For those of you who may not know, every day here at Bob Jones University, at the beginning of chapel, we affirm the Bob Jones University Creed, and it goes like this:

“I believe in the inspiration of the Bible (both the Old and the New Testaments); the creation of man by the direct act of God; the incarnation and virgin birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ; His identification as the Son of God; His vicarious atonement for the sins of mankind by the shedding of His blood on the cross; the resurrection of His body from the tomb; His power to save men from sin; the new birth through the regeneration by the Holy Spirit; and the gift of eternal life by the grace of God.”

So, here’s my question to all you out there at the University, do you really believe all of that? Seriously, do you think about it? Four days a week you stand in chapel and start that creed off with the words “I believe” but do you really believe that, or is it something you just say in chapel?

This is something that started getting to me my freshman year, here we are, in chapel, saying this creed and it pretty much sounds like we’re a bunch of drones or something. There’s no emotion charged into the phrases, seriously, take a look at those phrases, if you genuinely believe what you are saying that should be exciting! But no, instead, it’s just something we say because it’s “tradition” or because we had to memorize it in order to pass a quiz and not have to write it over and over until we get it right.

If you believe that your boyfriend is the most wonderful person in the world and you are telling someone that, how would you express it? If you are telling someone you believe your sports team is the best ever and that they are going to win the championship, how would you express it? If you are going to make a statement about how great your God is and what great things He has done for you and you get to do it every day with people who believe the same thing, how would you express that? Unfortunately not so enthusiastically, but we can change that! We can take these truths to heart and let them change our way of thinking and speaking! We can show that we do believe!

Some time in the future I will write more posts that will consist of taking the creed apart phrase by phrase and exploring the theology packed into each one, but this is my challenge today, do you believe? Show it, show it to God and to others, don’t be hypocritical of course, but really take to heart what you are saying, let is change your actions, the way you speak this creed every day, if you truly believe.

AN