“Foundational Faith”
Paul addressed the important things to give our attention in a letter written to followers of Jesus living in the Greek city Philippi.
1. ADOPT THE RIGHT AXIS – A Passion to praise Christ
2. MAINTAIN THE RIGHT ATTITUDE – A Passion to please Christ
3. PURSUE THE RIGHT AIM – A Passion to pursue Christ
4. PRACTICE THE RIGHT ACTIONS – A Passion to live Christ
He will address several specifics throughout chapter four. The first admonished them to stand firm in the Lord.
A. Stand firm in the Lord 4:1
Therefore, my brothers, dearly loved and longed for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, dearly loved.
We have explored the numerous Bible passages that call us to stand firm.
APPLYING STANDING FIRM IN THE LORD
Stand firm against persecution and false teaching
Stand firm in the storms of life.
Stand firm against the schemes of the Devil
Stand firm in the faith.
Last week we touched on the use of the term faith with a definite article “the” specifies the basic truths communicated in the Scriptures. The Faith is synonymous to “the Truth”. This becomes more and more important in a culture that denies absolute truths or moral absolutes. This rejection of “the Faith” has emerged even in those who call themselves Christian. Since the early 2000’s a movement called the “emerging church” continues to influence the thinking of churches today. At the core is a rejection of an objective authoritative truth in an exchange for an experience based group think; a community of love and acceptance of everyone and their ideas except conservative Christians who stand firm in The Faith.
“The bible should merely point us in the direction of finding God’s unique individual revelation through his Spirit, and not be used as the once-for-all, static revelation of what God has said to others in the past.”
“[We should] stop looking for some objective Truth that is available when we delve into the text of the Bible.”
Tony Jones
“I feel that we have harmed our ‘faith’ by attempting to turn it into ‘fact’.”
Here is a summary of the basic bent of this movement.
• Since the Church has been culture bound for so long we must reexamine and question every belief and practice in the Church, finding new ways to define and express these
• We have no foundation for any beliefs, therefore we cannot know absolute truth
• Since we cannot know absolute truth, we can only experience what is “true” for our communities
• Since we cannot know absolute truth we cannot be dogmatic about doctrine
• Since we cannot know absolute truth we cannot be dogmatic about moral standards
• Since we cannot know absolute truth, dogmatic preaching must give way to a dialogue between people of all beliefs
• Since propositional truth is uncertain, spiritual feeling and social action make up the only reliable substance of Christianity
Once you reject the Bible as the authoritative standard of faith and practice you open the door to any morality.
Our culture seems to settle for a morality determined by consensus. Even worse, many feel that we determine my own morality. “Feels so good it can’t be wrong,” Everyone embraces some sort of belief system.
One’s belief system dictates one’s behavior. Determining one’s own reality is not new. That was the case for the people living during the time of the judges.
In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes. Judges 21:25
The only reliable source of truth is God. Truth is that which corresponds to reality. Regardless of how vehemently scientists once believed the earth was flat, it didn’t make it true. It didn’t change reality.
The reality is the earth is a globe. Because we are limited in our knowledge, we do not have the capacity to discover or recognize ultimate reality. We must rely on someone outside of ourselves. Jesus claimed to be the way the truth and the life and not one finds life apart from Him. Paul urged the Philippians and the early churches to whom he wrote to “stand firm in the faith.” Jude specifically wrote concerning the faith.
Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. Jude 1:3-4
Jude used a very strong Greek term we translate “contend”. It comes from the Greek word “agonizomai” from which we get our English word agonize or struggle. He added a preposition in front of the base word for intensification. The resulting concept is to struggle earnestly or greatly for THE FAITH. Why? He told them.
Certain people introduced teaching that perverted the teaching of grace into an excuse to live for fleshly passions and minimize the need for full commitment to Jesus as Lord of our lives. Paul wrote extensively regarding false teachers and those promoting ideas contrary to THE FAITH “once for all delivered to the saints.” The apostle John outlived all the other Apostles. He encountered it all. He witnessed numerous perversions of Jesus’ teaching. John wrote this to an elder of a church.
Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul. For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. 3 John 1:2-4
Technically, any truth recorded in the Bible qualifies as THE FAITH in which we should stand firm both by affirmation AND action. Every time we interact with the Scripture calls us to identify and affirm what God declares true and to incorporate it into our thinking and life.
Jesus answered them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.” Luke 8:21
“The seed sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit (do), thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” Mark 4:20
Jesus said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” Luke 11:28
For centuries theologians, have attempted to assemble the foundational truths of the Bible into categories. This discipline is referred to as “systematic Theology”. Literally, volumes have been written systematizing Biblical doctrine or truth. The attempt to identify “The Faith” has resulted in documents anywhere from a condensed a Creed to a multi-volume detailed treatment of each category by drawing information from the entire Bible.
Most denominations organize around what we call a “doctrinal statement.” These statements express the foundational or essential beliefs of the denomination.
Basic Theological Categories
Bibliology – The Study of the Bible
Theology Proper – The Study of the person of God
Christology – The Study of Christ
Pneumatology – The Study of the Holy Spirit
Angelology – The Study of Elect and Evil Angels
Anthropology – The Study of Man
Soteriology – The Study of Salvation
Ecclesiology – The Study of the Church
Eschatology – The Study of Last Things
Most truth in the Bible will find a home under one of these categories. Obviously, there are variances in specifics between various churches and denominations. There are some essential tenets of THE FAITH embraced by most true Christians. Deviation in any of these beliefs affects our whole system of belief.
God is
We must establish a basis understanding of what God has revealed about Himself in the Scriptures.
A faulty view of God leads to a faulty view of our world.
We spent a whole series a while back on knowing God which is available on the website.
God is Spirit
God is personal
God is Trinity
Although the term Trinity does not appear in the Bible, the concept is clear. In one sense the doctrine of the Trinity is a mystery that we will never be able to understand fully. However, we can understand something of its truth by summarizing the teaching of Scripture in three statements:
1. God is three persons.
2. Each person is fully God.
3. There is one God.
All the attributes revealed about God apply to each of the three members of the Godhead.
God is infinite
Any of His revealed attributes could be deduced from three broad categories.
God is infinitely Great in His capacity
There attributes that only find expression in the Godhead that could be reasoned from the mere fact that He is infinitely great.
He has infinite knowledge (Omniscient.
He is infinitely present (Omnipresent).
He is infinitely powerful (Omnipotent and completely Self-sufficient).
He is uncreated (Self-existent).
He has infinite existence (Eternal).
He has no need to change (Immutable).
He is ultimately beyond our ability to comprehend (Incomprehensible).
He rules the universe (Sovereign)
God is infinitely Good in His relationships
God demonstrates a perfect balance of lovingkindness, grace, mercy, gentleness, longsuffering, forgiveness and faithfulness.
God is infinitely Pure in His morality
He is righteous, just, holy, truth, Jealous, judgment, anger, wrath
God created all things seen and unseen
This includes material and non-material realities. This is a vital truth that has important ramifications. To deny an intelligent, purposeful creator behind all we see opens the door to any number of errant teachings. i.e. we are all animals, we have no eternal purpose, we have no accountability to a supreme being, man is the measure of all things.
God Has spoken
This basic tenet affirms that God revealed Himself to us and supernaturally superintended the recording and preservation of that revelation in the scriptures.
CM&A The Old and New Testaments, inerrant as originally given, were verbally inspired by God and are a complete revelation of His will for the salvation of men. They constitute the divine and only rule of Christian faith and practice
If the Bible is an unreliable source of information about God, then we can make no assertions regarding any doctrine found therein. To allow for errors in the Scriptures opens the door to any number of devastating beliefs.
To deny God’s revelation to man leaves room for great error. Rather than be directed by the Scriptures, man becomes the judge of the Scriptures determining what God said or not. Some affirm that the Bible contains the Word of God but is not the word of God. Who then determines what part is God’s word and what is not.
