Overview of My Theological Convictions
I thought I would just outline my position on some controversial theological positions. This is for informational purposes and not debate purposes.
I believe in a post-trib rapture. (2 Thessalonians 1:6-10)
I don't know if the "7-year tribulation" is a literal 7 years (In fact I don't see any reason why it has to be). (Revelation 1:4: Obviously, there are not seven Holy Spirits so 7 is symbolic)
I lean towards Historic Pre-Millenialism. (Revelation 20:4)
Beyond the above, the way I read the book of Revelation is akin to Isaiah 53 before it happened, meaning we are probably not going to have answers for it until after the fact as that is typically how prophecy works. (Matthew 16:21)
Setting dates for Christ's return is lame. (Matthew 24:36)
I'm agnostic on the age of the earth but I much prefer Intelligent Design to Macro Evolution. (Genesis 1:1-2:3)
My soteriology is probably most like the Lutheran understanding, but the way I say it is that it is like Calvinism superimposed onto Arminianism. I believe we can lose our salvation but I believe initial conversion is monergistic. (see my article on this here)
IDK where I stand on the topic of Deification and/or Theosis. I am somewhat amenable to the position, meaning I think we will grow closer to God into eternity starting at conversion. (2 Peter 1:4)
Our good works are enabled by the Holy Spirit, not the Gospel. If you get what I am talking about here, great! If you don't, don't worry about it. (Galatians 5:16)
I don't believe God is done with the Jews. The promises for the Jewish people remain. Anti-Semitism is lame. (Romans 9:4-5)
I don't have a settled position on the Filioque. Monarchical Trinitarianism or Social Trinitarianism are both fine and I view this as a matter of conviction. (Luke 11:13 contra 1 John 4:13)
The USA is not the Great Babylon. I don't believe the Bible mentions the USA at all (though you could probably bend my ear if you wanted to talk about passages about the West). (Daniel 8:5)
I am not a cessationist in the slightest. I believe in tongues, prophecy, and even that apostles are around today. These are gifts and not something anyone can will themselves to have. (1 Corinthians 14:1)
Christ talked in the common vernacular so I am not at all into KJV-onlyism. In fact, I think the KJV is actually not that great of a translation. My preferred translation is the CSB though I do not think any translation is perfect. I just like the prose and simplistic language of the CSB. (Matthew 13:31-32)
If someone can say, "Jesus is Lord" and truly mean it with their whole heart, they are saved. (Romans 10:9)
Atheists cannot be saved. One must place their trust in Christ to be saved. Some people think that because a person doesn't hear the name of Jesus they can still be saved. If that's the case, then it's dumb to evangelize, which goes strictly against the Great Commission. (John 3:18)
My view of God's sovereignty is that God does not need to micromanage the universe for his will to be done. Nor am I a Molinist. Rather I view Christ as King and as such, his Kingdom functions based on hierarchial structures. He does not need to stick His hands in every pie, but he can involve Himself in whatever He wants whenever He wants. (Genesis 50:20)
God has complete foreknowledge of past, present, and future. God can see into eternity because he is eternal. So, I don't buy that Open Theism nonsense. (Isaiah 44:7)
I am for sure not a universalist. Nor do I believe in Universal reconciliation or any other nonsense like that. Some people are judged and not found in Christ at the time of their death (or Christ's return). (Matthew 25:41)
I am agnostic on ECT and Conditionalism. I haven't done much research on this topic, but I've heard some good arguments on both sides. (Matthew 10:28)
I think people should worship God on whatever day works for them whether Sunday or Saturday. I don't think we are under the command of Sabbath rest any longer. If I did think we needed a day to rest, I would probably say it should be Saturday but you could probably talk me out of that. (Acts 20:7)
I do not believe in praying to dead people. (Deuteronomy 18:10-11)
I do not believe in icon veneration. (Luke 4:8)
I don't know if I believe in praying FOR the dead or not. I could probably be persuaded either way. (2 Timothy 1:18)
Christianity is a religion, not just a relationship. It's just that it is a religion empowered by the Holy Spirit. (James 1:27)
Salvation is of course possible without being baptized. That does not mean that a person CANNOT be saved by being baptized. I think the normal way a person is saved is not through baptism, but I believe it can happen. I believe something spiritual happens in baptism, but I am not sure what. (Titus 3:5)
I believe that something spiritual happens with communion/eucharist as well. Again, I do not know what. (John 6:55)
Oh, and obviously, I believe Jesus Christ is God. (John 20:28)
I lean toward the idea that the Holy Spirit is a "He" but it might not be a good idea to say the Holy Spirit is gendered at all (apart from the horrible argument that the gender of the words represents the gender of the Holy Spirit). (John 16:7)
God the Father is the source of all things (Filioque notwithstanding). (Genesis 1:1)