Statement of Faith
Jay D. Mack, M.Div
I am committed to the principles of historical Christian orthodoxy, which is evident in my affirmation of widely accepted statements of faith such as the Nicene Creed and Apostles’ Creed. I am affiliated with Southern Baptist Messianic Fellowship, an organization founded in 1990 to unite Messianic Jew and Gentile believers within the Southern Baptist Convention who focus on Jewish evangelism and a Messianic point of view.
The Bible: The sole basis of our belief is the Bible, composed of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments. I believe that Scripture in its entirety originated with God, and that it was written under Hisinspiration. Scripture thus at one and the same time speaks with the authority of ADONAI and reflects the backgrounds, styles, and vocabularies of the human authors. I hold that the Scriptures are infallible and inerrant in the original manuscripts. They are the unique, full, and final authority on all matters of faith and practice and there are no other writings similarly inspired by God (Isaiah 55:11; Second Timothy 3:15-17, Romans 15:14; Matthew 24:25; Hebrews 4:12-13; Second Peter 1:19-21).
The Triune God: I believe in one God, eternally existing in three distinct Persons: God the Father, God the Son, and Spirit of God. These three Persons are co-eternal, co-equal, and know, love, and glorify one another. This is the One true and living God who is worthy of all glory and devotion (Deuteronomy 6:4; First Corinthians 8:4-6; Matthew 28:19; John 14:26; Second Corinthians 13:14; and Titus 3:6).
Jesus Christ: I believe that Yeshua Messiah, God’s Son, is both fully God (He is equal with God the Father in essence and attributes) and fully human (He was born of the virgin Mary and was like us in every way except that He had no sinful nature and committed no sin). I believe that He died on the cross to make payment for the sinsof mankind and that He physically rose from the grave to claim victory over sin and death. I believe that following His resurrection, He ascended to His Father where He is the Mediator, as the High Priest, for each believer and is preparing to come again. Since He was without sin, Yeshua’s death in our place fully satisfied Ha’Shem’s justice and thus made a way for us to enter into a reconciled relationship with Him. I believe that His Second Coming will be a literal return to the earth as King and Ruler of this earth at which time He will sit on the Throne of David (Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:31-33; 24:1-7; John 1:1, 14; Acts 1:9-11; First Timothy 2:5, 6; First Peter 2:22-24; Hebrews 5:9, 10; Revelation 19:11-16).
The Holy Spirit: The Ruach Ha’Kodesh is the third person of the Trinity, equal to the Father and the Son in essence and attributes. His role is three-fold. First, that He was active in the creation; that in His relation to the unbelieving world He restrains the evil one until God’s purpose is fulfilled; that He convicts the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment; that He bears witness to the truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony. Second, He is the initiator of our relationship with ADONAI. He convicts us of our sin, awakens in us a recognition of our need for a Savior and supernaturally transforms our hearts, infusing us with His spiritual energy. Thirdly, He is the sustainer of our relationship with ADONAI. At the point of salvation, the Spirit of God permanently indwells every believer to become the source of assurance, strength, and wisdom, and uniquely endows each believer with gifts for the building up of the Church body. The Ruach Ha’Kodesh guides believers in understanding and applying the Scripture. His power and control are appropriated by faith, making it possible for the believer to lead a life of Messiah-like character and to bear spiritual fruit to the glory of the Father (Genesis 1:1-3; Matthew 28:19; John 3:3-6, 14:15-17, 25-26, 16:5-15, Acts 1:8; 5:3-4; Romans 8:14, 16, 26, 27; First Corinthians 12:4-13; Ephesians 1:13-14; Hebrews 10:15-18).
The Eternal Security of the Believer: I believe that all who are truly born again are kept by God the Father in Messiah (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Ms – The Eternal Security of the Believer). Since we can do no works to gain our salvation, we can do no works to lose our salvation (John 6:37-41, 10:27-29; Romans 5:8-11, 8:28-39; Galatians 3:26-29; Philippians 1:6; Titus 3:7; Hebrews 10:1-10; Revelation 3:5, 20:12 and 15, 21:27).
Sin: The central purpose of God’s revelation in Scripture is to call all people into relationship with Himself. Although originally created for this relationship, we all have inherited from Adam a natural bent to resist ADONAI. This reliance on ourselves rather than God, the attitude that says to Him, “I will do as I choose, I am in charge,” is called sin. By ourselves, we are unable to overcome sin and the ruptured relationships it causes with God and others (Isaiah 53:6, Romans 1:21, 3:23, 5:12-21, James 4:1-2).
Satan: I believe in the personality of Satan, that he is the unholy god of this age, the author of all the powers of darkness, a liar, and the adversary of the children of God. I believe he is destined to the judgment of an eternal justice in the lake of fire (John 8:44; Second Corinthians 4:4; First Peter 5:8; Revelation 20:10).
The Church: The phrase, “the Church” refers not to a building but to that group of people who have a relationship with Yeshua Messiah and belong to God. This reflects the true Church and not the professing church. In its broadest sense, as the “universal Church,” the Church consists of all people everywhere who have ever acknowledged Yeshua Messiah as their Lord. In narrower meaning, it refers to a local body of believers who gather regularly for worship, prayer, fellowship, and teaching of the Bible. They are committed to outreach to the world and to service to one another through the development and use of talents and gifts, and they observe baptism and communion as the ordinances established by Messiah. Under the watchful care of elders and other supportive leadership, its members are to work together in love and unity, intent on the one ultimate purpose of glorifying Yeshua Messiah (Hebrews 10:24-25; Acts 2:42-47; Matthew 28-18-20; Acts 8:1; Colossians 1:18, Hebrews 13:17; Ephesians 2:19-22, 3:14-19; First Cor 12:12-13; Romans 12:4-8).
