Foundational Beliefs of the Christian Faith

By John G. Frazier III, Ph.D.

Introduction

In this paper, we will identify the foundational beliefs of the Christian faith and then describe other non-core beliefs which are derived from them. The foundational beliefs which we are considering are seen to be primary and necessary for preserving the character and identity of the faith. They are irreducible, in that they are necessary to define the essence of what Christianity is, and without them, Christianity would no longer be authentic. We believe it is important to identify these beliefs in order to be sure we ourselves have a sound Biblically-based faith and to help us combat error, heresies, and attacks against the Christian faith by its critics.

The Fundamentalist – Modernist Controversy

In the late nineteenth century, a controversy emerged between conservative theologians called Fundamentalists and liberal theologians who were called Modernists. The issues at stake were about the very definition of Christianity as well as about the source of authority for Christian doctrine and faith.¹

In the late 1800s liberal theologians advocated a change in the definition of the Christian religion in response to pressure from the “nineteenth-century scientific and philosophical outlook. The ‘faith’ of nineteenth-century science was that every phenomenon could be exactly classified and completely explained as an instance of some universal law of cause and effect. Nineteenth-century philosophy…(held) that the idea of supernatural interruptions (in) the course of the natural order were unphilosophical and absurd. Both science and philosophy relied on evolutionary concepts for the explanation of all things. (Thus, the ideas of) Liberalism were an attempt to conform Christianity to these anti-supernatural axioms.”²

Liberal attempts at reconciling Christianity with modern science (and philosophy) really relinquished everything distinctive of Christianity…. It swept away entirely the gospel of supernatural redemption of sinners by God’s sovereign grace. It reduced grace to nature; divine revelation to human reflection; faith in Christ to following his example; and receiving new life (the new birth) to turning over a new leaf.”³

Further, Liberals wrongly redefined the character of God as accepting of all human behavior without clear moral standards and with no ultimate justice or punishment for sin. They wrongly denied the sinfulness of all men and man’s need for redemption. They wrongly considered Jesus Christ to be only a good teacher and example, but not God incarnate. And, they wrongly concluded that all religions are basically the same and that Christianity is not unique.⁴

Conservatives React: It was in this context that conservative theologians felt compelled to set forth the fundamental beliefs of authentic Christianity as a “protest against this radical refashioning of the Christian faith.”⁵ They were convinced that such a revision was clearly in error and was both a departure from and in contradiction to the plain teachings of the Word of God.

As a result, “the Niagara Bible Conference (1878-1897) defined those tenets it considered fundamental to Christian belief.” Later, in 1910, “the General Assembly of the Northern Presbyterian Church issued” a document listing “five items as ‘the fundamentals of faith and of evangelical Christianity.’ They were:

The inspiration and infallibility of Scripture.
The Deity of Christ.
His virgin birth and miracles.
His penal (substitutionary) death for our sins.
His physical resurrection and return.”⁶

Modernism’s Complaint and Conservatives’ Answer: One of the complaints offered by Modernism about this pushback was that fundamentalism was a novel theological creation in the history of the church, and as such had no validity.⁷ However, that was not the case. The essential, core, foundational, necessary, irreducible beliefs about Christianity which were set forth by the conservative theologians of the early twentieth century, were in truth the same beliefs that were taught by Jesus Christ and his apostles.

Jesus taught the infallibility of Scripture; He claimed to be God incarnate; The apostle Matthew and Luke both affirmed the virgin birth; Jesus’ miracles were reported by eye-witnesses; Jesus death for our sins is taught throughout the New Testament; and His physical resurrection was established by multiple witnesses. (See “Why Christians Believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ” on this web site.)

Christianity a Religion of Biblical Authority: Moreover, the concept of the inerrancy of the Bible is key in understanding why conservative theologians made their protest. They held that the Scriptures were indeed the inspired, inerrant, reliable, and sufficient Word of God. (See “Why Christians Believe the Bible” on this web site.) They observed “that Jesus Christ made Christianity a religion of Biblical authority. He, as the Church’s Lord and Teacher,”⁸ taught his apostles who in turn passed on his teachings in their writings. Even today “he teaches people the truth of God by his Spirit through his Word.”⁹ He is the Source of Truth and people must go to him to discover the true beliefs of Christianity. And these theologians knew that the Scriptures are where his truth is found.

When the Modernists put forth their ideas, they went to reason as their authority. But this resulted in beliefs which were a perversion of authentic Christianity because “they located their seat of authority, not in the Word of God, but in the words of men.”¹⁰ The conservatives, who held that the Word of God was the supreme authority for faith and doctrine, remained true to the original teachings of Jesus Christ.

Dangerous Doctrines: The conservative theologians of that day were concerned that Modernist ideas would lead to a tragic end for those who followed them. A cartoon of that era depicted men descending a staircase with the steps labeled from the top to the bottom: Christianity, Bible not infallible, Man not made in God’s image (a concept of evolution), No miracles, No virgin birth, No Deity (of Christ), No atonement (for sins), No resurrection (of Jesus Christ), Agnosticism, and Atheism.¹¹

The concern was that people would lose: their faith in the Bible; their understanding that God created man in his own image; their awareness of the supernatural nature of the Person and work of Jesus Christ; their knowledge of Jesus’ incarnation, moral purity, and Deity; their awareness of their own need for a Savior, their faith in the death of Jesus Christ for their sins, and their certainty about the resurrection of Jesus Christ, possibly leading eventually to agnosticism and atheism. The conservatives knew the ideas put forth were heresy and they took a stand against them, as they well should have done.

And, just as it was important to state the core beliefs of Christianity in the early twentieth century, it is also important to state those beliefs today so that people will be clear about the essential beliefs of Christianity and be able to tell genuine Christianity from false teaching.

Foundational Beliefs in the Old Testament

However, before we discuss the Foundational Beliefs of the Christian Faith, we will take a look at the foundational beliefs of the Old Testament. The Old Testament Scriptures had been completely written before Jesus was born and when Jesus came into his ministry, he based his teachings on them. He also added new teachings which were in fulfillment of and entirely consistent with those of the Old Testament. So, we shall identify the core beliefs of the Old Testament before engaging in our discussion about the core beliefs of Christianity. This will give us a basis for understanding how the teachings of Jesus were built on these Old Testament beliefs.

