| Part 15: Biblical Christianity Beliefs |
True Biblical Christianity – A Summary of Key Beliefs
The Bible
Christians believe the Bible, comprised of the Old and New Testaments, to be the inspired, infallible and authoritative Word of God being the complete and final authority for faith and practice (2 Timothy 3:16-17). While still using the individual writing styles of the human authors, the Holy Spirit perfectly guided them to ensure they wrote precisely what God wanted written, without error or omission (2 Peter 1:21).
God
Christians believe in one God (Isaiah 46:9), who is Creator of all (Colossians 1:16), who has revealed Himself in three distinct Persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 13:14), yet who is one in being, essence, and glory (John 10:30). God is eternal (Psalms 90:2), infinite (1 Timothy 1:17), and sovereign (Psalms 93:1).
God is omniscient (Psalms 139:1-6), omnipresent (Psalms 139:7-13), omnipotent (Revelation 19:6), and unchanging (Malachi 3:6). God is holy (Isaiah 6:3), just (Deuteronomy 32:4), and righteous (Psalms 119:137). God is love (1 John 4:8), gracious (Ephesians 2:8), merciful (1 Peter 1:3), and good (Romans 8:28) Whose wisdom is infinite (Psalms 147:5).
Jesus Christ
Christians believe in the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is God incarnate, God in human form (John 1:14; Philippians 2:5-8), the expressed image of the Father (Colossians 1:15), who, without ceasing to be God (John 10:30), became man in order that He might demonstrate who God is and provide the means of salvation for humanity (Matthew 1:21; 1 John 2:2).
Christians believe that Jesus Christ was conceived of the Holy Spirit and was born of the virgin Mary (Matthew 1:23); that He is truly fully God and truly fully man; that He lived a perfect, sinless life (2 Corinthians 5:21); that all His teachings are true. Christians believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross for all humanity (1 John 2:2) as a substitutionary sacrifice (Isaiah 53:5-6).
Christians hold that His death is sufficient to provide salvation for all who receive Him as Saviour (John 1:12; Acts 16:31); that our justification is grounded in the shedding of His blood (Romans 5:9); and that it is attested to by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead (Matthew 28:6; 1 Peter 1:3).
Christians believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to heaven in His glorified body (Acts 1:9-10) and is now seated at the right hand of God as our High Priest and Advocate (Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:25).
The Holy Spirit
Christians believe in the deity and personality of the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3-4). He regenerates sinners (Titus 3:5) and indwells believers (Romans 8:9). He is the agent by Whom Christ baptizes all believers in to His body (1 Corinthians 12:12-14). He is the seal by Whom the Father guarantees the salvation of believers unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 1:13-14).
Christians believe that the Holy Spirit is the Divine Teacher Who illumines believers’ hearts and minds as they study the Word of God (1 Corinthians 2:9-12) and that He is ultimately sovereign in the distribution of spiritual gifts as He desires (1 Corinthians 12:11; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11).
Humanity
Christians believe that humanity came into existence by direct creation of God and that humanity is uniquely made in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26-27). Christians believe that all humanity, because of Adam’s fall, has inherited a sinful nature, that all human beings choose to sin (Romans 3:23), and that all sin is exceedingly offensive to God (Romans 6:23). Humanity is utterly unable to remedy this fallen state (Ephesians 2:1-5; Ephesians 2:12).
Salvation
Christians believe that salvation is a gift of God’s grace through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross (Ephesians 2:8-9). Christ’s death fully accomplished justification through faith and redemption from sin. Christ died in our place (Romans 5:8-9) and bore our sins in His own body (1 Peter 2:24).
Christians believe salvation is received by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone (John 14:6). Good works and obedience are the results of salvation, not the requirements for salvation. Due to the greatness, sufficiency, and perfection of Christ’s sacrifice, all those who have truly received Christ as Saviour are eternally secure in salvation (John 6:37-40; John 10:27-30), kept by God’s power (1 Peter 1:5), secured and sealed in Christ forever (Romans 8:38-39), and free from condemnation (Romans 8:1). Just as salvation cannot be earned by good works, neither does it need good works to be maintained or sustained. Good works and changed lives are the inevitable results of salvation.
The Church - Genuine Believers in Jesus Christ
Christians believe that the Church, the Body of Christ, is a spiritual organism made up of all believers of this present age (1 Corinthians 12:12-14). Christians believe in the ordinances (not salvation requirements) of believer’s water baptism (Matthew 28:19-20) by immersion as a testimony to Christ and identification with Him; and the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:23-26) as a remembrance of Christ’s death and shed blood.
Through the church, believers are to be taught to obey the Lord, to testify concerning their faith in Christ as Saviour and to honour Him by holy living. Christians believe the primary mission of the Church is to “make disciples of all the nations” (Matthew 28:19). It is the obligation of all believers to witness, by word and life, to the truths of God’s Word. The gospel of the grace of God is to be preached to the entire world (Acts 1:8; 2 Corinthians 5:19-20).
The Spiritual Realm - Angels and Demons
Christians believe in the reality and personality of angels, and that God created the angels to be His servants and messengers (Nehemiah 9:6; Psalms 148:2; Hebrews 1:14).
Christians believe in the existence and personality of Satan and demons. Satan is a fallen angel who led a group of angels in rebellion against God (Isaiah 14:12-15); (Ezekiel 28:12-19 [ext]). He is the great enemy of God and man, and the demons are his servants in evil. He and his demons will be eternally punished in the lake of fire (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:10).
In the last section we will explain the rules of biblical interpretation, which are crucial to accurately discerning the meanings conveyed in God's written Word.
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