Faith and Practice: Scripture is the final authority in all matters of faith and practice. But I recognize that the local church cannot bind the conscience of individual members in areas where Scripture is silent. Rather, each believer is to be led in those areas by the Lord, to whom he or she alone is ultimately responsible (First Corinthians 8:9, Romans 14).
Humanity: God created humanity both male (XY) and female (XX), after His image, in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness, to hold dominion over creation. In God’s mysterious providence, humans, by the influence of Satan, chose to rebel against God, resulting in divine wrath. Unless they experience a unique act of grace, humans, because they are spiritually dead, are unable to reconcile with ADONAI. This inherent depravity affects every aspect of their being, including their thoughts, choices, and emotions. As a result, people who have fallen into sinare in a state of hopelessness and are lost, except for the salvation offered exclusively through Messiah (Genesis 1:26-27; Psalm 139:13-16; Colossians 3:10; Ephesians 4:24; Genesis Chapter 3; Ecclesiastes 7:29; Romans 3:10-18 and 5:12; Ephesians 2:3.
Human Destiny: Death is the end of physical life, but not of spiritual existence. All persons, whether they have a relationship with God or not, possess immortality. I believe in the personal, visible, premillennial Second Coming of the Lord Yeshua Messiah as the King of kings and Lord of lords. I believe that we are now living in the Dispensation of Grace (see the commentary on Hebrews Bp – The Dispensation of Grace). But as future events unfold, I believe that after the Rapture of the Church there will be a seven-year period of tribulation on the earth, beginning with the signing of a seven-year covenant between Isra’el and the antichrist. After Yeshuaphysically returns to the earth, He will rule and reign from the Temple in Jerusalem for a thousand years. At the end of the millennium Satan will be temporarily freed from his chains and lead a rebellion that will be put down. Then all the lost will be judged (see the commentary on Revelation Fo – The Great White Throne Judgement). Books will be opened and those not found written in the Lamb’s Book of Life will be cast into the lake of fire; however, those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life will be ushered into the Eternal State. Those who formerly refused relationship with Yeshua Messiah will be separated from Him and every good thing forever; those who embraced relationship with Him will enjoy His Presence forever in heaven. In heaven there will be no crying, pain, death, or evil. There, believers will be perfect in a perfect world, holy in the Presence of a Holy God, dwelling with Him who will do immeasurably more than we ask or think or dare to dream (Matthew 10:28; John 14:1-4; Hebrews 9:27; First Corinthians 2:9, 15:12-23; First Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 4-16; 19:11-16; 20:11 to 22:6).
Salvation: Sin is an inescapable reality that separates humanity from a holy God. However, salvation has been accomplished through the redemptive work of Yeshua Messiah, who lived a sinless life and willingly offered Himself as a sacrificial sacrifice for our sins. This salvation is applied to individuals through union with Messiah. By placing their faith/trust/belief in Yeshua we can be unified with Him in a profound legal, and transformative way. Through this union, we receive forgiveness of our sins and are reconciled with God, experiencing the transformative power of His grace, and receiving the gift of eternal life (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Bw – What God Does for Us at the Moment of Faith). This union with Messiah not only secures our salvation, but also enables us to live in a restored relationship with ADONAI, empowered by His Spirit to grow in holiness and conformity to the image of Messiah. We don’t get to heaven by what we do or feel; we get to heaven by what we believe (Ephesians 2:8-9; John 3:16; First Corinthians 15:1-4; Romans 6:23; John 3:36, 5:24, 6:47, 11:25-26, and 14:6; Ephesians 1:6-7; Romans 8:1; First Corinthians 1:30). For my position on T.U.L.I.P see the commentary on Romans Ae – My Position on T.U.L.I.P. or Calvinism.
Baptism and the Lord’s Supper: I believe that both baptism and the Lord’s Supper hold significant importance as they are established by the Lord Yeshua Messiah Himself. Baptism is connected to our entrance into the B’rit Chadashah community, while the Lord’s Supper represents continuous covenant renewal and ordinary means of grace. These practices serve as a divine assurance from ADONAI to us and demonstrate our public devotion to Messiah (Matthew 28:20; Acts 2:41, 8:12, 10:44-48, 16:14-15 and 32-33; Romans 6:3-5; Colossians 2:12; First Corinthians 11:23-25).
Jewish Perspective: I am a strong supporter of the Jewish people and approach the Scriptures from a Jewish perspective. ADONAI speaks of His love for the whole world yet He gave special promises the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I do not believe in Replacement Theology. In other words, the Church has not replaced Isra’el in God’s plan. Yeshua said: Blessed are the peace-makers and I pray for the peace of Isra’el and the entire Middle East. If everyone was trusting in Yeshua and obeying His Word, there could be peace for all peoples. However, irrespective of the world politics, UN resolutions and anti-Isra’el sentiment, I know that ADONAI will fulfill His promises in His own way and timing. I look forward to the return of King Messiah to establish His peace plan!