Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” - Mark 9:23-24
I have quoted from the Focus on the Family study, The Truth Project, on occasion. The question is posed; "Do you believe that what you believe is really real?" Good question - but I suppose before you answer that you must answer - "What is it exactly that you believe?" With respect to our Christian faith there are what I call "negotiables and non-negotiables". Non-negotiables being fundamentals of the faith, if you will, that cannot be compromised without compromising the essence of the Gospel.
Someone once said with respect to the subject of unity in the Body of Christ across denominations and cultures, "In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, and in all things charity [or love]". Who said those words is up for debate. Some say it was Rupertus Meldenius, a 17th-century Lutheran theologian. Others say it was St Augustine. I think that St. Augustine is the "go to" guy when someone is not sure who said it! The point is that, as Christians, we can find unity with other Christians who disagree with us in the non-essentials so long as we agree in the essentials. And with respect to the non-essentials - we show toleration to disagree and love one another in spite of the disagreement.
There are certain things concerning our faith that are core to what it means to be a Christian that are unequivocable. Meaning - spiritual facts that clear and unambiguous, leaving no doubt about their meaning. It refers to something that is expressed in a definite and certain way.
I do not intend to address every issue of faith - but only to what I consider the major points of our faith. So let's get to it.
Who is Jesus?
[Jesus] asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. - Matthew 16:13-17
How can I have eternal life?
Jesus answered and said to [Nicodemus], “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. - John 3:3-6
God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. - John 3:16-17
We are saved by grace through faith.
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. - Ephesians 2:8-10
if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. - Romans 10:9-10
The Spirit of God dwells in every Christian
Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. - 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. - Ephesians 1:13-14
All scripture is a revelation from God to Man.
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. - 2 Timothy 3:16-17
The unsaved cannot understand Spiritual Truth
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. - 1 Corinthians 1:18
But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. - 1 Corinthians 2:14
The bible has been translated in many languages but if someone who speaks that language and has been taught to read they can read the words in the Bible. But apart from the indwelling of the Spirit of God, it is not possible to understand the the spiritual truth of those words. Showing the Word of God to someone who is not born again is like showing an English translation to someone who only speaks Spanish. They see the words - they recognize the letters - but they cannot comprehend since the truth of God is spiritually discerned.
That should give you something to chew on. There is much more, but I think you will find that the rest of the essentials spring out of those that I have shared. BTW, if anyone agrees with these essential spiritual truths then they are your Brother or Sister in Christ.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. - Galatians 3:28
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