My Statement of Faith ~ Jerry Mills
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Transcript of My Statement of Faith ~ Jerry Mills
Statement of Faith – God’s Quest of Transformation
Jerry Mills
Feb14, 2008
Integrating Motif – God’s Quest of Transformation
Though I have pondered using words such as liberation,
salvation, restoration, and healing, no word seems to holistically
incorporate all of these themes like the one I have selected to form the
integrating motif for my theology, one that has been front and center
throughout my time at Bethel and Willow Creek because of the
emphasis on it placed by both. Nothing encapsulates God’s desire
toward us and for us like transformation does.
Transformation means there is a process of change. Something
was once one way but its very form has transitioned into something
altogether new and different. We see in nature a great example in the
caterpillar that transforms into a butterfly. Other examples from
human life utilize this word, whether it is the rag-tag, losing football
program that so changes that it becomes synonymous with excellence
(Green Bay Packers of the 60s) to the college dropout whose garage
based startup company blossoms into the epitome of technical savvy
and creativity that is Apple.
All of these examples contain certain elements. There is the
entity being transformed, a process of transformation, a transformer
who plays a role in the process, and a final resulting status of the
transformed thing. These hold true for God and us as well. He is the
ultimate transformer, initiating and acting upon us His creation. His
Jerry Mills ~ Statement of Faith 2
desire is to see us transformed from creeping in the dust of a sinful,
broken world to flying through the air in heart and spirit as a beautiful
new creation changed by His love. The art of His transformation is that
we become like His Son, the most beautiful thing ever.
This has been true in my life. God transformed it when I first
turned in repentance to Christ and received Him as a young boy. It
was in moments where he showed his love for me – in prayer, through
Christian friends and the study Experiencing God - that he caused me
to stay on the transformational journey with him during my college and
20something years. In my early years of ministry in New York City I
realized the transformational power of his love. As I remained in
Christ’s love, my love for him and to serve him reciprocated naturally.
During my time at Willow Creek he revealed that transformationally
knowing my self came in knowing him knowing me, and through that
relationship being transformed by his Spirit.
Transformation means encountering the One who transforms. It
is encounters with God’s Spirit that change us into the image of Christ.
In Scripture, prayer, nature, community and our lives the Holy Spirit
meets us and reveals truth about God, ourselves and His ways. This
transformative process begins unnoticed, leads to salvation, continues
is sanctification, and culminates by resurrection in an eternally
complete and perfect state, enabling God’s ultimate desire - union with
Himself.
Jerry Mills ~ Statement of Faith 3
God desires that all would be transformed by accepting and
following Christ. He chooses to work toward these ends through the
Church, enabling us by His Spirit to be coworkers with Him in His
transformation project – as He continually transforms us to become
more like Jesus all the while. It is His Kingdom coming to Earth, ever
growing, and ever transforming the world by His Spirit, bringing liberty
to the captives, sight to the blind, healing to the brokenhearted, and
restoring those who will into His loving arms.
Outline
Motif: God’s Quest of Transformation
I. God - The transformer of the Church and the world………………………………………………5
A. Ontology of GodB. Works of God
1. Creation, Angels & Demons, Transformation2. Revelation
II. Humanity – Lovingly invited in Christ to embark on the transformational journey…………...6
A. The Makeup of Human NatureB. The Purpose & Destiny of Humanity
1. without transformation2. by God’s transforming work
III. Sin – The broken state and choices of humanity that can only be transformed by God……..7
A. The Nature of SinB. The Effects of Sin
IV. Jesus Christ - God radically transforms the relationship between humanity and God……8
A. The Humanity of Jesus ChristB. The Deity of Jesus ChristC. The Atonement
Jerry Mills ~ Statement of Faith 4
V. Holy Spirit - God's transforming presence in His community on earth…………………..10
A. PersonB. Work C. Gifts
VI. Salvation - God's work of transforming the broken relationship of humanity and God…...12
A. Justification, Regeneration, & AdoptionB. Sanctification/TransformationC. Faith/RepentanceD. Glorification & Union with God
VII. The Church - The community of God on earth transformed by God and with Him transforming the world……………………………………………………………………………………13
A. Nature, Mission and Function of the ChurchB. Officers of the ChurchC. Ordinances of the Church
IX. The Last Things - The ultimate culmination of God’s transforming action with His people, the world and His enemies……………………………………………………………………………….14
A. Second Coming and ResurrectionE. Millennial and Tribulational ViewsF. Eternal States
Statement
I. God
A. Ontology of God
The attributes of God derive from the ontology of God: a perfect
(Mt 5:48) eternal (Deut 33:47) sovereign (Jn 10:29) being who is One
(Deut 6:4-5; Jn 17:11; Gen 1:26; 2 Cor 13:14) yet existing in a
community of three Persons - Father, Son and Holy Spirit (the Trinity).
