Everyone has a worldview, a set of assumptions through which they encounter the world around them.  At All Things Integrated®, we believe that truth matters.  Facts matter.  Faith matters.  Truth is not simply personal, private and relative.  Truth is universal, observable, testable, and knowable.  What follows is a list of “starting points” to understanding the reality of the world around us.  Though it is not an exhaustive or complete list, and though it has been adapted and modified from other doctrinal statements, it is a great anchor for belief and launching point for a deeper study into all of God’s Truth.

 

 

About The Bible

The Bible is God’s Word to all people. It tells the true story of God, man, sin, redemption, and reconciliation. Scripture is comprised of thirty-nine books of the Old Testament and twenty-seven books of the New Testament. Since the Word is inspired by God, the Bible is the supreme source of truth, without error in its original languages, and completely relevant for daily living.

Deuteronomy 4:1-2; Psalm 119:11, 89, 105; Proverbs 30:5; Isaiah 40:8; John 5:39; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Hebrews 1:1-2

 

“The Bible is a reliable collection historical documents written by eyewitnesses during the lifetime of other eyewitnesses. It tells of supernatural events that took place in fulfillment of specific prophesies, and claims to be Divine, rather than human, in origin.”

-- Voddie Baucham in “Why I Choose to Believe the Bible”

 

 

About God: The Trinity

There is one God: infinite, eternal, almighty, and perfect in holiness, truth, and love. In the unity that is God, there are three co-existent, co-equal, and co-eternal persons: God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Each person within this one God serves a different role.

Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 61:1; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14; James 2:19

 

“It is the simple religions that are the made-up ones… If Christianity was something we were making up, of course we could make it easier. But it is not. We cannot compete, in simplicity, with people who are inventing religions. How could we? We are dealing with Fact. Of course anyone can be simple if he has no facts to bother about.”  –C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity

 

 

About God the Father

God the Father is the Creator of heaven and earth. God is great, all-powerful, all-knowing, ever-present, unchanging, completely worthy of our trust, and holy. He is loving, compassionate, and faithful to His people and His promises. God is sovereign, created all things for the praise of His glory, and intends for man to live in a right relationship with Him.

Exodus 3:14; Psalm 11:4-6; John 3:16; 14:1; Acts 17:28; Romans 3:3-4

 

 

About Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He was present with the Father at creation and had fellowship with the Father and Spirit before man was created. He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless human life, and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people through His death on the cross. After three days, Jesus rose from the dead, defeating death so that we could have life. He is God’s plan for bringing those who are enemies of God back into a right relationship with Him. Through his substitutionary death, He revealed divine love and upheld divine justice, removing our guilt and reconciling us to God. He ascended to heaven and will return to earth one day to reign as King.

Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 1:18-23; John 1:1-5, 14:10-30; Acts 1:9-11; Romans 1:3-4; Philippians 2:5-11; 1 Peter 2:24

 

 

About The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is present in the world to make people aware of their need for Jesus. He unites believers to Jesus Christ through faith and dwells within them. He provides Christians with the power for righteous living, an understanding of spiritual truth, and the guidance for doing what is right. He convicts people of sin, comforts, gives spiritual gifts, and makes people more like Christ.

Genesis 1:2, Psalm 51:2; Acts 1:8; John 16:8-11; Romans 8:9; Galatians 5:25; Ephesians 1:13

 

 

About Human Beings

Men and women are made in the image of God. They are to be like Him in character and person. Human beings are the supreme object of God’s creation. Although each person has the potential for good, all are marred by sin against God. Sin separates humans from God and causes hardship in their lives. As a result of sin, people cannot attain a right relationship with God through their own efforts.

Genesis 1:26-27; Psalm 8:3-6; Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 3:22-23; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 1:21-31; Colossians 1:21-22

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“Although my memory's fading, I remember two things very clearly: I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior.” 