In my view, the foundational beliefs of the Old Testament are:

God exists.
God created the heavens and the earth.
Adam sinned and needed redemption.
God provided a way to redeem man.
The inspiration and infallibility of the Old Testament.
A Messiah, a Savior is coming.

Let’s discuss the reasons each of these is foundational.

God Exists: There is a monotheistic God and he is real! A God who exists has to be a foundational belief because it is necessary to have a God in order to have a faith, a system of beliefs, and a religion. Faith in the existence of God for the first man, Adam, and for those who came after him, was based on actual conversations with God (Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses), miracles performed (Moses, the Nation of Israel, Elijah, Elisha), prophecies fulfilled, the reliable record of these events in the Old Testament, as well as on creation itself which also gave evidence of God’s existence.

God Created the Heavens and the Earth: This is an irreducible belief because it tells us how the universe and life came into being. We know that the earth and heavens and life exist, but how did they get here? The Old Testament tells us that it was God who brought everything into being, not evolution; it directs us to God as the Source of all things.

This means we owe God for everything that we are and have. It gives us a basis for giving Him His due as Creator and Sovereign and for worshiping Him. Such a belief is foundational for faith and religion.

Adam Sinned and Needed Redemption: Adam and Eve were created morally perfect and with free-will. God told them that they could eat from every tree in the Garden of Eden except one, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. When tempted they chose to disobey God’s clear command. As a result, they spoiled the perfect relationship of love and trust which they had with God, and they brought upon themselves the punishment of God, which was physical and spiritual death. Man’s sin and his need for redemption is a foundational belief because it defines the essential problem of mankind as sin and alienation (from self, others, and God).

God Provided a Way to Redeem Man: God confronted Adam and Eve about their sin, told them about their punishment, and then killed animals, as a symbolic sacrifice for their sins, and clothed them with the skins from those animals to symbolically cover their shame. God’s redemption is a foundational belief because establishes the loving and gracious redemption which God provides to those who repent and receive his forgiveness. Mankind’s problem of sin and God’s provision of redemption are together the core of what faith is about in the Old Testament for individuals and for the nation Israel.

The Inspiration and Infallibility of the Old Testament: God spoke to man from the very beginning and these words were passed down from generation to generation. The book of Job was probably the first written Scripture. Later, Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible. In the Old Testament, God provided a written revelation of Himself and of his plan. The nation of Israel recognized that the Scriptures were from God, were His absolute truth, were trustworthy, and were infallible. The inspiration of the Old Testament is an essential, fundamental belief because it was necessary for both the Jews and the non-Jews to have a reliable source which gave them God’s message before Jesus Christ came into the world. Without it there would have been no real basis for faith.

A Messiah, a Savior is Coming: Old Testament passages tell of a Messiah who is coming to earth, who will be a descendant of David, who will be God incarnate, born of a virgin, and who will be a Savior not only for Israel but also for the whole world. In the Old Testament, God made the first animal sacrifice for Adam and Eve in the Garden and the nation of Israel offered animal sacrifices as symbols of the actual sufficient sacrifice that was to come. The Messiah Himself is the sufficient sacrifice for the sins of all the world. This truth is a fundamental belief because it tells us how God will repair the relationship with man that was broken by sin in the Garden of Eden by Adam and Eve. And this is basic to faith. Without this truth, there could be no restored relationship with God and no reason to follow, obey, love, and worship God.

Important Beliefs in the Old Testament

We have presented six foundational beliefs in the Old Testament which defined the core tenets of faith for Old Testament believers. Now we will explore a number of beliefs which are associated with these core beliefs, which are also important for faith.

Beliefs About God: Genesis 1:1 NIV reads: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” This verse tells us that there was a time when there was no universe, but there was God.

It reveals to us that God is transcendent over all things and is separate from what he has created. The moment God brought the universe into being he also created matter, energy, space, and time. Before this they didn’t exist. (See “Why Christians Believe in God,” ‘scientific evidence’: on this web site.) From this we see that God is uncreated (eternal), highly intelligent, purposeful, non-material (Spirit), has free-will, has great power, and is the Source of everything. God is Sovereign as Creator and as Ruler over his universe. He is a supernatural God who does supernatural acts according to his will. This also lets us know that there is another realm besides the physical world which is the spiritual world.

Additionally, we learn from the Old Testament that God in his essence is self-existent, self-sufficient, eternal, and Spirit. His nature is said to be a perfect unity, yet there are indications of plurality, foreshadowing the revelation of the Trinity in the New Testament. His attributes include omnipotence (having all power), omniscience (having all knowledge), omnipresence (being present everywhere), and immutability (unchanging). His moral qualities include holiness (absolute moral purity), righteousness, justice, truth, goodness, and love. We also learn that we may have a relationship with him because he is Personal.

The Old Testament Scriptures indicate that it is safe to trust God. This is because he has all knowledge, all wisdom, all power, and incredible love for us. To put it another way:

God always speaks truth.
He keeps his word, his promises to us.
He has the knowledge, wisdom, and power to speak truth and keep promises.
He has the integrity to do so.
He is unchanging.
His motive is love. He truly cares for us.
He is therefore trustworthy, reliable and safe.

Beliefs About Creation: God’s creation is an incredible miracle in itself. At a moment in eternity God spoke everything into existence out of absolutely nothing. The universe is designed with a brilliance that defies human imagination. Lee Strobel in his book, “The Case for a Creator,” describes how God designed the entire universe so that human life would be possible on earth. The position of the earth in our solar system, the position of our solar system in our galaxy (the Milky Way), and the position of our galaxy in the universe are all precisely determined to allow earth to be suitable for human life.¹²

Moreover, the earth itself was given a number of perfectly calibrated constants of physics including its size, composition, internal dynamics, atmosphere, temperature, plant life, and more to allow human life to flourish.¹³ Thus, God showed remarkable intelligence and care toward us when he crafted his creation.