God is loving (1 Jn 4:8) and relational in essence and invites humanity
into transformative fellowship with Him (Jn 17:23). Other prominent
attributes of God revealed in Scripture are that He is: omnipotent (Job
Jerry Mills ~ Statement of Faith 5
42:2), omnipresent (Ps 139:7-10), omniscient (Col 2:3), spirit (Jn 4:24),
self-existent (Ex 3:14), immutable (Mal 3:6), dynamic (Jn 5:17),
completely faithful and true (1 Cor 10:13; Jn 14:6), good (Ps 119:68),
holy (Isa 6:3), jealous (Ex 20:5), patient, merciful, and gracious (Ex
34:6; Heb 4:16).
B. Works of God1. Creation, Angels & Demons, Transformation
God is a creator, bringing this world into existence out of nothing
(ex nihilo) (Gen 1). Created in His image (Gen 1:27), yet corrupted by
sin (Gen 3) we are transformed by Him as we encounter God directly (2
Cor 3:18). We become a new creation capable of communion with God
by His Spirit appropriating the work of Christ (2 Cor 5:17). Angels are
God’s created agents in his transformative plan, proclaiming messages
and ministering to us and serving Christ (Mt 2:13, 20; Ps 68:17; Lk
14:4-7). Satan and demons are fallen angels (Jude 6) bent on thwarting
God’s transformative plan to redeem humanity (Eph 6:12; Lk 4:1-12)
who will be eventually defeated by Christ and His angels (Rev 19:19-
20:10).
2. Revelation
God continues to reveal himself to humanity, an ongoing
progression that is recorded and manifested in Scripture from the
beginning in Genesis to the end in Revelation. I hold to the limited
inerrancy of the Bible, believing it to be totally trustworthy to lead us
into an accurate knowledge of who God is and what he desires for our
Jerry Mills ~ Statement of Faith 6
lives, recognizing that its intention has been thus, and not to be a
scientific textbook. His ultimate revelation of himself is in Jesus Christ
(Heb 1:1-3; Lk 24:27). He becomes illuminated to us and we grow
mature in faith as the Holy Spirit makes the words of the Bible alive to
our spirit (Heb 4:12; 2 Tim 3:16; 1 Thes 2:13).
God continues to reveal himself to Christ-followers through His
Word (Jn 14:26), as well as by encountering him in prayer (Lk 18:1; Jam
5:16), nature (Rom 1:20; Ps 19:1-6), in community with fellow Spirit-
filled believers (Col 3:16; Eph 4:11-16) or any other means God
chooses to reveal himself to us by His Spirit (Jn 16:7-8; Phil 4:8). It is in
encountering God that we continue to be transformed into His likeness,
liberated to become more our true selves with a desire to love and
glorify him (2 Cor 3:18; Phil 3:21).
II. Humanity
A. The Makeup of Human Nature
Created in God’s image humanity reflects their Creator’s
diversity, community and oneness. As God is One existing in three
Persons, human makeup is body, soul and spirit (Heb 4:12; 1 Thes
5:23), male and female (Gen 1:27).
