The Essentials

To be a Christian you must believe that God is…

  • Personal (has emotions, desires, a will, makes decisions, speaks, etc.) (Ps.94:9, Zeph.3:17, Eph.4:30, Col.1:19. The Father, Son, and Spirit are distinct, co-equal persons who interact with and love one another)
  • Trinitarian (the Father is God and distinct from the Son (Ro.15:6) and the Spirit (Jn.14:26). The Son is God (Tit.2:13) and distinct from the Father and the Spirit (Jn.15:26), and the Spirit is God (Acts 5:3,4) and is distinct from the Father and the Son (Jn.15:26). Each Person is fully God (not one third of God (Col.2:9) and all three are co-equal, each equally deserving worship and obedience.
  • Self-existent (eternal & independent) (Ex.3:14, Dt. 32:39, Isa.43:10, 46:4, 48:12)
  • Unique (the only true God) (Dt.6:4; Isa.45:5-7; 1 Cor.8:4)
  • The Creator (Acts 17:24)
  • All-Powerful (2 Chrn.20:6, Isa.46:9-10) and active in human affairs, controlling all things (Eph.1:11, Ps.135:6)
  • Holy and Perfect in every way, and in no sense is the author of any evil (Ex.15:11, Dt.32:3,4,16-18, Hab.1:13, Jn.8:38-47, Jas.1:13)
  • All-knowing (Jer.10:7-14, Isa.46:9,10)
  • Good (Mk.10:18)
  • One’s treatment of Jesus reveals his treatment of God (Jn.8:19, 14:6-7)
  • A Christian believes all Jesus’ claims about Himself (Jn.8:21-26). Chief among these is His claim to be the self-existent God of the Old Testament (Jn.8:24,28, 13:19).

He also claimed…

  • to be the Messiah (Mt.16:17, 26:64)
  • to be God’s unique Son (Jn.8:29) – distinct from the Father (Jn.3:35, 5:22,23, 17:1)
  • to be the only way to the Father (Jn.14:6)
  • to do miracles (Jn.10:25,26)
  • to be without sin (Jn.8:29)
  • to be pre-existent before His birth (Jn.8:58)
  • to be from heaven (Jn.3:17, 8:21-26)
  • to be the only sacrifice for our sins (Jn.3:13-17)
  • to have been physically raised from the dead (Lk.24:39)
  • to be returning to save His people and judge the world (Rev.22:20)
  • One must not only believe in His full deity, but also His humanity (1Jn 4:2-3)

A Christian Approaches God…

  1. As a response to His revelation of Himself in Scripture (Mk 16:16)
  2. As a response to Jesus’ words (Dt.18:17-20, Ac 3:19-26)
  3. Admitting the Truth About Yourself
    A. I am Sinful & unable to save myself (1Jn 1:8-10, Mt.5:20)
    B. I must approach God on His Terms (Salvation by Faith Alone) (Ro.4:5, Gal.4:8-11)

Faith involves believing the Gospel and entrusting yourself to Christ, and there are numerous implications to that.

Examples:

  1. If you believe that Christ is Lord, you will approach Him as your Lord (Ro.10:9).
  2. If you believe God’s is telling the truth when He says His way is best, you will turn your back on your own way, and follow His way (repentance) (Ac 26:20, 1 Pe.3:10,11).
  3. If you have genuine faith, you will worship God (Jn.4:24).
  4. True faith will always result in love for God and for people (1Jn 4:8, 1Co 16:22, 1Jn 3:14).
  5. If you have genuine faith, you will not love the world, but will be willing to turn away from it (1Jn 2:15, Jas.4:4, Eph.5:8-9, 1Pe 2:9, 1Jn 2:9, Ac 14:15).
  6. Genuine faith is always marked by humility (Mt.18:1, Lk.18:9-14).
Back to What I Believe

Food For Your Soul–The Expository Teaching Ministry of Dr. Darrell Ferguson