Beliefs About Man’s Sin: From the story of Adam’s sin we learn a number of things. For one thing, God as Creator, has moral standards of behavior and he has the right to expect us to adhere to them. When we disobey, he holds us accountable and will punish us in some way. His communications come to us through the spoken word and conscience. So either by Scripture or by conscience everyone knows there is right and wrong. Consequently, there is never an excuse for sin and in the end we must all answer to God. Also, we learn that it is to our advantage to accept his love, trust that his way is best, give up our need to be our own god, and submit to his divine will.

In the book “Genesis in Space and Time,” Francis Schaeffer discusses the results of the sin of Adam. The result was catastrophic; Adam’s sin caused the “Fall of the entire human race.”¹⁴ In the apostle Paul’s commentary about this event, we learn that “through one man (Adam) sin entered onto the world and death through sin; and so death passed unto all men…. So then as through one trespass the judgment came unto all men…. For through one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners….” Romans 5:12-19 ASV. This means that because of Adam’s sin we all die and a sinful nature is conveyed to all persons.

The practical result of this is that we have an inclination to rebel against God. And when we sin it comes as an expression of our nature. This puts all men under God’s judgment and in need of redemption.

Immediately after their sin, “Adam and Eve were brought to a realization of what they had done. They began to feel afraid and to feel guilt…(and) their guilt feelings were rooted in true guilt. When a man has sinned against God, …he has true guilt“¹⁵ (whether he feels it or not) because he has broken God’s command. So, Adam and Eve hid themselves from God. Before they had sinned, being with God had been a wonderful experience for them, but now they feared his presence.

When God found them, they “Tried to pass the guilt from themselves to another.”¹⁶ Adam blamed Eve and Eve blamed Satan, the tempter. Nevertheless, each was held responsible for his own actions by God.

Next God passes judgment on them. He tells Eve that her pain in childbirth will increase. He also tells her that her relationship with her husband will change so that he will “rule over you.” The New Testament comments on this arrangement by indicating that the husband is to love his wife with the same kind of love that God himself shows while being the leader in the marriage. Here God changes the structure of marriage and Eve no longer has the authority she once had.

Then God speaks to Adam. He said, “Cursed is the ground for your sake; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life.” Genesis 3:17 NIV. Schaeffer comments that at this point, God spoke and actually changed the external world.¹⁷ Before Adam sinned, the earth was easy to cultivate; afterward, it required strenuous, painful effort to produce food to survive. Notice that with both Adam and Eve, sin produced pain.

Schaeffer notes another result of the Fall. Mankind has experiences four separations which make life more difficult: the separation between God and man, the separation of man from himself, the separation of man from man, and the separation of man from nature.¹⁸ Thus we suffer theological, psychological, sociological, and environmental alienations.

Schaeffer comments, “In wanting to be what man as a creature could not be, man lost what he could be…. But there is one thing which he did not lose… Man still stands in the image of God – twisted, broken, abnormal, but still the image bearer of God…. Man is still man…(and as such) still has tremendous value”¹⁹ in the eyes of God.

Thus we see that all persons have sinned, offended God, and incurred his punishment. Our need then is great for redemption, forgiveness, and restoration to a wonderful relationship with our Creator. Amazingly, God is more than willing to restore this relationship for those who come to him with repentance and faith.

Beliefs About God’s Redemption: We have mentioned that God killed animals as a symbolic sacrifice for Adam and Eve’s sins and clothed them with skins from those animals to symbolically cover their shame. In so doing, God established the principle of substitutionary death as payment for sin. Here the innocent animal dies as the substitute for the guilty man who has sin. Animal sacrifice for sin was practiced from that time forward. We see it in the sacrifices by Adam’s son, Able and by Noah and Abraham. Later, God established elaborate rituals for making sacrifices for the nation of Israel. All of this was to symbolically represent the complete and sufficient sacrifice of the Messiah who was to come. This was God’s perfect answer to mankind’s sin problem, the means of his forgiveness, and an expression of his enormous love.

Making sacrifices in the Old testament was an expression of faith in God, that he would have mercy and forgive sin. It was also an expression of reverence and worship, and of submitting to God as Creator and Ruler. Thus, we learn that it is both appropriate and necessary to come to God by means of sacrifice, ultimately by the sacrifice of the Messiah, in order to be forgiven and restored to fellowship with God.

Beliefs About the Inspiration of the Old Testament: First, we note that the Old Testament claims to be the Word of God. Its writers make it crystal clear that it was God who was speaking the words they wrote. We see this proclaimed in passages throughout the Old Testament, in all the major sections of the Old Testament: law and history, poetry, and prophecy.

Law and History: Moses repeatedly wrote: “The Lord said,” in the first five books of the Bible, in the Pentateuch. Other examples include: “And God spoke all these words,” after which the Ten Commandments follow. Exodus 20:1. NIV. Also, “See, I have taught you decrees and laws as the Lord my God commanded me, so that you may follow them….” Deuteronomy 4:5. NIV.

Poetry: David wrote, “The spirit of the Lord spoke through me; his word was on my tongue.” 2 Samuel 23:2. NIV. In Psalm 119, the Scriptures are referred to as God’s Word at over 20 times, and described as God’s statutes, judgments, testimonies, precepts, law, and commandments. The Scriptures are said to be “true from the beginning” (v. 160), “settled in heaven” (v. 89), and as “enduring forever” (v. 160). Further, as the Word of God, they are presented as the means of great blessings when obeyed; they keep us pure, give us joy, preserve our lives, give knowledge and understanding about how to engage in relationships, provide freedom (without license), supply comfort, reveal God to us, bring us closer to God, teach us about humility and the meaning of suffering, provide guidance, encourage prayer, build faith, give peace in a world of trouble, engender a healthy fear of God if we disobey him, and elicit praise to God who speaks such wonderful words.

Prophecy: Samuel referred to the written Scriptures as “the Word of the Lord.” 2 Samuel 22:31. NIV. Jeremiah the prophet wrote: “The Lord…touched my mouth and said to me, ‘Now I have put my words in your mouth.” Jeremiah 1:9. NIV. Habakkuk said: “I will look to see what He will say to me…. Then the Lord replied: Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets….” Habakkuk 2:2. NIV.

