What We Believe

If someone asked why you believe what you believe, could you open the Bible—or only repeat what you have heard?

Faith can be inherited as a vocabulary before it becomes personally understood. We may know the words gospel, grace, Trinity, and salvation without knowing how to explain them. This lesson helps us examine those foundations with open Bibles and honest questions. We study JGM’s stated beliefs while distinguishing the text, our interpretation, and our application.

1. Begin with what Jesus has done

1 Corinthians 15:1–11

Paul addresses a church whose questions include resurrection. Before developing his argument, he reminds them of the message he received and passed on. Read verses 1–11 and identify the events he names: Christ’s death for sins, burial, resurrection, and appearances.

The gospel is good news about Jesus, not merely advice about improving ourselves. Repentance, trust, and a changed life matter, but they answer what God has done. If our explanation only says “be a better person,” it leaves out the center of Paul’s message.

Practice explaining it without church shorthand: Jesus gave His life for our sins and rose from the dead. We are invited to turn to Him and trust Him. Use your own words while keeping the message focused on Jesus. A moving personal story can illustrate the news, but it should not replace it.

2. Grace is a gift; good works are a response

Ephesians 2:1–10

Read all ten verses rather than isolating verses 8–9. The passage moves from humanity’s need to God’s mercy and life in Christ, then to the good works for which believers are created. Notice who acts and why boasting is excluded.

Grace names God’s generosity toward people who cannot claim salvation as wages. Faith receives and relies on Him. Verse 10 gives good works a real place: they belong to the new life rather than purchasing it. We should not use grace as an excuse to dismiss obedience.

JGM summarizes this as salvation by grace through faith, not earned by human effort. Christian traditions discuss some aspects of faith, works, and assurance differently. This lesson begins with the passage’s sequence: God’s gift, received through faith, with good works following.

3. Let Scripture examine your understanding

2 Timothy 3:10–17

The letter addresses Timothy’s perseverance amid opposition and deception. He is urged to continue in what he has learned. The passage connects the sacred writings with wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ, and describes Scripture’s usefulness for teaching, correction, and training.

JGM receives Scripture as God’s authoritative Word. That belief requires careful interpretation. A verse has a setting, a literary form, and a place in a larger argument. Poetry, a historical account, and a letter do not all communicate in exactly the same way.

Calling Scripture authoritative does not make our first interpretation infallible. Ask who is speaking, whom they address, what the paragraph says, and how your conclusion follows. Welcome correction when the text challenges a familiar idea. Reading responsibly is part of honoring Scripture.

4. Speak carefully about Father, Son, and Spirit

Matthew 3:13–17; Matthew 28:16–20; John 1:1–18

At Jesus’ baptism, Matthew presents Jesus, the Spirit’s descent, and the voice from heaven. At the close of Matthew, baptism is associated with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. John opens by speaking of the Word in relation to God and of the Word becoming flesh. Read these passages before reaching for an illustration.

JGM’s Statement of Faith uses the word Trinity to summarize its confession of one God eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. “Trinity” is a theological term used to bring biblical teachings together; it is not a word appearing in these passages.

Avoid illustrations that accidentally change the claim. Describing one person switching between three jobs does not express JGM’s confession of three persons. Nor does dividing an object into three pieces express that each is fully divine. It is better to explain the limits of an illustration than pretend it solves the mystery.

We welcome learners with different backgrounds. Be clear about what JGM teaches, let people ask questions, and return to the passages. Understanding the teaching is the aim of this lesson’s question; a quiz cannot measure someone’s sincerity or settle every theological debate.

5. Human dignity reaches beyond people we like

Genesis 1:26–31; James 3:9–12

Genesis places humanity within God’s good creation and describes human beings as made in God’s image. Male and female are both included. Their commission involves responsible life within the creation God has made.

JGM draws an ethical implication from this: people have dignity that does not depend on wealth, productivity, status, or agreement with us. James brings speech into the discussion by challenging the contradiction of praising God while cursing people made in God’s likeness.

