Basic Beliefs of Christianity

I’ve found an alarming trend that is on the increase. If you ask professed Christians to name the basic tenets of Christianity, most will not be able to do it. They are unable to verbalize what they believe or why they believe it. I’ve watched interviews with a well known pastor who admits to not knowing the Bible or anything about theology. In one interview, when asked about a well known cult that claims to be Christian, he said that if they claimed to be Christian, that was good enough for him. Exasperated, the secular interviewer attempted to point out doctrine while he just smiled and shrugged. Satan has entered the church in the form of fear and indifference.

Applying the label, “Christian,” to yourself and saying you believe in God is not proof positive of being one. Christianity was a term that was applied to “Christ followers”. The very essence of Christianity is the belief in Jesus as your personal savior. So many people seem to miss this point. If living a good life and professing a belief in God is all it takes, Muslims could refer to themselves as Christians, yet they don’t because they know that they are not. (It should be noted that Allah is also different than our God). Although they recognize Jesus as a prophet, He is not their Messiah. So, too, God’s chosen people, the Jewish, while believing in God, deny Jesus as the Christ.

Before delving into cults and world religions, it is important that we first examine the basic tenets of Christianity so that you can begin to recognize false doctrines. Let me begin by stating, differences in procedures and customs are not what defines a cult. You will find many differences and disagreements over liturgical matters from one denomination to another, however, the core beliefs are not in dispute. Cults form when Christian doctrine is altered. The Bible is clear that neither are we to add nor detract from God’s word. “Every word of God is PURE: He is a shield unto them that put their trust in Him. ADD YOU NOT unto His words, lest He reprove you, and you be found a liar" (Prov. 30:5-6).

In case you’ve ever wondered, the basic tenets of Christianity can be traced back to Council of Nicea in 325 A.D. An oversimplified explanation for the council is that it was ordered by the emperor Constantine to settle the divisions within the church that were caused by the faulty doctrines being taught by the eastern church (Arianism: denied deity of Jesus saying he was made by God and was fully human). (For a simple, yet more detailed, explanation of the Council of Nicea see http://www.gotquestions.org/council-of-Nicea.html ). The 300 Bishops met, voted and affirmed that Jesus was divine and fulfilled the Old Testament scriptures. It is important to note, the Council did not make up the Trinity or the doctrines surrounding Jesus. They gave official recognition to the Old Testament doctrines and confirmed that Jesus fulfilled them. The term, trinity, though not referred to with that word, is in the Bible. The writings, in 160 A.D., of Theophilus, the Bishop of Antioch, are the first written example we have of the use of “trinity.”

So, what do Christians believe?

1. There is one God (Isaiah 43:10) who is eternally existent in 3 individuals (not three separate gods): Father, Son and Holy Spirit (refer to Matthew 28:19, Colossians 2:9, 2 Corinthians 13:14, 1 Peter 1:2)

---Jesus is fully God, begotten not made (John 1:1, Colossians 2:9)

---the Holy Spirit is God (spirit—not flesh and bones, is not a “force” but is alive) (Acts 5:3—4. 13:2, Luke 24:39)


2. The Bible is the infallible word of God (2 Timothy 3:16) and is not to be added to or detracted from (Deuteronomy 12:32, Galatians 1:9-10, 2 Corinthians 11:4, Proverbs 30:5-6, Revelation 22: 18-19)


3. The ONLY way to Heaven is through Jesus Christ and is not through works or obedience to the 10 commandments (John 3:16—18, John 14:16, Matthew 7:13, Acts 4:12, Romans 5:21, 1 John 2:23, 1 John 5:11, Romans 3:20)*****obedience and works are outward signs that will follow faith and becoming a Christian


4. That believers are commanded to be baptized as a sign of their new birth and regeneration through Jesus (Acts 2:38, John 3:7)