Second, we see that God uses Miracles to supports the claim of Divine Authorship of the Old Testament. Consider the miracles that God did through Moses: His staff became a snake when he threw it to the ground and a staff again when picked it up; his hand became leprous (diseased) after he put it into his cloak and healed when he repeated this action; and when he poured water on the ground it became blood. Moreover, God sent 10 miraculous plagues on Egypt to demonstrate His sovereignty over the (false) gods of Egypt and to show His authority in the words spoken by Moses. Then there was the provision of manna (food) on the ground each morning for a million people and God’s deliverance when he parted the Red Sea allowing Israel to escape and destroying Pharaoh’s army. These events made it abundantly clear that God was speaking His Word through his servant and his prophet, Moses.

We contend that the miracles of the Bible actually happened. In the article “Why Christians Believe the Bible” on this web site, we outline our reasons for this belief as follows: 1) The texts of the Biblical manuscripts of old have been preserved by God, so that the Bible we have today is essentially the same as the originals. That is, we have the actual words that God gave to his prophets; 2) God always speaks truth – this is supported by archeology and fulfilled prophecies; 3) The Bible writers are seen as truth-tellers, so we have good reason to believe the miracles they reported in the Bible actually happened; 4) the nature of the miracles are beyond any human capacity to perform, so we must conclude that God himself did them; 5) the miracles are evidence that the Old Testament prophets were truly sent by God and that their written words were Divinely inspired.

Even though some may not believe in the possibility of miracles, surely God who created the universe can change the laws of physics and medicine temporarily to accomplish whatever he desires. If you or I had actually been there at the time the miracles of Moses were done, I can guarantee that you and I would have been duly impressed and would have seen the hand of God validating the authority and words of his prophet. While we weren’t there, we can “be there” through eye-witness account testimonies found in the Bible, and still believe.

Third, we find that God also uses Fulfilled Prophecies to establish His Divine Authorship of the Old Testament. For example, God said to Abraham: “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own and they will be enslaved and mistreated 400 years, But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions.” Genesis 15:13,14 About 190 years later, Abraham’s grandson Jacob, took his entire family to Egypt to escape famine. They were treated well until the reigning Pharaoh died, after which they were forced into slavery. 400 years later God delivered them by his servant, Moses. When they departed, the Egyptians gave them great wealth, and they brought out large flocks and herds with them as well, while numbering more than a million people. God then allowed the descendants of Abraham to pass over the Red Sea safely, as on dry land, but drowned all of Pharaoh’s army in the sea, thus fulfilling the prophecy.

Daniel prophesied that Jerusalem would be rebuilt 49 years after the king of Persia’s decree was given to “restore and to build Jerusalem.” This came to pass, as recorded in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. In the same prophecy, Daniel said that the Messiah will appear 483 years after the same decree; and the date of the decree of king Artaxerxes was 444 BC. By adding 483 years to 444 BC, using the Jewish year of 360 days, we arrive at 33 AD which is when Jesus made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The prophecy continues to say that the Messiah will be “cut off” (killed) after he appears, and we know Jesus was crucified a short time later. Daniel 9:20-26

The Old Testament provides over 300 predictions about the coming Messiah which were fulfilled in the life and person of Jesus Christ. These predictions give incredible detail about Jesus’ ancestry, birth, ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension.

When we see prophecies in the Old Testament which were fulfilled many hundreds and thousands of years later, we then have to conclude that this must be God’s book because who can know the future in such amazing detail except God?

Beliefs About the Coming Messiah: The Old Testament is full of information about the Messiah. It tells us about his ancestry: from which patriarch (Abraham), nation (Israel), tribe (Judah), and family (David) the Messiah will come and it does this over a 1,000 years in advance. It reveals that the Messiah will be born in Bethlehem, be born of a virgin, be visited by wise men, and travel out of Egypt. His ministry will be heralded by a messenger (John the Baptist), occur in Galilee, reach Gentiles, and will include miracles and the telling of parables. He will enter Jerusalem on a donkey, be betrayed, be tried and convicted although innocent of any wrongdoing, be crucified, be buried in a rich man’s tomb, and rise from the dead.

In the Psalms he is described as having authority over all earthly rulers (Psalm 2), as a Shepherd of his people (Psalm 23), and as righteous, faithful, merciful, truthful, loving, kind, strong, and exercising justice and judgment. In Isaiah, the Messiah is called Emmanuel (God with us) (Isaiah 7:14), Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace; also, his government will be established and it will last forever. (Isaiah 9:6,7) He is also said to be tender and kind, a healer, a restorer, a Savior for Jews and Gentiles, one who loves, leads, gives strength, and who is the sacrifice for our sins (Isaiah 53).

All these things were important for New Testament Jews, who knowing the Old Testament Scriptures, could recognize Jesus Christ as the promised Messiah when he came.

Foundational Beliefs of the Christian Faith

Now we return to the purpose for which this article was written – to delineate the essential, foundational, and irreducible beliefs about the Christian faith – the beliefs which are necessary to preserve its integrity and which are required to make Christianity conform to the teaching of the Word of God. As previously stated, these beliefs are:

The inspiration and infallibility of Scripture.
The Deity of Christ.
His virgin birth and miracles.
His penal (substitutionary) death for our sins.
His physical resurrection and return.

First, we will indicate why each of these beliefs is foundational. Then, we will examine other aspects of these beliefs.

The Inspiration and Infallibility of Scripture: Christianity requires this belief because it is necessary to have a reliable source of truth from God on which to base faith. Without this belief, how could Christians know that what they believe is true? With the understanding that the Scripture is God’s revealed truth, they can be confident in their beliefs.