B. The Purpose & Destiny of Humanity1. without transformation
Jerry Mills ~ Statement of Faith 7
God declared the humanity He created to be “very good” (Gen
1:31) and commissioned us to lovingly transform the world by
multiplying and stewarding His creation (Gen 1:28-30). Humanity was
created to enjoy God in a mutual love relationship (Gen 3:8-9) yet
because of the Fall (Gen 3) this is impossible outside of God’s
transformative work. Without appropriating Christ’s work through
receiving the Holy Spirit (John1:12; 1 Jn 4:13-15) people will remain
outside of God’s presence forever (Mt 13:49-50; Rev 14:10-11; Rev
21:8).
2. by God’s transforming work
Recreated by faith in Christ through the Holy Spirit (2 Cor 5:17)
we are able to fellowship with God (Phil 3:8-10) and His transformed
humanity the Church (1 Jn 1:7) and share His love with those unable to
commune with Him because of sin (Mt 28:19-20; Jn 17:20-23).
III. Sin
A. The Nature of Sin
Sin came into humanity via Adam (Gen 3; Rom 5:12) and
originated from the devil (1 Jn 3:8; Jn 8:34). Sin is described in the
Bible many ways, including: all unrighteousness (1 Jn 5:17), works of
darkness (Eph 5:17), rebellion against God (Deut 9:7), and coming
from the heart (Mt 15:19). Whatever that is not of faith and the willful
omission of doing good are described as sin (Rom 14:23; Jam 4:17).
Sin affects everyone because all are born in sin (Ps 51:5) and none can
Jerry Mills ~ Statement of Faith 8
escape its power, strengthened through the Law (Ecc 7:20; Ga 3:22;
Rom 7:5,8,11). Only Jesus Christ lived a sinless life (2 Cor 5:21; 1 Jn
3:5), providing a way for humanity to escape the power and effects of
sin (Heb 4:15; Jn 1:29).
B. The Effects of Sin
God’s transformational quest has been to restore us from the
effects of sin to ultimately realize union with him partially while in this
world and fully in his eschatological Kingdom (1 Cor 13:8-12). It is
impossible for anyone to atone for their sins and be made righteous in
God’s sight by good deeds or faith apart from Christ (Prov 20:9; Jer
2:22; 1 Jn 1:7, 2:1-2). The ultimate effect of sin is physical death (Gen
2:17; Rom 5:12) resulting in eternal separation from God (Mt 7:23; 1
Cor. 6:9,10; Rev. 21:27). There are also significant effects of sin in this
life: namely shame and fear (Gen 3; Prov 14:34), physical illness (Ps
38:3; 1 Cor 11:30) and separation from others (Jam 4; Tit 3:9-11) and,
especially, from God (Isa 59:1-2; Rom 8:7).
IV. Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is both Son of God – the second Person of the Trinity
(Jn 1:14, 6:62; Phil 2:5-7; Heb 2:9) – and son of man – the anointed
messiah and second Adam of the human race (Isa 49:5-6; Jn 5:27; Heb
2:5; Acts 7:56). He is the main actor in the Godhead responsible for
undertaking God’s redemptive quest of transformation for humanity.
While the Son of God’s form changed when as fully God he in addition
Jerry Mills ~ Statement of Faith 9
became fully man as Jesus of Nazareth, his attributes are
unchangeable (Heb 13:8, Mal 3:6; Jam 1:17).
A. The Humanity of Jesus Christ
The idea of God coming as a human to bring peace, justice and
salvation was anticipated by the Jews of Jesus’ time because of its
presence in OT passages (Isa 9:2-7; Gen 49:10; Job 19:25). Jesus’ own
appropriation of the title “son of man” was a claim he made for his
humanity and role as the Messiah (Mk 10:45, 14:62; Lk 5:24, 7:34). He
was “born of the virgin Mary” (Gen 3:15; Isa 7:14; Mt 1:21-23) and
“tempted in every way” (Heb 4:15) so that because of his sinless life
he can be our sympathetic advocate before the Father (1 Tim 2:5).
B. The Deity of Jesus Christ
The divinity of Jesus is attested throughout the Bible, from OT
passages appropriated in the NT to refer to him (Mt 22:43-45; Heb 1:8-
12), to his own testimony (Mt 16:15-17; Mk 14:62; Jn 10:30) as well as
from OT prophesies (Ps 2:7; Isa 49, 53, 55:3-5; Dan 7:13-14, 9:24-27)
and the witness of NT writers (Jn 20:31; Acts 3:18-20; Phil 3:7-14) . His
deity is further recognized by the millions of people who continue to
experience his transformative power and loving communion through
relationship with him.