5. Upon death, all will face judgment (2 Corinthians 5:10)


6. Existence of Hell (Matthew 23:33, Matthew 25:31-46, Luke 12:5, 2 Peter 2:4, Revelation 14:10-11, Revelation 20:10)


7. Existence of Heaven (Matthew 5:12, Matthew 6:20, Mark 16:19, Luke 15:7, John 14:2—3, 1 Thessalonians 4:17)


8. Those who accept Jesus as their personal Savior are guaranteed eternal life while everyone else will be condemned to hell (Romans 5:21, Romans 6:23, Romans 8:1, Romans 10:9, John 3:17—18, John 3:36, Acts 4:12, 1 John 2:23, 1 John 3:17—18, 1 John 5:11)

If we were doing a more in-depth study, there are several other beliefs that could be presented; however, these are the basic beliefs that need to be understood prior to a study of world religions and cults. There are several Bible verses that could have been used for each point. These verses provide a nice starting point to understanding each. As always, questions and comments are welcome, either on this blog or by email to sedminaministries@gmail.com

God is jealous of me?

A friend recently sent a video for me to view on Facebook. The video was titled, “The Church of Oprah” and showed several clips from the show in which Oprah advocates that there is one God and several paths to reach Him. At one point, audience members tell her that there is just one way and that way is Jesus. Oprah becomes argumentative and dismissive. Her reply to the audience members is that Jesus is their way, but not THE way. Further clips present additional information on the new age gurus who Oprah is increasingly beginning to feature on her show. The New Age Rhetoric of Wayne Dwyer, Rhonda Byrne and Eckhart Tolle that Oprah so earnestly embraces and advocates is not being questioned by Christians. Alarmingly, a woman asked Oprah how she, as a Christian, managed to reconcile these enlightening teachings with religious beliefs. Oprah’s answer was that she realized Christianity wasn’t the only way after sitting in church one day and listening to the preacher say that God was jealous. It did not make any sense to her that God was jealous of her. Yes, God IS jealous, however, not of you Oprah and not of me. God is jealous over the things that we put before Him.

Let’s look at some of the verses that attribute “jealousy” to God. The second part of Exodus 20:5 contains the statement, “ for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God.” The preceding verses, however, clearly state that God is jealous when we worship graven images or serve anyone other than Him. This is clarified again in Exodus 34:14 "For thou shalt worship no other god; for the Lord is a jealous God." Further study of the use of the word “jealous” in reference to God is equated with people who serve worldy things or graven images. In Joshua 4:19, “jealous” refers to the people who were attempting to serve the gods of the Amorites and Egyptians as well as God. Deuteronomy 4:24 and 5:9 refer to graven images. If you read the first chapter of Zephaniah, you will find that God’s jealousy was provoked by a society that was serving idols and worldly vices. In 1 Corinthians 10:20-22, God is provoked to jealousy against us because of the sins that are being committed by, once again, serving worldly things or false gods. “But I [say], that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy?” The following are a few of the things that people often place more concern and value on accompanied by Bible verses that explain they are negative:

Food

Philippians 3:19 “Whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly…”


Money

Matthew 6:24 “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon [wealth/money]”


Pride (appearance, possessions, self-image)

Proverbs 6:16—19 "Theses six things the Lord hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren."


While you may not think of these things as “false idols” and argue that you don’t serve them, consider this definition of an idol: image of a deity, any person or thing regarded with devotion r blind admiration, false conception or notion, figment of mind. Anything that we put above God that takes up all of our time and energy could be defined as something we are serving—a false idol—and that is what brings God to jealousy.


Unfortunately, this is not an isolated event. Increasingly, I hear of people who, because of one thing or another, begin to disagree with their Christian upbringings. They may have been influenced by someone they met; they may have been swayed by a course they took in college, or by something in the media. They begin searching until they find a different religion or a cult whose doctrines “fit” more with their lifestyles and current beliefs.

The Bible contains many warnings about false prophets and teachers who will lead others astray with their false doctrines. “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” Matthew 7:15. In the upcoming weeks, join us for an introduction into the beliefs of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, Christian Science, Scientology, The New Age Movement, Eckankar, Rosicrucianism, Kabbalah, Buddhism, and Islam.