--John Newton, author of the hymn “Amazing Grace”

 

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About The Gospel

Jesus Christ is the gospel, the good news revealed by His birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension. Christ’s crucifixion is the heart of the gospel, His resurrection the power of the gospel, and His ascension the glory of the gospel. Jesus Christ is the mediator between people and God. Christ’s death satisfies the demands of God’s justice and appeases God’s wrath. There is no other name by which man can be saved. This truth reveals God’s mysterious love and His amazing grace.

Romans 3:22-23; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21; Ephesians 2:8-10; 1 Peter 1:18-19

 

“The Gospel doesn’t make bad people good; it makes dead people alive. That’s the difference between the gospel of Jesus Christ and every other world religion.”  --Tullian Tchividjian in Surprised by Grace

 

 

About Salvation

The blood of Jesus Christ that was shed on the cross provides the only way to salvation—through forgiveness of sin. Salvation occurs when people place their faith in the death and resurrection of Christ as sufficient payment for their sin. Salvation is a gift from God and cannot be earned through a person’s efforts.

Isaiah 1:18; Matthew 1:21; Luke 1:68-69; John 1:12; 3:16; Acts 2:21; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 2:8-10; Revelation 3:20

 

“Through salvation our past has been forgiven, our present is given meaning, and our future is secured.”  --Rick Warren in The Purpose Driven Life

 

 

About Eternity

Humans were created to exist forever, either eternally connected with God through forgiveness and salvation in heaven or eternally separated from God in hell. Heaven and hell are real places.

John 3:16; 14:17; Romans 6:23; 8:17-18; Revelation 20:15; 1 Corinthians 2:7-9

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“There are no ordinary people.  You have never talked to a mere mortal.  Nations, cultures, arts, civilization—these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat.  But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit—immortal horrors or everlasting splendors.”  –C.S. Lewis in The Weight of Glory

 

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About The Church

The Church is not a building.  And it is not a religious institution or denomination. Rather, the Church, the body of Christ, is made up of all those who have become followers of Jesus Christ. The Church exists to worship and serve God by doing His will. The Church has been called to preach the gospel and make disciples to transform the world. The Holy Spirit has gifted the Church for equipping people to mature and grow. All members of the body of Christ are to be a vital and committed part of the local church. All members are to be equipped for ministry to one another and to the world.

Ephesians 1:22; Matthew 16:18; 28:18-20; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17; 2 Corinthians 5:18-19; Ephesians 4:4-6

 

“Wherever we see the Word of God purely preached and heard, there a church of God exists, even if it swarms with many faults.” --John Calvin

 

 

About Marriage and Family

Aside from the church, the other great institution of God is the family.  God created men and women equally in His image, and distinctive from each other in their masculine and feminine roles.  God has called some people to serve Him while remaining single, but His desire for most people is that they marry and raise children.  God’s design in marriage is the faithful and lifelong commitment between one man and one woman.  God created sexuality to be enjoyed within marriage, and as such, any sexual activity outside of biblical marriage is sinful and destructive to the individual and to society.     

 

Genesis 1:26-28; Genesis 2:24-25; Matthew 5:27-32; 1 Corinthians 6:12-7:40; Ephesians 5:21-6:4;  

 

“Marriage is God-centered.  God brought Adam and Eve together—and brings husband and wife together—to provide companionship and to enable them to fulfill the work of worshiping, serving, and obeying God.”  --Christopher Yuan in Holy Sexuality and The Gospel

 

 

About Education

God has commanded parents to train up their children to follow after Him.  And to prepare them to live effective, productive, and transformative lives in the culture around them.  Education is not simply a transferring of raw facts, but the formation of a Biblical worldview.  This is achieved through personal example and continual instruction throughout each day.  Children grow up to be like their teachers, so it is vital to surround children with godly instructors and mentors.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Proverbs 22:6;  Luke 6:39-40; Luke 2:52;  Matthew 28:18-20;

 

“All of the great servants of God have one thing in common, even though their backgrounds and abilities vary widely.  Each one has had a teacher or two that has taught him well, that has ignited his imagination for what can be done for Christ, and has pointed him to eternity’s values.”   --Art Nazigian in The Effective Teacher

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