The Deity of Christ: This belief is essential because if Jesus was not God, he would not have been sinless (which was required if he was to be the perfect sacrifice for sins); he would not have been able to assert the authority of God in his teachings; he would not have been able to do the miracles he did; he would not have been able to bear the punishment for the sins of the world on the cross; he would not have been able to rise from the dead; he would not have been able to offer forgiveness for sins; he would not have been able to answer prayers; and he would not have been able to provide eternal life, the hope of a bodily resurrection, and a joyful eternity with himself. But because he was God incarnate, he could do all of these things.

Without his Deity, Jesus Christ would be just another religious teacher. Because of his Deity, he is Merciful God, Savior, Redeemer, Lord, Creator, and Sovereign. And as such, he can and should be revered, obeyed and worshiped. Also, the fact of his Deity along with his teaching about the Holy Spirit gives us the understanding that God is a Trinity: Father Son, and Holy Spirit.

The Virgin Birth and Miracles: The virgin birth is essential to Christian belief because it indicates that Jesus is the product of God’s activity in his mother Mary’s womb, and not the result of impregnation by a husband tainted by mankind’s universal sinful condition. The virgin birth is necessary if Jesus is to be God in human form. This also means he does not have a sin-nature which makes him a 100% morally pure man, the only kind of man who could die for the sins of the world.

Belief in miracles, that is in a God who can and does work miracles, is also an essential belief. First of all, it is necessary to believe in miracles in order to believe in the virgin birth. Also, Jesus is presented as a miracle worker in the New Testament and his miracles are a part of the evidence for his Deity. Jesus came from God the Father, was God incarnate, and displayed the amazing works of Deity through miracles. We believe that such a man who is God incarnate would have done miracles because of who he was, because of his mission to heal and restore people, and because it was prophesied that he would do so. If he had not done miracles, it would have been inconsistent with his nature. The New Testament makes it clear that Jesus Christ not only rose from the dead, but also was active in the Creation of the universe. These two primary miracles of all time were done by Him! Disbelief in miracles is to deny the Deity of Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ’s Substitutionary Death for our Sins: In the Old Testament we learn that Adam sinned and that his sin-nature was passed down to all persons in all generations. We also learn that each individual is guilty before God because of his nature and his sins, and therefore needs redemption. The death of Jesus Christ in the New Testament is the sacrifice that provides this needed redemption for all mankind.

In the Old Testament, an innocent animal was sacrificed as an offering for the guilt and sin of a man or woman who deserved to be punished because of his or her sins. Symbolically, the animal took the place of the person, allowing the person’s sin to be laid on the animal and removed from them. By this means a person’s relationship with God was restored. In the New Testament, Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross is the final and sufficient sacrifice to take away the sins of those who repent and believe.

Jesus Christ was punished on the cross for our sins so we wouldn’t have to be punished in hell. The justice of God demanded that such a sacrifice be made if sinners were to be forgiven and reconciled to God. The concept of the necessity of a substitutionary sacrifice for sin as shown in The Old Testament, previews the singular and sufficient sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross in the New Testament. Such a belief is absolutely necessary to the Christian faith because without it there is no redemption from the penalty of sin and no restoration to fellowship with God.

The Scriptures tell us this clearly. “God made him who had no sin (Jesus Christ) to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” II Corinthians 5:21. NIV. And, “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring (us) to God.” I Peter 3:18. NIV.

The Physical Resurrection and Return of Jesus Christ: The resurrection of Jesus Christ validated his Deity and the truth of his teaching. It showed that his sacrifice on the cross for the sins of the world was accepted by the Father as completely adequate. Without Jesus Christ’s resurrection, there could be no forgiveness of sin or assurance of eternal life. For these reasons, the resurrection of Jesus Christ is a foundational belief of the Christian faith. Without it, Christians would have no basis for faith in a miracle-working God who sent his Son to redeem us and make us fit for eternity with him.

The Bible tells us that Jesus will return to earth for his church and come back to set up his kingdom on earth for 1,000 years. The Christian belief in his return is based on his Person and his promises, his Deity and his words about the future. He rose from the dead; he is God; and he said he would return. This belief is consistent with his Person and his mission. He will return to complete the work he began. The transformation of the bodies of believers to be like his resurrection body and the exercise of his authority to rule over the world in justice and righteousness are natural extensions of what he began 2,000 years ago by his death and resurrection. This belief is essential because to disbelieve it is to deny him.

Important Beliefs of the Christian Faith

Having presented the five foundational beliefs of the Christian faith, we will now discuss other aspects of these beliefs, which are also important for faith.

More About the Inspiration and Infallibility of Scripture: As we have mentioned, the Nation of Israel recognized that the Old Testament Scriptures were from God, were his absolute truth, were trustworthy, and were infallible. This was the belief Israel held when Jesus came into his ministry.

Jesus Christ affirmed all of this when he said: “The Scriptures can not be broken.” John 10:35. NIV, that is, “God’s Word holds good forever.”²⁰ Again, he said, “…not the smallest letter…will…disappear from the law till everything is accomplished.” Matthew 5:18. NIV, and “Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill” Matthew 5:17. NIV. Jesus referred to the Old Testament Scriptures as the Authority of God. Moreover, he claimed that his words had the same Authority, and that his life, death, and resurrection were all in fulfillment of the Old Testament Scriptures. In the New Testament we see that the teachings of Christ were fully in agreement with and were built on the foundational beliefs of the Old Testament.

“The Apostles proclaimed Christianity as the fulfillment of the Old Testament Scriptures. They preached the Authority of Christ on the basis of the Authority of the Old Testament.”²¹

“The Early Church received the apostolic teaching including the words of Christ and the Old Testament as two complementary parts of the body of divine revelation.”²²

As we examine the Bible, we see that there is a Continuity of Authority between the Old and New Testament Scriptures. J. I. Packer observes “that the Old and New (Testaments) are organically one. The (New Testament) writers see the coming of Christ as the climax of a single revelatory process which had been going on in Israel for over a millennium; and their writings…ask to be read as the compliment and completion of the Old testament. Together the Old and the New were all of a piece; The contents of the New had been concealed in the Old, and the meaning of the Old stood revealed in the New.”²³ The truths about Jesus Christ were previewed in the Old Testament and fulfilled in the New Testament.

