Statement of Faith, Statement of Beliefs, Beliefs

If you need help in creating or writing a statement of faith, this article is just for you.

Statement of Faith

If you’re applying at a religious university or college, it can seem daunting to go through the application form, personal essay, and statement of faith. For some, it’s really difficult to put down on paper what their deep convictions and beliefs are, especially when they’ve never had to verbalize them or reflect on them before, but the good news is, they shouldn’t despair about writing a personal statement of faith, and neither should you. At its core, a statement of faith is a simple description and explanation of your personal spiritual beliefs. If you haven’t yet fleshed these out in your mind, this is the perfect time to reflect on them as you move forward in life. This article will serve as a guide, highlighting the specific topics that an admission’s office will want to see in a statement of faith. Keep in mind that you should also keep it creative, unique, engaging, and personalized, because it reflects who you are and what you believe.

The Scriptures

You need to be very clear about your beliefs regarding the Scriptures. Although the Holy Bible is the best-selling book in the world and the most quoted text of all time, people often don’t discuss it enough in relation to their own life. This is your opportunity to explain what you believe about the Scriptures and how you relate that to your daily life. It’s your chance to describe how you feel about the Word of God. It’s important to show your knowledge of the Bible since it will translate to every aspect of your post-secondary education experience. To begin with, your statement of faith should be extremely clear about your beliefs. If your personal belief is that the Bible is not the Word of God, you will need to explain the basis for why you believe that, however, if you don’t believe the Bible is the Word of God, you can forget about getting into most Christian colleges or universities. If, on the other hand, you do believe the Bible is the Word of God, the Bible will be a reference for everything that is objectively true in your life, as opposed to what is subjective, and subject to human interpretation. The point is, explaining your belief in the Scriptures provides a logical starting point for your statement of faith.

Beliefs about the Bible

If you need help deciding how to phrase your statement of beliefs, these questions might help.

• What is the Bible? Explain what you believe about the Bible, and be sure to start your sentences with “I believe,” supported by Bible verses affirming your belief.

• In your opinion, how was the Bible written? Do you believe that it was by divine inspiration or just a random collection of writing by men?

• Do you believe that the Bible has flaws or is it infallible and without error?

• Do you believe the Bible has changed over time or has it remained the same over generations?

• In your opinion, why does the Bible still exist today?

When you answer these questions, provide your reasons from Scripture itself. This gives your opinions and beliefs a logical, written foundation, and makes your statement of faith more powerful.

Beliefs about God

In the same way that you’ve explained you beliefs about the Scriptures, you need to explain your beliefs about God, and why you believe what you do. Here are some framing questions that you should think about when writing your statement of faith.

• What are your beliefs about God?

• Do you believe in the Trinity as consisting of God the Father, the Son of God, and God the Holy Spirit?

• Do you believe this Three-in-One Being worked together in the creation?

• Do you believe in creation and that God created the world in six days, or that the world developed differently than explained in Genesis 1? This is also very crucial in explaining in your beliefs about God within your statement of faith.

Beliefs about Jesus Christ

The section of your personal faith statement about Jesus Christ should be centered on your beliefs about Him. For example:

• What are your beliefs about Jesus Christ?

• Is it your belief that Jesus is the Son of God?

• Do you believe that Jesus Christ was physically born of the Virgin Mary, according to the ancient prophecies and New Testament Scriptures?

• Do you believe that Jesus died for our sins, that He was buried, and that He rose on the third day, as outlined in the Scriptures?

• Do you believe that Jesus was the Messiah that was foretold in Old Testament prophecies? Do you believe that He was announced as King of the Jews but was rejected by His own?

• Do you believe that one day every knee will bow to Him and declare Him Lord?

Other Beliefs

Although the first three beliefs (the Scriptures, God, and Jesus) are the most important parts of your personal faith statement, there are other questions that you should include your thoughts on. These questions should get you thinking more deeply about your own beliefs. Here are a few ideas:

• What are your beliefs about the Holy Spirit? What is His purpose?

• Do you believe that all men are sinners or have sinned?

• Do you believe that men were created in the image of God?

• What are your beliefs concerning heaven and hell?

• What do you believe the purpose of the church is?

• What are your personal beliefs on baptism and why?

Conclusion

If you’re unsure how to answer some of the questions, only address the ones you feel certain about and can support by Scripture. This is only a starting point for you. By the end of your university experience, you will have enhanced your understanding about the Bible, God, and Jesus, and at the end of the day, your statement of faith will be a personal statement about your own beliefs. Unless you’re shown from Scripture to be wrong, stand firm on your convictions about the truth’s found in your statement of faith, and most of all, in the Word of God.

Here is some related reading for you: What is the Importance of Biblical Doctrine?

Resource – Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version^® (ESV^®), Crossway Bibles. (2007). ESV: Study Bible: English standard version. Wheaton, Ill: Crossway Bibles. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Ashley Halsey, a professional writer at Lucky Assignments, is involved in many spiritual and educational projects. She enjoys sharing her insight and guidance with her readers on spiritual and religious matters, and loves seeing young people grow and expand their beliefs.