This is where a statement of belief becomes personal. Think about the person whose political views anger you, the neighbor who needs help, or someone whose past makes you uncomfortable. Disagreement and accountability can be necessary. Dehumanizing that person is a different matter. Ask how your words and actions can preserve dignity while telling the truth.

6. Move from repeated language to understood faith

Bringing the passages together

A statement of faith is a summary intended to make a community’s convictions clear. It cannot replace Scripture or exhaust everything Christians need to learn. We use JGM’s statement as a guide to what this movement teaches, and we examine its claims through the passages it cites.

Build three habits. First, identify what the text actually says. Second, explain how a doctrinal conclusion draws those statements together. Third, describe a practical response. Keeping those steps distinct makes room for careful discussion rather than a contest of slogans.

When you do not understand something, write a precise question. “What does verse 10 add to verses 8–9?” is more useful than pretending all questions have disappeared. Bring the question to a trustworthy teacher or study partner, compare the evidence, and remain willing to learn.

Our purpose is to help people know Jesus for themselves and live as His disciples. Knowledge should deepen worship, humility, love, and service. Finishing a lesson is one step in that process; it is not proof that the process is complete.

Study the passage

• Observe: read Ephesians 2:1–10. List what the passage says about human need, God’s action, faith, and works.
• Interpret: explain why verses 8–9 exclude boasting and why verse 10 still matters. Use the paragraph rather than a slogan.
• Apply: describe one way grace changes your approach to service, failure, or other people. Label your example as an application, not an additional biblical command.

Practice this week

• Day 1 — Read 1 Corinthians 15:1–11. Explain the gospel in three or four sentences centered on Jesus.
• Day 2 — Read Ephesians 2:1–10. Write how receiving a gift differs from earning wages.
• Day 3 — Read 2 Timothy 3:10–17. Revisit one belief you have repeated and identify its biblical basis.
• Day 4 — Read Matthew 3:13–17 and 28:16–20. Record what each passage says before writing a theological summary.
• Day 5 — Read Genesis 1:26–31 and James 3:9–12. Choose a concrete way to honor another person’s dignity.
• Day 6 — Share your explanation of the gospel with a willing listener. Ask what was clear and what needs explanation.
• Day 7 — Review your notes. Record one corrected misunderstanding, one remaining question, and one action you actually practiced.

Teaching points

• The gospel announces what God has done through Jesus Christ: His death for our sins and His resurrection. Our changed life is a response to that good news.
• Salvation is God’s gift, received through faith. Ephesians 2:8–10 connects grace with a life of good works without making those works the price of salvation.
• Scripture teaches, corrects, and equips us. Receiving its authority includes reading carefully and allowing our interpretations to be examined.
• JGM confesses one God, eternally Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is a theological summary drawn from Scripture, not a claim that every Christian community uses identical language.
• Human beings bear God’s image. We should treat people with dignity regardless of their status, usefulness, or agreement with us.

Read in Scripture

• 1 Corinthians 15:1–11
• Ephesians 2:1–10
• 2 Timothy 3:10–17
• Matthew 3:13–17; 28:16–20
• John 1:1–18
• Genesis 1:26–31
• James 3:9–12

Reflect

• When I explain the gospel, do I begin with what Jesus has done or with what people must accomplish?
• Where do I treat service, giving, or religious activity as a way to earn God’s acceptance?
• Which belief can I repeat but struggle to explain from a passage read in context?
• How does my treatment of someone I disagree with reflect—or contradict—human dignity?
• What question do I need to bring honestly to Scripture and a trustworthy teacher?

Put it into practice

• Read Ephesians 2:1–10 as one passage. Write what God does, how people receive His gift, and what follows.
• Explain the gospel in your own words, including Jesus’ death for sins and His resurrection. Ask a willing person what they heard you say.
• Choose one act of service as a response to grace. Record what you did without treating it as a score of spiritual worth.
• Read the JGM Statement of Faith alongside its references. Keep a list of questions and distinguish the statement’s wording from the biblical text.