“Christianity, then, was the continuation of something begun long before.”²⁴ God was at work, speaking through his prophets in the Old Testament and through his apostles in the New Testament until he completed his eternal and authoritative Word.

More About the Deity of Christ: In the Old Testament the Deity of the Messiah was clearly foretold. Isaiah 7:14 reads: “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel (God with us).” NIV. And, Isaiah 9: 6-7 says: “For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.” NIV.

Also, certain “mirror passages” in the Old and New Testaments point specifically to Jesus Christ as the predicted Messiah. For example: Early in his ministry, Jesus Christ went to the synagogue in Nazareth on the Sabbath. There, he read from this from the prophet Isaiah: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. Luke 4:18-19. NIV. Then he said: “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” Jesus was reading from a Messianic passage in Isaiah (Isaiah 61:1-2), written 700 years before which described his ministry perfectly, showing that he was the promised Messiah.

Second example: When John the Baptist was imprisoned for his preaching, he wanted to know if Jesus was actually the Messiah of Israel. He asked his disciples to go to Jesus and inquire about this. Jesus replied to them: “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.” Here Jesus referenced Isaiah 35:5-6 which describes the Messiah performing such acts. That’s all John needed to hear to know that Jesus was, indeed, the Jewish Messiah.

There are many other Old Testament passages which describe the ancestry, birth, ministry, betrayal, suffering, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of the Messiah. When all such prophecies are considered, we see that they match up with the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, confirming his Messiahship and Deity.

In the New Testament, Jesus Christ demonstrates his Deity in a number of ways. His birth was surrounded with miracles: His mother was a virgin, his coming was announced by angels, and he was visited by wise men who followed a (specially prepared) star to find Bethlehem. Further, Jesus Christ actually did miracles: He altered the laws of physics by changing water to wine, he created a new arm for a man born with a shriveled arm, he restored sight to a man born blind, and he raised the dead! He did things only God can do. He read minds, predicted the future, condemned cities which were later destroyed, and forgave sins.

An objective look at the life of Jesus Christ, as recorded by reliable eye witnesses who were with him in his ministry for three years and who later held to their faith even when threatened with death for preaching his resurrection, reveals that he was indeed the Messiah of the Old Testament, Immanuel, God with us.

More about the Virgin Birth and Miracles: We believe in the virgin birth of Jesus Christ because of Joseph’s testimony, Mary’s testimony, the reliability of the New Testament record of Jesus’ life by his disciples, the miracles surrounding his birth, the specific prophecy that the Messiah would be born of a virgin, and the existence of a miracle-working supernatural God. (We discuss this in more detail in the soon-coming article on this web site, “Why Christians Believe in the Virgin Birth of Jesus Christ.”)

Jesus’ miracles show that God is a God of miracles. Disbelief in miracles implies that: 1) Jesus was not God, 2) God does not intervene in people’s lives by answering prayer, 3) the events of Creation and the origin of life were not miraculous, 4) there is no “new birth” experience when people believe in Jesus Christ, 5) and that there is no God and everything that exists or occurs does so only because of natural causes. Such a position destroys faith and moves God out of the picture. Belief in miracles means belief in God.

Belief in the living God who does miracles is an underpinning of faith which gives us confidence that God is looking out for us and is fully able to take care of us in this life and for eternity. It is an essential means of true peace, faith, and joy as we live our lives.

More About Jesus Christ’s Substitutionary Death for our Sins: Jesus Christ’s death on the cross provided a satisfactory sacrifice, that is an atonement, for the sins of all who believe in him. This cross reveals the reality and ugliness of sin. If that terrible, horrible sacrifice had to be made to save us, then our sins are real and repugnant in the eyes of God. This shows us that our sins stain us and make us unacceptable to him. They were so serious that they required a redemptive payment which would satisfy the justice of God, a payment which was torturously painful and difficult for the Son of God to bear. No other sacrifice could have met the requirement to atone for sin. The extreme suffering of Jesus Christ on the cross demonstrates the extreme ugliness and seriousness of our sins against a holy God. Nevertheless, he loved us so much that Jesus endured the cross so we could be forgiven and restored to fellowship with God.

Moreover, the cross shows us that sin must be punished; it can not be overlooked by God. Because we have rebelled against God, he rightfully may and will exercise judgment against our sin. Either we pay the penalty in hell or we trust in Jesus Christ who paid the penalty for us. Thus, we see that God is a God of judgment! He is a holy God who punishes sin! For this reason, we should respect and even fear him and by all means avoid his judgment by bowing our knee to him in humility and faith. God’s judgment does not preclude his love, but it is nevertheless a reality that we must deal with.

There is no way we can get around God’s requirements. He has said, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap.” Galatians 6:7. KJV. God’s wrath, fury, and anger toward our sin is real. The cross displays this. The proper response to this reality is to submit to God who hates our sin but loves us and wants to give us eternal life.

Further, the cross indicates that salvation from sin is based on the work of God and not on our works. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8,9. NIV. This means we can’t gain the forgiveness of God for our sins by doing good works. To obtain forgiveness, we are totally reliant on the mercy of God, which is a free gift from him and which was purchased by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. It is when we receive by faith his sacrifice and turn our lives over to him that we are forgiven.

Notwithstanding the above, please note that God loves it when we do good works. He promises to remember them and reward them. However, as good as they may be, they can never be a means of removing our sins; only the cross of Christ can do that, and we need to be cleansed of all our sins if we are to spend eternity with the holy God of creation and redemption.

More About Jesus Christ’s Physical Resurrection: In the New Testament, a number of teachings are tied to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Romans 1:4 says: “(Jesus Christ) was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead.” NIV. Thus, Christ’s Deity was established by his resurrection. And if his Deity was established, so was his teaching established as the truth of God.

I Peter 3:21 tell us we are saved “by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” NIV. And, I Corinthians 15:17 says: “If Christ has not been raised…you are still in your sins.” So, the resurrection of Christ is necessary for us to be forgiven of our sins and to be saved from eternal punishment.

