Open Heart Statement of Beliefs

A relationship with God: 

“Beliefs” are only a means to a relationship with God.  In and of themselves “beliefs” are really meaningless.

There are four essential elements in pursuing a relationship with God:

First of all, in order to have a relationship with God you have to believe God exists.  This “belief” is a matter of  “faith” (a knowledge which goes beyond, not against, reason) which not only looks to your mind to find evidence of God’s existence but uses the senses of your heart (inter depth of feeling) as well.  While your mind is important, a relationship requires that your heart becomes the foundation of intimacy and “love”.  An open mind might bring you to a intellectual understanding of God but an open heart is required for you to relate to God.  God’s existence must be settled in your mind and heart.

Second, as in any relationship, God has to be a “personality” with which you can relate.  A relationship requires that God be more than a “force” or “power” but a “someone” who you can interact with in a personal way.  You can‘t be loved by or show love to a impersonal “force” or “power“.  

Third, there has to be a means for you to know God in a personal, intimate way.  God wants a relationship with you in your everyday life.  God wants you to know the love and power that are available to you.  There has to be ways of expressing who you are to God and a way for you to find out what God is like.

Finally, every relationship has its components and boundaries which define what is appropriate and healthy for that relationship.  God has to be more than “your divine being of choice”.  God has to be more than something which you create in your mind, convenient to your life style and the way you think God should be.  God is God and you need to know what that means, the role God is to play in your life, what you can expect and how to respond.

The Bible:

Some of the things the Bible tells you about God:

First of all, the Bible tells you that God exists.  The Bible indicates that God is not only “almighty” and “sovereign” but that God has created us with “free will” in order that we might choose to believe in God or not. 

Second, the Bible tells you that God is a personality.  God wants to interact with you and invite you to be part of the eternal plan.  You are important to God.  God loves you and wants you to love Him (“Him” in terms of being a person, not to indicate gender).

Third, the Bible also tells you of the means to get to know God.  Jesus, God’s son, died to remove the sin in your life so that there would be nothing blocking your relationship to God.  The Holy Spirit helps you talk with God and know God in an intimate way.

Finally, the Bible gives you insight as to the components and boundaries of a relationship with God.   The Bible describes this relationship in terms of “covenant”.  This “covenant” is the basis of the relationship we have with God and covers all aspects of life.