This list is a joint effort compiled in collaboration with of one of my dearest spiritual mentors, Rev William Wick (“The Rev,” as he is known fondly by Norwich students), who was my pastor before becoming the full-time Chaplain at Norwich University, where he serves as one of the most dedicated and accomplished men of God serving on college campuses in this country. Yes, I am unabashedly biased!
1. God created the universe.
2. God is Holy.
3. We are morally unholy.
4. Holy and unholy do not mix.
5. God is Love.
6. Love for His creation inspires God to want us to know His Love now and experience it with Him for eternity.
7. 2-6 create a challenge for God.
8. 1 gives God the right to solve that challenge (as He sees fit).
9. God the Father, requires us to become Holy by assuming the Holiness of God the Son (Jesus) through the action of God the Holy Spirit in our lives.
10. He does this by enabling our unholiness to die with Jesus on the Cross, thereby entombing it, and replacing it with Jesus’ Holiness, which permits us to rise through His resurrection as a new, Holy creation.
11. We can know this is true through the revelation of Himself in His creation, His inspired Holy Word, His incarnate Son, and His involvement in our lives through the Holy Spirit.
12. 1.-11 combine to form a logical and consistent worldview.
There are three important characteristics of this list:
Note that there are 12 and the number 12 is Biblically significant. (Yes, we first came up with 10 and then had to add 2 more as we thought them through, so you might say we tried to come up with that number, but it wasn’t our driving consideration.) Also note that if our churches and more importantly, our people could realize the singular, overwhelming significance of these 12 principles, the seemingly important differences that arise within and between churches would be seen much more clearly for what they really are — totally insignificant; as my first Adult Sunday School teacher, Michael Masoian, taught me, “We should agree to disagree agreeably.”
Incidentally, if you are wondering why we made 1, the first principle, it clearly drives all the rest and for this reason, it is should not come as a surprise that it is the subject of the first verses of the Bible.
Wisedrop, a Christian Fable
Once there was a foolish drop of water. This drop of water was quite proud of himself. “After all,” he reasoned, “I have drawn the molecules on my surface so tightly together that they present a formidable barrier. I’m well protected. I can go anywhere.” But then one day, this drop found himself in the presence of a heat source more intense than anything he could imagine…. He was vaporized instantly.
At about the same time, there was another drop of water. Now this drop was wise. She reasoned, “Sure, I have this fine skin of closely-packed molecules, but I know it’s not enough. I need to be surrounded by a perfect reflector. One day she found that glorious reflector and immediately enveloped herself with it. Some time later this drop also found herself in the presence of the same, intense heat source that vaporized the foolish drop. But the reflector wrapped around the wise drop returned each and every ray of heat to the source… and the wise drop lived!
Inspired by the 12 fundamental principles of Christianity, Daniel 3, and John 17:1-5.
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