Then we see that Romans 4:25 reads: “He was raised to life for our justification.” Justification is the judicial act of God, who is the judge of all people, whereby he declares those who believe, righteous, thereby removing all their sins and deserved punishment from them. Thus, the resurrection is an inseparable part of our cleansing from sin by a just God who is holy and must punish sin. The cross and the resurrection are the means God uses to justly declare believers righteous.

I Peter 1:3-4 reads: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead; and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, of fade – kept in heaven for you.” NIV. Here we see that the resurrection of Jesus Christ makes possible the “new birth,” the giving of new life by the Spirit of God, to those who believe. The Bible indicates that there is a change in a person who trusts in Christ. They become a “new creation” in the realm of the spirit and as such may look forward to an eternal inheritance with Christ in heaven.

Romans 8:11,15,16 tells us: “And (since) the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you… You received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry ‘Abba Father.’ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s Children…then we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.” This passage tells us that the power exhibited in the resurrection of Jesus by the Spirit of God is manifest in believers by the presence of God’s Spirit dwelling in us, by our inclusion into the family of God as sons and daughters, and by an imperishable inheritance in eternity with Jesus Christ.

In Romans 6:5-14, Paul tells us that we are “united with him (Christ)” in his death and in his resurrection. “Our old self was crucified with him so…that we should no longer be slaves to sin…” We are to “count ourselves dead to sin but alive to God.” Therefore, we should “not let sin reign…so that we obey its evil desires. We are not to offer our bodies to sin, but “rather offer ourselves to God.” Here we see that the death and resurrection of Christ has broken the grip of sin in our lives. Consequently, with the help of God and his Spirit dwelling within us, we can overcome the mastery of sin. Because of the resurrection, we have been set free to serve and obey God.

In I Corinthians 15:20-23 we are told that Christ’s resurrection is the “firstfruits,” or the first of the resurrections of all believers. “Christ, the firstfruits, was raised in his own time in history (around 30 AD), and those who are identified with Christ by faith will be raised at his second coming. His resurrection is the pledge (and guarantee) that ours will follow.” NIV note, p 1756. The resurrection of Jesus Christ assures us that we will be physically resurrected, receiving new, perfect, and sinless bodies that are fit for eternity with God. Jesus promises this in John 6:40: “Everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” NIV. This also means, of course, that we continue to exist after we die. The spirit of man will live on forever after death.

Acts 17:30,31 says: “…but now he (God) commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him (Jesus) from the dead.” NIV. The resurrection then, powerfully announces that Jesus will judge every soul that ever lived on earth in the last day. His resurrection is a call to repentance and faith for all mankind.

Following his resurrection, Jesus spent 40 days with his disciples and then ascended into heaven. When in heaven, Ephesians 1:17-21 informs us that the “mighty power” which God exerted when he raised Christ from the dead, also seated Christ at the right hand of God in the heavenly realms, so that he (Christ) is now “far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come…” NIV. This means that after Christ’s death, resurrection, and ascension, God the Father exalted him and gave him supreme authority over all authorities in this world and in heaven.

Moreover, through the resurrection, God has also “raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 2:6. NIV. So, while for now we remain on earth, we nevertheless have an identification with Christ in heaven and will join him and be part of his kingdom and rule someday.

Because of the resurrection, the Church was formed, worship was changed to Sundays, the sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s supper were instituted, Jesus’ commission to make disciples of all nations was followed, and the world was changed. Also, the Holy Spirit began his ministry in the world to convict men of sin, righteous, and judgment as the Church preached the gospel in order to draw them to faith in Christ.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ emphasizes that the Christian faith has been established by a Supernatural God. Here, miracles are the norm and expected, when and where God chooses to perform them. He is above and outside his creation and may intervene at will. “For nothing is impossible with God!” Luke 1:37. NIV.

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ Tells Us
That in Christianity Miracles Are the Norm

One additional thought. All three members of the Trinity were involved in the resurrection. Jesus said: “I lay down my life – only to take it up again, No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again.” John 10:17,18. NIV. This is astonishing. Jesus maintained control while on the cross and after he died. He participated in his own resurrection! The Bible also tells us that the Father and the Holy Spirit were involved. In the book of Acts, the statement “God (the Father) raised him from the dead.” is made many times. (For example, in Acts 2:24,32; 3:15,26.) And, I Peter 3:18 says that “Jesus was made alive by the Spirit.” Also, Romans 8:11 refers to “the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead.” NIV.

To Summarize, the Resurrection of Jesus Christ Declares:

Christ’s Deity and the truth of his teaching.
Jesus Christ will judge the world, so all the people of the world should repent.
Jesus was seated at the right hand of God after he ascended into heaven.
Jesus has supreme authority over all powers on earth and in the heavenly realm.
Jesus’ resurrection was the “firstfruits” of bodily resurrections.
All members of the Trinity were involved in the resurrection.

And His Resurrection Makes Possible:

Salvation and the forgiveness of sins.
Justification by grace.
The new birth.
The indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
Inclusion in God’s family as his sons and daughters.
Deliverance from the enslavement of sin.
An eternal inheritance for believers.
An identification with Christ in heaven.
The bodily resurrection of believers.
A future seating with Christ in heaven.
The establishment of the Church

More About the Return of Jesus Christ: Jesus Christ will return to earth. He said: “At that time you will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.” Mark 13:26,27. NIV. When he returns, believers will be taken up to meet him and will be given resurrection bodies. His reign on earth will be for one thousand years; and he will hold two judgments, one for believers and another for unbelievers. The present order of earth and heaven will be destroyed and a new, holy one will be created. God will demonstrate unmistakably that he is Sovereign over creation, revelation, history, salvation, judgment, the consummation of all things, and re-creation.

Summary

Our Purpose for this Article: In this paper we identified the foundational beliefs of the Christian faith and have described other non-core beliefs which are associated with them. We observed that these foundational beliefs are absolutely necessary for preserving the character and identity of the faith, and that they are irreducible, in that they define the essence of what Christianity is, and without them Christianity is no longer authentic. We believe it is important to identify these primary beliefs in order to have a sound, Biblically based faith as well as to combat error, heresies, and attacks against the Christian faith by its critics.