C. The Atonement
The Christ-event – his birth, sinless life, suffering, death on the
cross, resurrection and glorification – is God‘s ultimate action in history
Jerry Mills ~ Statement of Faith 10
to accomplish his quest of transformation. God trumped the power of
sin and death enslaving us with his love and righteousness (1 Jn 4:9-
10; 2 Cor 5:21; Rom 3:23-24). The only means for human salvation is
through the atoning work of Jesus Christ applied through personal faith
in and continuing allegiance to Him alone (Acts 4:12; Rom 10:9-10; 1 Jn
4:15). The Holy Spirit appropriates the atonement to the hearts of
those who receive Christ, making it personally effective (1 Jn 4:13;
Rom 8; Tit 3:5). Though God desires all to receive the gift of his grace
and be saved (2 Pet 3:9; 2 Cor 5:20) he knows that because of free will
many will not (Jn 6:64-66, 17:9, 20), choosing their self-focused sinful
life and reaping the eternal consequences of separation from God (Jude
12-13; Mt 13:38-40).
V. Holy Spirit
A. Person
The Holy Spirit is a person just as the Father and Son both are,
with distinct functionality and personality, yet together with them still
constitute one essence (Isa 6:3, 8-10; Gen 1:26-27; Mt 28:19. The Holy
Spirit not only derives his personhood from his distinct action (1 Pet
3:18; 2 Tim 3:16; Acts 13:2, 4; Heb 10:15; Jn 16:8-11) and affection
(Rom 8:26; Eph 4:30; Acts 5:9), but from his relationality to the Father
and Son. In his humility (Jn 14:26, 15:26; Gal 4:6) he is honored by
them (Isa 63:10; Lk 12:10; Acts 5:3, 9), and he is the bond of love
between the Godhead (Mat 3:13-17) – and between He and us (Rom
Jerry Mills ~ Statement of Faith 11
5:3-5; 2 Cor 13:14). It is the presence of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of
those that make up the church (1 Cor 6:19) that enables us to exercise
our unique gifts from the same Spirit for the betterment of others (1
Cor 12:7) and to maintain unity (2 Cor 13:14; Eph 4:3).
B. Works
The Holy Spirit has been the primary way God has affected His
power on the world and humanity. It is the Spirit that executes God’s
will in creation (Gen 1:2; Job 33:4; Ps 104:30). Jesus likewise attributed
his power on Earth to the Spirit (Mt 12:28; Lk 4:14, 18) and it was by
the power of the Spirit that he was raised from the dead (Rom 1:4; Acts
2:24). The Holy Spirit is also he who imparts new life to those he
convicts to receive it (Jn 16:8-11) because of the work of Christ (1 Cor
6:11; Jn 3:5-6).
It is through this Spirit baptism that believers are transformed,
being regenerated (Eze 11:19) and sealed for ultimate salvation when
God brings all things to completion (Rom 8:9; Eph 4:30). The
transformational work of the Spirit is marked by the growing “fruit of
the Spirit” evident in believers’ lives (Gal 5:22-25). Christians are
empowered for this new life through the unifying love and peace which
the Spirit brings to the Church (1 Cor 12:13; Ph 2:1-2), how the Spirit
glorifies and teaches of Christ (Jn 16:14), and the unique gifts the Holy
Spirit gives to each believer (Rom 12:6; 1 Cor 12:4-11).
Jerry Mills ~ Statement of Faith 12
C. Gifts
The gifts of the Spirit are given to each to build up the Church so
that all would become progressively transformed into who they were
intended and are destined to one day be – Christ-like (Eph 4:7, 11-13).
