly, the belief in the Holy Bible as the high authority and is indeed the word of God by the inspiration of men by the Holy Spirit. So there is a deep reverence for the Holy Bible. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Now thirdly we have substitutionary atonement which is the belief that Christ died on the cross as a blood sacrifice to pay for our sins instead of us having to pay the price which we could not do ourselves. Romans 3:23-26

Discipling is the fourth basic tenant of an evangelical which is sharing the gospel message of salvation through and only through Jesus Christ. We believe there is only one way to Heaven, not many roads to Heaven, and not a god with multiple names but only one name. Mark 16:15-16

Evangelicals are considered Protestant and instead of the Eucharist being the focal point of worship it is the preaching of the Holy Bible. Each week when the Holy Communion is taken it is taken as a remembrance of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and is not transubstantiated meaning turned into the actual blood and body of Jesus. Also, the worship music is lively and very much a form of praising God and to celebrate Jesus saving us from our sins, death, and Hell. John 4:24

So what is another name for an evangelical? Simply, Christian, and that is why I am an Evangelical Christan and one without all the crazy political baggage or TV preachers' showy fake holiness. I am in good company for the great evangelist Billy Graham was an evangelical Christian and hence so am I.




Comments

Popular posts from this blog

CATHOLIC TENDENCIES

  Ever since I was introduced to the Catholic Church I have been fascinated by this body of the Christian faith. One thing that has stuck with me that I admire is the unashamed strength to stand up for what they believe and back it up with The Three Pillars of the Church. Now for those who do not know The Three Pillars, they are number one, Sacred Scripture which comprises the Old Testament and New Testament in a total of seventy-three books. Next is the Apostolic Tradition which is the Living Tradition and the liturgies. Thirdly, The Living Magisterium which is the teaching authority of the Pope in Communion with the Bishops. So what brought this topic up for me is listening to a podcast by Fr. Mike Schmitz denouncing the opening in France of the Olympics when blasphemy was committed by mocking The Last Supper of Jesus Christ. I know some of you are thinking this is already old news. At the time, so many wrote and talked about it that I felt it would be overkill if I wrote about i...

FAKE-FALSE-DECEPTIVE

  I have recently been thinking about what it is like to live in a time when you have to rethink or fact-check everything. It is tiring and outright exhausting not being able to trust things at face value. THE BIG PRINT GIVES IT and the little print takes it away!  Satan works this way in our lives: You are of the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. John 8:44 It is no wonder we have to be constantly alert and on guard. Fake news is a big one but there are knock-off Air Jordan sneakers, Gucci handbags, Rolex watches, and the list goes on and on. Identity theft is another player on the block where a person steals another person's identity and then poses as them but they are just a cheap knock-off! I want the truth. I want authenticity. I do not want to waste my ...

TRAVELING WITH ROMA TO ROME

  Throughout my years with Roma, I have dragged her through so many different church doors to either preach or play music for, or simply to explore. She has been a really good sport about it all. But last month she came to me and told me from the heart that before she dies she wants to be Catholic.  Channeling my inner Baptist long-windedness I will share with you a very tender and private story of faith.  Roma grew up going to St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church. She went to school there and worshipped there too. When she came of age she wanted to be Catholic and her mother would not allow it. She was heartbroken. She eventually went to the Episcopal Church as a compromise. But in our intimate talks recently she shared deep down she wants to be Catholic before she dies. This has been a lifelong buried desire of hers. I love her and so I have been working on seeing if I can make this happen for her through my contacts that I have. I would naturally join with her so she is not...