Angels Rebelled
Scripture clearly reveals an unseen but real realm of celestial beings who, sometime after their creation, chose to rebel against God. The Bible refers to them as demons, evil spirits, fallen angels, Satan, the devil. To ignore the existence and influence of these beings is to live in ignorance of a reality that is key to understanding life in a fallen world.
Man Rebelled
God originally created mankind in His own image. He was created a sinless intelligent, emotional and volitional being, capable of relating to God and each other in satisfying community modeled in the Trinity.
CM&A Man was originally created in the image and likeness of God: he fell through disobedience, incurring thereby both physical and spiritual death. All men are born with a sinful nature, are separated from the life of God, and can be saved only through the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The notion that mankind is inherently good leads to unworkable applications.
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. Ephesians 2:1-3
Jesus Came to earth and took on flesh
Jesus was born of a virgin (Incarnation)
The virgin birth is essential to the reality of Jesus’ Deity and humanity. We must not flinch on the Biblical teaching that Jesus was absolute Deity and complete humanity at the same time.
Jesus Lived a sinless life
To die for our sins, Jesus had to be free from any personal sin.
For our sake God made Jesus to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21
Jesus Died for our sins according to the Scriptures
It is important to hold to the truth that Jesus died as a substitute for our sin.
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, 1 Peter 3:18
Multiple verses speak of Christ dying for us or on our behalf.
Jesus Rose from the dead according to the Scriptures.
Paul was clear that without the reality of the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ our faith is in vain.
And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:14
And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 1 Corinthians 15:17
God offers Salvation to Man through Christ’s death and resurrection.
The breadth of the Salvation provided through the work of Christ is extensive.
There are several varying interpretations of Bible passages related to individual aspects but the essential tenet we must firmly hold has to do with the application of His work to us.
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
God established The Body of Christ; the church
And God placed all things under Christ’s feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. Eph 1:22-23
The word translated church comes from a Greek term meaning assembly. Scripture recognizes a universal church made up of all born-again believers placed in the body by the Spirit.
For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body - whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free - and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 1Co 12:13
Scripture also refers to a local assembly of Christ-followers.
Jesus will come again to earth to establish His eternal righteous rule.
The Bible teaches a physical glorious return of Jesus to earth where He will
There will be a Final Judgment
There will be a resurrection of all people who ever lived. All true believer will be resurrected to an eternal existence in the presence of God in a perfect glorified body. Those who reject Christ will be resurrected to the Great White Throne where they will face the second death and eternal conscious torment in the lake of fire.
Following are formal statements of basic belief. I would encourage you to examine what you believe. Those beliefs are enhanced and validated as you examine the Scriptures.
Christian and Missionary Alliance Statement of Faith
There is one God,(1) who is infinitely perfect,(2) existing eternally in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.(3)
Jesus Christ is the true God and the true man.(4) He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary.(5) He died upon the cross, the Just for the unjust,(6) as a substitutionary sacrifice,(7) and all who believe in Him are justified on the ground of His shed blood.(8) He arose from the dead according to the Scriptures.(9) He is now at the right hand of Majesty on high as our great High Priest.(10) He will come again to establish His kingdom, righteousness and peace.(11)
The Holy Spirit is a divine person,(12) sent to indwell, guide, teach, empower the believer,(13) and convince the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment.(14)
The Old and New Testaments, inerrant as originally given, were verbally inspired by God and are a complete revelation of His will for the salvation of men. They constitute the divine and only rule of Christian faith and practice.(15)