These gifts and spiritual power are exercised for the purpose of
lovingly edifying other believers (1 Pet 4:10; 1 Jn 5:1), giving and
receiving love in the Spirit through prayer and worship (1 Cor 14:15;
Eph 5:18-21; Rom 8:26) and to love and declare Christ to those who do
not follow God in hopes that they will join this transformational journey
(1 Thes 1:5; 2 Tim 1:7-8; Mt 5:44). In all these ways God’s Spirit
enables us to do these things with the love of God (Jude 1:21; 1 Jn
4:19; Rom 5:5).
VI. Salvation
A. Justification, Regeneration, & Adoption
Through the atoning work of Christ we have been justified in
God’s sight when we trust in Christ alone as our righteousness (Eph
1:13; 2 Tim 1:9; Gal 2:16; 2 Cor 5:21). Christ paves the way for us to
enter into communion with God (Rom 5:9; 1 Cor 15:17) and His people
by sending the Holy Spirit into our lives who regenerates us into new
spiritual life (Jn 3:3; 2 Cor 5:17), adopts us into God’s family (Gal 4:6)
and Kingdom (Rom 14:17).
B. Sanctification/Transformation
Jerry Mills ~ Statement of Faith 13
Salvation is not merely a choice to receive and follow Christ
once, but instead a journey of trusting Christ and being transformed
into Christ-likeness by the Holy Spirit until He brings all things to
completion (1 Cor 6:11; 1 Thes 5:23). We are sanctified by
encountering God in truth through His Word (Eph 5:26; Jn 17:17) and
are being sanctified together with all those who constitute his Church
(Eph 5:27, Acts 20:32). The process of sanctification is also intended
to make us more effectual in carrying out God’s transformative mission
of expanding his Kingdom on Earth (2 Tim 2:21; Jn 20: 20-23).
C. Faith/Repentance
Faith and repentance are intertwined. God’s goodness leads us
to repentance (Rom 2:4) – a humble turning from the selfish self
towards the ways of God (Isa 45:22) – and we would not seek
repentance if there were not faith that God’s grace and mercy was
available to us (Heb 4:16; 2 Pet 3:9; Jn 3:16).
D. Glorification & Union with God
Through faith in Christ we are sealed with the Holy Spirit for the
eschatological salvation (Eph 4:30) when together with God’s people
we are glorified to enjoy eternal union with God (Jn 17:21,24; 1 Thes
4:17). This mysterious union with God is anticipated by His Spirit’s
presence in believers’ hearts (2 Cor 1:22) as well as human
representations he has given us such as marriage (Eph 5:25-32).
VII. The Church
Jerry Mills ~ Statement of Faith 14
A. Nature, Mission and Function of the Church
The Church is the extension of God’s Kingdom on Earth (Lk
17:20-21; Acts 8:12; Rom 14:17), the True Israel of faith (Rom 9:6-8;
Gal 4:24-26) instituted by Christ (1 Cor 3:11) and marked by the
charismatic presence of the Holy Spirit (Acts 9:31). The Church is to be
God’s Spirit infused (Mt 18:20) counter-cultural community of love (1
Cor 13, 1 Pet 2:17), inviting those apart from God to be transformed by
joining it (Mt 5:14; 28:18-20; 2 Cor 5:20-21) as it follows Christ (Rom
12:4-5; Col 1:18).
B. Officers of the Church
Like God Himself, the Church is to be unified while maintaining
its diversity (1 Cor 12). It is understood that all believers have a
responsibility to exercise the gifts they have been given in the service
of building up others in the Church (1 Pet 4:10) and to fulfill their role
as the “priesthood of all believers” (1 Pet 2:9). For the equipping of
the Church, Scripture is clear in indicating that leaders were selected
to help shepherd the local churches (Tit 1:5; 1 Pet 5:1-3). Rather than
use an office as a basis for his leadership Paul gave the example of
instead basing his influence on his loving service to the respective
churches he wrote to (1 Cor 3:10-11, 4).
Thus, Scripture gives us an example of establishing leadership
that is both local and plural (Phi 1:1), at times restricted during church
crisis such as those receiving Paul’s stipulations in 1 & 2 Tim and Tit 1.
