Absolute Essentials Of Christianity - Part 1 Of 2 Series

Denominations have most often come about due to differences in beliefs from others. Many of them started because of a great move of God at a specific time and place in history. Then, after many years, they became a religious organization that operates with their own identity, doctrinal beliefs, traditions, and legal hierarchy.

Some even claim they are the only "true" church, while others say they are a non-denomination even though they have 100's of churches under their "banner" that are required to operate by specific rules of conduct, doctrine, and procedures.

Others claim direct revelation from God, alleging that Jesus and/or angels visit(ed) them in person. Some of them have declared that they visit(ed) Heaven many times and have/had conversations with Jesus, the Prophets and Apostles, which also denigrates the authority of Scripture as they build an experience-oriented theology based on emotionalism and suffused in mysticism. Others claim they are a Prophet or Apostle and have divine authority to interpret or even change the Bible by adding to it.

Despite man-made religious nonsense that has caused wars over differences of belief and interpretation, some fundamental essentials are the absolute foundational truths of Christianity. The Bible warns its reader about accepting another Gospel than the one that the original Apostles witnessed and preached.

"if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!" (Galatians 1:8 NIV)

Monotheism - God, the Father

The Bible declares there is only one eternal God who always existed in eternity past and into eternity future in three persons (or in what is known as the Trinity), God the Father, God - the Son, Jesus Christ, and God - the Holy Spirit. He is love, all-powerful, all-knowing, does not change, holy, a spirit and truth. (Deut 33:27; Isa 44:6; 57:15; 1 Kings 8:27; 2 Chron 2:6; Ps. 147:5; Jer. 23:24; Acts 17:24-28; Hos 11:4; Jer 31:3; Mark 1:41; 10:16; 1 John 4:8, 10; Job 42:2; Ps 115:3; Jer 32:17; Matt 19:26; Ps 139:1-6; Isa 46:9-10; John 2:25; Ps 102:27; Heb 13:8; James 1:17; Ex 15:11; Ps 24:3; Isa 40:25; Hab 1:13; John 1:18; 4:24; 1 Tim 1:17; 6:15-16; Isa 44:8-10; 45:5; Num 23:19; Rom 3:3-4; John 14:1,2,6; Heb 6:18; Titus 1:2).

He is omnipresent throughout the Cosmos (Psalm 139:7-12; Jeremiah 23:24). He is neither pantheistic nor omni-permeate because He created all things out of nothing. The entire sum of reality, which is made up of time and eternity, Heaven and hell, light and darkness, is not a seamless one with God. He is not nature and does not permeate or fuse His being or presence with, or into, His creation, as He is holy and exists eternally separate from the temporal creation (Isaiah 40:18-22; Romans 1:19-23; Revelation 4:10-11).

Each member of the Trinity is all co-eternal and of the exact nature. One God in three persons means one personal multidimensional God who lives and works in three different ways simultaneously outside of all human-imposed knowledge, comprehension, and understanding restrictions (Exodus 20:3-6; Isa 43:10; 44:6, 8; 45:5,14,18,21-22; 46:9; 47:8; Deuteronomy 6:4). This doctrine is represented throughout the Bible and is arrived at systematically by looking at the totality of Scripture. It is the proper representation of scriptural revelation concerning the nature of God.

Jesus commands Christians to fulfill the Great Commission: "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19 NIV - also 3:16-17; 1 Corinthians 12:4-6; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 4:4-6).

God the Son, Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ is a member/part of the Trinity and is 100% fully human and 100% fully God, the Son, who came from a reality eternally separate from the Earth and willingly chose to come to earth as a human in the flesh, which gave Him the essential power to save anyone who repents of their sin and receives Him as Lord and Savior from the penalty of sin through His shed blood on the Cross (John 1:1; Col 1:15-19; 1 John 5:7-8; Luke 4:34; John 8:23-24; Heb 2:16-18; Matt 1:18; 4:2; Luke 2:40; John 4:6; 8:40; 11:35; 19:28). Heb 2:16-18; Matt 1:18; 4:2; Luke 2:40; John 4:6; 8:40; 11:35; 19:28). He had no beginning and no end (John 8:57-58). Jesus has been given all authority in Heaven and Earth.

The Old Testament was completed at least 300 years before the historical Jesus was born. There are over 350 predictions of His coming and ministry. No other person in history can meet the prophetic criteria. The mathematical probability of just 11 of those coming to pass is one chance in 10 to the 19th power - that's one chance in 10 billion times 10 billion!

Jesus had a virgin birth from a surrogate mother. He is not "a" god or the biological offspring of God or humanity (Matthew 1:18; Luke 1:35). He claimed the authority of God and is the Creator and the sustainer of all things (Mark 2:10; 14:6; John 6:39-40; 10:17-18; John 1:3; Hebrews 1:3; Col 2:9). The Bible foretold His birth, ministry, suffering, and death (Isaiah 7:14; 9:1-2; 52:13-115; 53; Jer 23:5-6; Psalm 16:10; 22; 41:9; 68:18; 69:21; Micah 5:2; Daniel 9:25; Zec 9:9; 11:12).