A Little Rambling

I overheard (and then butted into) a conversation the other night at a church event with some friends.  They were talking about a man in South Africa who was explaining to my one friend why blacks were naturally inferior.  She was astounded that someone could believe such a thing in this day and age, but realized that's how he'd been raised and taught, so it was what he really believed.  He had a litany of reasoning to support his claim, not realizing how much of it was unfounded in reality.  It didn't matter if it was true, it was all he knew. How much of what we believe do we only believe because it's what we were raised with?  Our parents teach us something, the lesson is reinforced by other important figures in our lives, and we accept it as solid truth with no margin of error.  It's simply how the world is.  We build our lives on this foundation, and when it is challenged, we have no doubts that we are right, and we continue blithely believing. ...

I believe in one true God, who created the world from nothing. ( Gen. 1:1 ; Neh. 9:6 ; Deut. 4:35 ) I believe in His Son, Jesus Christ, who became a man while maintaining His divinity, and He was crucified and rose again. ( I Cor. 15:3-5 ; Col. 1:15-16 , 2:9 ) I believe in the Holy Spirit, Who is given to all believers. ( Rom. 8:9-11 ; I Cor. 3:16 ; Eph. 1:13 ) I believe that these three make up the Godhead, one in will and purpose and divinity, and there is no other god. ( Matt. 28:19 ; John 10:30 , 16:13-15 ; Acts 20:28 ; I Pet. 1:2 ) I believe that God is righteous and loving, and these are not a contradiction. ( Psalm 19:9 ; Ezra 9:15 ; 1 John 4:8 ; 2 Cor. 5:21 ) I believe that the only way to eternal life is through the grace of Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on the cross. ( John 3:16 , 14:6 ) I believe that there is nothing man can do on his own to earn salvation. ( Eph. 2:8-9 ) I believe that the faith that saves will produce good works. ( James 2:14-17 ) I believe that the...