Jerry Mills ~ Statement of Faith 15
The NT model shows leadership contextualized to the needs of the
particular community for establishing order and a safe, sanctifying
community of equality and love (Mk 10:42-45; Gal 3:28) to witness to
the world and for the sake of building the leadership and ministerial
capacity of the local church congregation (Eph 4:11-12).
C. Ordinances of the Church
Jesus establishes two main ordinances for His Church: baptism
(Mt 28:19) and communion (Lk 22:17-19). Both ordinances are to be
done within the Church and for the purpose of identifying with Christ,
its Head (1 Cor 11:26). Both ordinances also allude to the mysterious
transformative work of the Holy Spirit in appropriating the work of
Christ, uniting the Church together with Him and anticipating with hope
when He shall bring all things to completion (Lk 3:16; Acts 1:5, 2:4).
IV. The Last Things
The Christ-event is the decisive eschatologically transformative
action that effects all of life, history and the future (Mt 5:17; Isa 9:6-7;
Lk 4:18-21; Jn 6:39). Despite present suffering and ultimate physical
death because of the effects of sin (Gen 2:17; Rom 6:23), through
Christ we have been assured an eventual union with Him in His eternal
Kingdom (1 Pet 5:10; Acts 14:22) and wait for the time when He brings
everything in creation to completion (Rom 8:18-25). It is the basis for
Jerry Mills ~ Statement of Faith 16
the hope of a glorious future united together with all believers with
God (Gal 5:5; Eph 1:14; Rom 8:23; 1 Thes 3:13). This hope and
gratitude will inspire desire to live for God in this world until that time
comes (1 Thes 5:1-11; Mt 25:1-13), loving the brethren in the Church
(1 Pet 1:22; 1 Jn 3:11, 16, 18) and imploring a dying world to be
reconciled to God (2 Cor 5:20).
A. Second Coming and Resurrection
When Christ returns bodily and ushers in the new heaven and
new earth the final judgment will come, where all followers of Christ
will join him in his eternal Kingdom (1 Thes 4:16-17; Rev 22:5). When
resurrected with Christ we will be finally and ultimately transformed to
be like him – though how remains a mystery (1 Jn 3:2). Living with this
blessed hope does not breed apathy towards God or this broken world,
but instead inspires us to the Great Commission we have been given to
help him transform this world (Mt 28:18-20), encouraged by the
everlasting presence of Christ with us and the blessing to come in the
next life (1 Jn 4:13-17; 2 Tim 4:8).
E. Millennial and Tribulational Views
I interpret the book of Revelation to be apocalyptic in genre, thus
I understand the numerology and typology contained within to be
metaphorical. Taken together with other biblical passages regarding
the end of the age (2 Pet 3:10-13; 1 Thes 4:16-17, Mt 24:30-31) I hold
Jerry Mills ~ Statement of Faith 17
an amillenial view – that the return of Christ ushers in the end of this
age and the final judgment. Due to my millennial views then, I do not
believe the Bible speaks about a rapture and subsequent tribulation on
Earth.
F. Eternal States
The transformed people of God – those adopted into God’s family
through faith in Christ’s salvific work – will enjoy eternal loving
communion together with God (Jn 14:1-3; 1 Pet 1:4; Rev 21:3-4). Our
bodies will be transformed as well, not flesh and blood and possibly
like Jesus’ was after his resurrection, with similarities to our previous
bodies yet without the constraints mandated by temporal physics and
biology (1 Cor. 15:35-58; Jn 20:14, 26-27).
After the resurrection of the dead Christ will separate those
whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life from those who
have not repented of their sins and accepted the salvation only found
in Jesus Christ (Mt 25:31-46; Rom 14:10-11; 2 Cor 5:6-10). Those who
have rejected Him will be sent away from the presence of God to suffer
eternal torment (2 Thes 1:7-10; 2 Pet 3:7; Rev 20:12-15).
Transformation is God’s quest now, to which he invites us to take
part in. When Christ returns and sets everything right we will be
completely transformed to enjoy God and reign with him forever (2 Tim
2:11-13; Jn 14:2-3; 1 Cor 15:50-57).
Jerry Mills ~ Statement of Faith 18