Man was originally created in the image and likeness of God:(16) he fell through disobedience, incurring thereby both physical and spiritual death. All men are born with a sinful nature,(17) are separated from the life of God, and can be saved only through the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ.(18) The portion of the unrepentant and unbelieving is existence forever in conscious torment;(19) and that of the believer, in everlasting joy and bliss.(20)
Salvation has been provided through Jesus Christ for all men; and those who repent and believe in Him are born again of the Holy Spirit, receive the gift of eternal life, and become the children of God.(21)
It is the will of God that each believer should be filled with the Holy Spirit and be sanctified wholly,(22) being separated from sin and the world and fully dedicated to the will of God, thereby receiving power for holy living and effective service.(23) This is both a crisis and a progressive experience wrought in the life of the believer subsequent to conversion.(24)
Provision is made in the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ for the healing of the mortal body.(25) Prayer for the sick and anointing with oil are taught in the Scriptures and are privileges for the Church in this present age.(26)
The Church consists of all those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, are redeemed through His blood, and are born again of the Holy Spirit. Christ is the Head of the Body, the Church, (27) which has been commissioned by Him to go into all the world as a witness, preaching the gospel to all nations.(28) The local church is a body of believers in Christ who are joined together for the worship of God, for edification through the Word of God, for prayer, fellowship, the proclamation of the gospel, and observance of the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.(29)
There shall be a bodily resurrection of the just and of the unjust; for the former, a resurrection unto life;(30) for the latter, a resurrection unto judgment.(31)
The second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ is imminent(32) and will be personal, visible, and premillennial.(33) This is the believer’s blessed hope and is a vital truth which is an incentive to holy living and faithful service.(34)
[1] Deuteronomy 6:4, [2] Matthew 5:48, [3] Matthew 28:19, [4] Philippians 2:6–11, [5] Luke 1:34–38, [6] 1 Peter 3:18, [7] Hebrews 2:9, [8] Romans 5:9, [9] Acts 2:23–24, [10] Hebrews 8:1, [11] Matthew 26:64, [12] John 14:15–18, [13] John 16:13; Acts 1:8, [14] John 16:7–11, [15] 2 Peter 1:20–21; 2 Timothy 3:15–16, [16] Genesis 1:27, [17] Romans 3:23, [18] 1 Corinthians15:20–23, [19] Revelation 21:8, [20] Revelation 21:1–4, [21] Titus 3:4–7, [22] 1 Thessalonians 5:23, [23] Acts 1:8, [24] Romans 6:1–14, [25] Matthew 8:16–17, [26] James 5:13–16, [27] Ephesians 1:22–23, [28] Matthew 28:19–20, [29] Acts 2:41–47, [30] 1 Corinthians 15:20–23, [31] John 5:28–29, [32] Hebrews 10:37, [33] Luke 21:27, [34] Titus 2:11–14
The Apostles Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic (universal) Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
The Nicaean Creed
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic (universal) and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Evangelical Alliance
We believe in...
1.The one true God who lives eternally in three persons — the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
2.The love, grace and sovereignty of God in creating, sustaining, ruling, redeeming and judging the world.
3.The divine inspiration and supreme authority of the Old and New Testament Scriptures, which are the written Word of God—fully trustworthy for faith and conduct.
4.The dignity of all people, made male and female in God's image to love, be holy and care for creation, yet corrupted by sin, which incurs divine wrath and judgement.
5.The incarnation of God’s eternal Son, the Lord Jesus Christ — born of the virgin Mary; truly divine and truly human, yet without sin.
6.The atoning sacrifice of Christ on the cross: dying in our place, paying the price of sin and defeating evil, so reconciling us with God.
7.The bodily resurrection of Christ, the first fruits of our resurrection; his ascension to the Father, and his reign and mediation as the only Savior of the world.
8.The justification of sinners solely by the grace of God through faith in Christ.
9.The ministry of God the Holy Spirit, who leads us to repentance, unites us with Christ through new birth, empowers our discipleship and enables our witness.
10.The Church, the body of Christ both local and universal, the priesthood of all believers — given life by the Spirit and endowed with the Spirit's gifts to worship God and proclaim the gospel, promoting justice and love.
11.The personal and visible return of Jesus Christ to fulfil the purposes of God, who will raise all people to judgement, bring eternal life to the redeemed and eternal condemnation to the lost, and establish a new heaven and new earth.
