Tim and I got saved because the Lord Jesus saved us. The creed that we espouse is what the Lord Jesus has taught us through the Holy Bible. We read the Bible and we pray and think about it. We've hid God's words in our hearts. We've taught our children to seek the face of God that they may know for themselves His saving grace.
Colossians 2:8 tells me:
Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
In 2 Chronicles 15, Azariah spoke by the Spirit of the God saying, "Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The LORD is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you. Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law. But when they in their trouble did turn unto the LORD God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them."
Azariah spoke by the Spirit of God saying that for a long season Israel hath been without the true God. I perceive that now for a long season many Christians have been without the true God. They have left the word of the Lord for the philosophy of men. They have left Jesus the fullness of the Godhead for a three headed God. They have left the one true God for a thing called Trinity.
They have set up new altars at the steeples, at the Christmas trees, at the manger, and at men's feet (preachers, pastors and popes). The Bible says that we are the temple of the Holy Ghost. We can come to God's altar in prayer through Jesus Christ.
They have forsaken the Scripture sanctioned holy days (Sabbath, Passover, Pentecost,and such), for man-made celebrations and traditions: Christmas, Easter, Lent, Epiphany, St. Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Halloween, and All Saints' Day and on and on.
They have rejected God's promises for the last days:
Joel 2:27, Acts 2, Daniel 7, Psalm 37, Matthew 24, 2 Timothy 3 and 4, Jude, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Revelation and more. And they espouse vehemently the doctrine of the rapture. Look up the word rapture; there is no such word in the Bible.
The meaning of salvation has been belittled into saying a prayer or joining a church or doing a good deed. They teach one can be a saved sinner and still have the licence to sin willfully. God will forgive you continually. Not! How can one be saved from sin if one is still sinning! Sin is bondage, Jesus died to deliver us from the power of sin. He shed His blood to make us clean and He gave us His Spirit to make us born again, a new creature.
They have set up organizations, doctrines and standards that those who cannot abide by them are made apostates and are shunned. God's church is people. Jesus gave His life for people not buildings nor ideas nor organizations.
Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. His power is not diminished. He still fills His children with the Holy Ghost in the same manner as He did in the book of Acts. He still speaks to His children. The signs that follow them that believe in Mark 16:17 still follow them that believe today. (The signs are the fruits of the power of our Lord Jesus in them.) Jesus still heals people today. He still does miracles. His children still prophesy; they still speak with new tongues; they still receive revelations. They still have the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance) in their lives. Jesus still answers prayers; He still keeps His word. Jesus is still Lord.
Philippians 2:9 -11 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Isaiah 45:22- 23. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.
How do I know these things? God has opened my eyes to see and my ears to hear. I have read His words and considered it and He has revealed His words unto me. I have experienced Jesus' healing power. I have seen many miracles. I have been transformed by His saving grace. He has filled me with His Holy Ghost, and yes, I do pray in tongues. I've been given dreams that came about. The Lord has spoken to me and I know His voice and His presence. I have experienced His words fulfilled in my life. Jesus has sanctified me and made me who I am today. I know my God is real and His name is Jesus.
I challenge you to seek God's face and know Jesus for yourself. Read the Bible through the eyes of a child and not through the Bible schools' notations. Let the Lord teach you; He is able. Know the true God of the Bible.