Conflict of World Views: We reviewed the controversy that emerged between conservative theologians, called Fundamentalists, and liberal theologians, called Modernists, in the late nineteenth century. We did so because this controversy, which addresses the very definition of Christianity as well as the source of authority for Christian doctrine and faith, speaks to the very issue we are discussing in this paper.

The liberal theologians based their assumptions on the science and philosophy of the day. This led them to reject the idea of a supernatural God and to embrace the notion that all events have naturalistic causes. This kind of thinking weakened or eliminated the essential Christian ideas of creation, the inspiration of Scripture, the Deity of Christ, the atonement, the bodily resurrection of Jesus, and the return of Christ. It redefined the character of God as accepting all human behavior without any clear moral standards and with no ultimate justice or punishment for sin. It denied man’s sin and his need for redemption, and the uniqueness of Christianity.

Conservatives reacted to this assault on Christianity by protesting these distortions and by setting forth the essential beliefs of the Christian faith, which are: the inspiration and infallibility of the Scriptures, the Deity of Christ, the virgin birth and miracles, the death of Christ for our sins, and the resurrection and return of Christ. Their protest was based on their belief in a Supernatural God and on the conviction that the Bible is His book. Their source of authority for their faith rested solely on the infallible, inspired Word of God.

This clash of two worldviews, the Fundamentalist and Modernist views, pitted the view that man’s reason is the supreme authority for truth and the definition of reality, against the conservative view that the Word of God is the supreme authority for faith, doctrine, truth, and reality. As Christians, we accept the Word of God as having supreme authority, and we do so with good reason. (See “Why Christians Believe the Bible” on this web site.) We do so, not by adopting an anti-reason or anti-science point of view. Rather, we contend that reason and science, when properly understood, agree with the revelation of God in his Word.

Old Testament Core Beliefs: Before discussing the core beliefs of Christianity, we first laid out the core beliefs of the Old Testament in order to be able to understand how the life and teachings of Jesus were built on these beliefs. These Old testament foundational beliefs are: God exist, he is the creator of all things, Adam sinned, God provided redemption, the Old Testament is Divinely inspired, and a Messiah-Savior is coming.

What difference did these Old Testament core beliefs make? Well, they made all the difference in the world! When Jesus came into his ministry, it was necessary: 1) to have faith in a God who existed and created the universe, 2) to have a reliable communication from the God of creation (the Old Testament) so man would know what to believe and how to respond to him, 3) to understand that man sinned and needed redemption, 4) to know that God loved the world and made a provision for forgiveness and restoration to fellowship with him, and 5) to know that a Messiah-Savior would come to accomplish and complete this redemption.

Jesus Built on the Foundation of the Core Old Testament Beliefs: When Jesus came into the world, these core beliefs were well established. During his ministry, he affirmed the teachings of the Old Testament as God’s Word and he built his authoritative teachings on them. He also claimed that his words had the authority of the Word of God, showing a continuity of revelation. He talked about Adam and his sin. He offered himself as the promised Lamb of God, the perfect sacrifice for sin. His Messiahship and Deity were demonstrated by his birth, life, teachings, miracles, death, and resurrection. His life fulfilled over 300 Old Testament prophecies. He brought forgiveness and the new birth to those who believed. He established the church and sent the promised Holy Spirit. Everything he was, did, and taught was based on Old Testament truth. He never departed from it.

Foundational Christian Beliefs: Next we discussed the core beliefs of Christianity. We recognized that the necessary and irreducible Christian beliefs flow out of the Old Testament core beliefs. In the New Testament the inspiration of Scripture is affirmed and now includes the teachings of Jesus as reported by the apostles. The prophesied Deity of Christ is established by Jesus himself. The predicted virgin birth and miracles of the Messiah become evident. Christ’s sacrifice for sins fulfills the promises of the Old Testament. His resurrection occurs as predicted.

The Miraculous: We emphasized that Christianity is a faith that is revealed by the one and only Supernatural God who is Sovereign. This was demonstrated powerfully in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The resurrection declared Jesus as God, as Truth, as Judge, as having all authority, and as eternal. The resurrection also made possible our salvation, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, membership in God’s family, our future bodily resurrection, and heaven.

The mighty power that God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit exhibited in the resurrection of Jesus Christ was a continuation of a process of redemption which God began in eternity past. That power burst forth in the resurrection and will continue to achieve the will of God in the gathering of the saints to build the church, the second coming, the judgment of the world, the defeat of all of God’s enemies, the destruction of the old sinful order, and the creation of a new holy order.

God’s authority is real, true, active, and never ending. He is Sovereign over creation, revelation, history, salvation, judgment, the consummation of all things, and re-creation.

Jesus Will Return Again: Then, we acknowledged that during his first coming, Jesus completed the work of redemption. And, at his second coming, he will return to complete the judgment, consummation, and re-creation promised in the Old and New Testaments. Jesus is the Messiah of the old Testament and the Lord of Lords in the New Testament. He is God eternal who became incarnate and having done his redemptive life-giving work returned to heaven. He now sits at the right hand of God the Father interceding for the saints and doing his priestly work. He will return to defeat all his enemies and rule in righteousness forever.

Conclusion

How Shall We Respond?

First, we must learn, understand, and retain, what the Bible teaches about God, man, the Scriptures, Jesus Christ, and our responsibility toward God.

Second, we must Keep the Faith! After we learn the essentials of the Christian faith, we need to hold on to them and teach them to others as well. This is basic Christianity. Once we understand the truth of God in his Word, we should not back down if people disagree or oppose his truth. We do not need to apologize for any of these beliefs. They are what the Old Testament predicted and what the New Testament revealed. They are true to the teaching of Jesus and the apostles. These beliefs are required to maintain authentic Christianity. We are to “Hold fast to the faith once delivered to the saints.” Jude 1:3.

This is the job of all Christians. To know, hold, and share God’s truth without apology. His Word and Truth are powerful. The world needs to hear it. It can bring peace and deliverance to people who are experiencing the oppressiveness of life, the bondage of sin, and the meaningless of life without God.