The Essentials of the Christian Faith

Before looking at any other group or religion it would benefit us to ask the question, "What exactly is Christianity?"  We cannot first know what Christianity is not, unless we understand what it is.  Like everything in the world, we identify things by their nature and characteristics.  There are certain characteristics of every thing that are essential.  That is, without these characteristics it cannot be what someone claims it is.

 For example, if I hold up an object and say, "this is a red balloon." you will know upon examination if I am in fact speaking truthfully.  What will you look for to determine whether I am correct or not?  Its essential characteristics, you will notice it's color, you will notice its shape, you will be able to touch it and feel its texture.  You will take into account all of its observable characteristics to determine if the object is in fact, a red balloon.  Now, if the first thing you notice is that its color is blue, and it looks more like a rock, you will know my description of the object is not very accurate. You will probably conclude that I have either told you a lie, or I myself am mistaken about what a red balloon actually is!  Having said that, there are also characteristics that are non-essential.  Certainly, our picture of a balloon is usually one filled with air, and tied in a knot at the end.  This however, is not always the case. What if the balloon is deflated?  Is it still a red balloon though it is deflated and untied at the end? Yes it is. Being filled with air and tied in a knot at one end are not essential characteristics of being a red balloon.

In the same way we are going to examine the characteristics of Christianity by looking at what the Bible says about it.  After we can understand Christianity's characteristics, we will better be able to examine whether or not a certain group or sect is in fact Christian.  Each of these essentials builds upon one-another. Without one, the following essential cannot be understood properly.

1.  Biblical Inerrancy - The first essential, and really the pre-requisite to all other essentials is Biblical inerrancy and infallibility. This is the teaching that the Bible, in its original manuscripts were without error.  They were perfect. If one cannot trust what the Bible says about a given topic, there is no way to verify which, if any, of its claims are true. 2 Timothy 3:16 states that the Bible itself, claims to be inerrant and inspired, or "God-breathed".

2. One God (Monotheism) - The Bible teaches explicitly the existence of only one God. (Isaiah 43:10, 44:6,8) The God revealed in the Bible is supreme over all things; His very nature excludes the possibility of another like Him.

3. The Trinity - God is triune in nature.  Understanding this concept fully is beyond human capacity.  The Trinity is not mentioned in the Bible, it is revealed when taking all scripture into account.  If we understand that there is one God, then we must reconcile that with other paradoxical verses such as, John 1:1,14, Colossians 2:9, Colossians 1:15-19, Thomas calling Jesus "My Lord and my God!" in John 20:28, Jesus calling himself "I AM" (John 8:58) just as God does in Exodus 3:14, and the Holy Spirit is also being called God in Acts 5:3-4.  In addition, Jesus, when giving the "great Commission" tells the disciples to go and baptize in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19) Without understanding the general concept of the Trinity one cannot make sense of the scriptures.  That is, God is one, in three distinct persons each eternally existing yet one God.

4. Christ's Deity - We covered Christ's Deity in the third essential "The Trinity".  However Christ's Deity is worth mentioning again because there is specific warning in the Bible against not believing that Christ is God.  John 8:24 mentions specifically that to deny Christ as God leads to dying in your sins.  Again, here Christ refers to Himself using the divine title revealed to Moses in Exodus 3:14. Also take note that the virgin birth of Jesus is a necessary component of His Deity. (Matthew 1:23) Without being conceived by the Holy Spirit, Christ would have been just a man, thereby inheriting a sin nature.  Christ has a dual nature, in that He is fully God and fully man.  Both natures are required to fill the offices of Prophet (Deuteronomy 18:18), Priest (Hebrews 6:20) and King  (Zechariah 9:9).

5. Christ died for sins - Jesus satisfied God's wrath toward sin for those who believe in Him. (1 Peter 2:24, 1John 2:2, Isaiah 53:6-12) Jesus provided the substitutionary atonement we needed to be reconciled to God. Being a sacrifice for sins required Jesus to be wihout sin himself. Without a perfect sacrifice, we are left in sin. (1 Peter 1:18-19)   Being that Christ died for our sins, and was the perfect sacrifice, He is the only way to be forgiven. (John 14:6)

6. Resurrection of Christ - Paul bluntly states in 1 Corinthians 15:14 that to not believe in Christ's resurrection is to still be "...in your sins."  Additionally, Jesus was resurrected in the same body He died in. (John 2:19-21) Evidence of this in the scriptures is revealed when Thomas placed his hand on Jesus' wounds after his resurrection. (John 20:27)

7. Salvation by grace alone - Man is in a fallen condition, he has been so corrupted by sin that he can't even search for God. (Romans 3:10-12) This fact requres God to come to us. Without God doing all the work, salvation is not possible. There is nothing we can do to add to what Christ already accomplished on the cross. (Ephesians 2:8-9)  In fact, to believe otherwise, is evidence of being away from God's grace. (Galatians 5:4) If there is more to do after Jesus' sacrifice, was it really finished, as Jesus Himself said it was? (John 19:30)

 

These are the seven characteristics of what Christianity is.  Again, knowing what it is will help us to see what it is not.  Now, there are many more doctrines within Christianity, but they are of a non-essential manner.  Some Christians believe that the "Rapture" will occur before the seven years of tribulation, some believe it will occur during, and some, after, for example.  The Rapture is not an essential doctrine of Christianity, thus we are free to believe what we wish about this. Paul, writes in Romans 14:1-12 that we may diverge on non-essentials.  Remember a red balloon is still a red balloon so long as it meets its essential characteristics.

The entire Christian Church, despite their denominational differences adheres to these essential doctrines.  You may not see them worded or grouped exactly as I have them here, but in essence, they all say the same thing.  Any group that claims to be Christian but deny one or more of these essential doctrines is by definition not Christian.  Just as a blue rock, is not a red balloon.