Alright, here's the short list!

In response to my previous post, one of my friends jested that we are supposed to prove all things - NOT DISPROVE ALL THINGS! He suggested that it would be interesting to see the list of the things that I do believe (seeing as how my Statement of Nonbelief was so extensive). As a consequence, I've decided to publish the short list (I'm borrowing a page from the "minimalist" playbook). So, here it is:

I BELIEVE:

1. That God exists, and that "He" will reward those who diligently seek "Him."
2. That God is the Creator, First Cause, Source and Sustainer of all that is; but that science has provided us with the best answers about how those things were/are accomplished.
3. That God sent Jesus Christ to this earth to redeem mankind from sin and death; and that he accomplished that task by living a sinless life and perfectly fulfilling the requirements of the Law, and then offering himself as a sacrifice for our sins.
4. That everyone who accepts Christ as their personal Savior (during this lifetime or in the resurrection) and attempts to follow his teachings and example is reconciled to God and will receive eternal life with God.
5. That God gives the Holy Spirit to those who repent and accept Christ in order to guide and help them in this life; and that God can and does use that same Spirit to inspire and help people of other faiths during their lifetime on this planet; and that the Holy Spirit represents God in us, the very thing that ensures a future with God after this life is over.
6. That the Judeo-Christian Scriptures are useful in helping us to understand the nature of righteousness and sin, for correcting us and inspiring us to do better.
7. That love is the basis of God's Law, and it fulfills/satisfies all of the requirements of that Law. Moreover, love for God is best demonstrated/expressed by loving each other.
8. That there are certain rituals which are useful in demonstrating/expressing spiritual realities/truths, and which are approved by God for general use by "His" people (e.g. prayer, baptism, the laying on of hands, the communion service, the gathering together of Christians for worship and fellowship, and that the observance of the weekly Sabbath is the most meaningful and effective ritual in accomplishing this end).
9. That Jesus Christ will one day return to this earth, and that EVERYONE who has ever lived will be given the opportunity to have an eternal relationship with God (and that the vast majority of them will accept God's offer).

I know that's only 9 compared to 22, but I no longer feel comfortable wading into the weeds! What do you think?