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Christianity
What do Christian’s Believe?
"This is how much God
loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why:
so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a
whole and lasting life." (John 3:16, Msg)
In a nutshell, that is the
belief of Christianity. Christianity is unique among all other
faiths, because Christianity centers on a relationship, rather than
religious practice. Instead of sticking to a list of “dos and
don’ts,” the goal of a Christian is to develop a close walk with God the
Father. That relationship is made possible because of the work of
Jesus Christ, and the ministry in the life of the Christian by the Holy
Spirit.
Christians believe that the
Bible is the inspired, inerrant Word of God, and that its teaching is the
final authority (2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:20-21). Christians
believe in one God that exists in three persons, the Father, the Son
(Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit.
Christians believe that
mankind was created specifically to have a relationship with God, but
that sin separates all men from God (Romans 5:12, Romans 3:23).
Christianity teaches that Jesus Christ walked this earth, fully God, and
yet fully man (Philippians 2:6-11), and died on the
cross. Christians believe that after His death on the cross, Christ
was buried, He rose again, and now lives at the right hand of the Father,
making intercession for the believers forever (Hebrews 7:25).
Christianity proclaims that Jesus’ death on the cross was sufficient to
completely pay the sin debt owed by all men and this is what restores the
broken relationship between God and man (Hebrews 9:11-14, Hebrews 10:10,
Romans 6:23, Romans 5:8).
In order to be saved, one
must simply place his faith entirely in the finished work of Christ on
the cross. If someone believes that Christ died in his own place
and paid the price of his own sins, and rose again, then that person is
saved. There is nothing that anyone can do to earn salvation.
Nobody can be “good enough” to please God on his or her own, because all
of us are sinners (Isaiah 64:6-7, Isaiah 53:6). Secondly, there is
nothing more to be done, because Christ has done all the work! When
He was on the cross, Jesus said, “It is finished” (John 19:30).
Just as there is nothing
one can do to earn salvation, once someone has placed their trust in the
work of Christ on the cross, there is nothing anyone can do to lose their
salvation either. Remember, the work was done and completed by
Christ!
Some may think, “This is
great--once I am saved, I can do just as I please, and not lose my
salvation!” But salvation is not about being free to do as one
pleases. Salvation is becoming free from having to serve the old sin
nature, and being free to pursue a right relationship with God. As
long as believers live on this earth in their sinful bodies, there will
be a constant struggle with giving in to sin. Living in sin hinders
the relationship God seeks to have with mankind, and as long as one lives
in sin as a believer, he will not enjoy the relationship God intended to
have with him. However, Christians can have victory over the struggle
with sin by studying and applying God’s Word (the Bible) in their lives,
and being controlled by the Holy Spirit--that is, submitting to the
Spirit’s influence and leading in everyday circumstances, and through the
Spirit obeying God’s Word.
So,
while many religious systems require that a person do certain things or
not do certain things, Christianity is about having a relationship with
God. Christianity is about believing that Christ died on the cross as
payment for your own sin, and rose again. Your sin debt is paid and
you can have fellowship with God. You can have victory over your sin
nature and walk in fellowship and obedience with God. That is true
biblical Christianity.
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