FIVE THINGS I KNOW ABOUT THE FUNDAMENTALS OF CHRISTIANITY
By
Jerry Falwell
I. FIVE THINGS YOU MUST DO TO BE RIGHT WITH GOD
For the past two years I have been reading the standards of SACS (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools) and the academic people have been talking to me about “must” statements. These are the things that a school “must” perform to meet the high academic standards of accreditation.
Christianity has some high “must” statements. I can preach the gospel with five “must” statements.
First, there is the need for all men, “Marvel not that I said to you, you must be born again” (John 3:7).
Second, “He that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6).
Third, once you become a Christian, then, “They that worship Him (God), must worship Him in Spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).
Fourth, to grow as a Christian, You must take the following attitude.
“He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30).
Fifth, we live all of our life in light of our accountability to Him. “For we must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ; that everyone may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (II Corinthians 5:10).
These are the five things you “must” do to be rightly related to God.
II. FIVE THINGS YOU MUST BELIEVE
Sometimes I am called a Fundamentalist, that’s because I want to be identified with what I believe. I believe in the fundamentals. Other times I call myself an Evangelical because I want to be identified with those who believe in the evangelistic mandate of the church, i.e. the Great Commission, and I want to fellowship with those who believe in evangelism, hence I am an Evangelical.
First, a Fundamentalist is completely committed to the verbal-plenary inspiration of Scripture (Hebrews 1:1-2, II Tim. 3:16, II Peter 1:21). He believes every word was written by the direct influence of the Holy Spirit and that Scripture is without error and accurate in all details. A Fundamentalist believes the Word of God is the foundation of Christianity and, if there were any “inconsistencies,” even in one verse, then the Bible would be inconsistent and faith would be vain (Matthew 5:18, John 10:35).
Second, a Fundamentalist believes in the virgin birth of the Son of God (Luke 1:27,31,35, Isaiah 7:14, Galatians 4:4). Sin is the great destroyer and is passed from parent to child so that all perish. But Jesus Christ, the eternal son of God, was conceived by the Holy Ghost in the virgin Mary; hence, He was not contaminated by sin (Hebrews 2:17, 4:15). He had a sinless birth, lived a sinless life and died a sinless substitute (II Cor. 5:21, Hebrews 4:15). One who denies the virgin birth of Christ cannot be a Fundamentalist because belief in the sinless Son of God is an indispensable foundation to Christianity.
Third, a Fundamentalist believes in the vicarious- substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ for the sins of the world (Matthew 20:28, I Peter 3:18, John 6:51, Romans 5:6-8, 8:32, I Timothy 2:5, Hebrews 2:9). Vicarious means Christ identified with us and we with Him in death. He became sin for us and in return we were made righteous (II Cor. 5:21, Romans 3:24-25). As a substitute, Christ died for the sinner and suffered the terrible consequences of sin. Those who deny the efficacy blood atonement are not Christians. Without the blood of Christ a sinner could not be forgiven, redeemed or justified.
Fourth, a Fundamentalist believes in the physical resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (Romans 4:25, Acts 2:23-24, Matthew 28:5-7, I Cor. 15:4,14). If the body of Jesus Christ had remained in the grave, then the benefits of Calvary and the promises of Jesus Christ were unfulfilled. But Jesus arose on the third day, as He predicted and demonstrated His victory over sin and death.
The physical resurrection is an absolute necessity to complete the plan of salvation (I Cor. 15:17). Therefore, it is a fundamental of the faith.
Fifth, a Fundamentalist believes that Jesus Christ will return to earth to fulfill all that He promised (Acts 1:11, John 14:1-3, I Thess. 4:13-17). The plan that God began must be completed. Christ is coming for His own. He will judge the sinner and reward the saint. His promises to Israel will be fulfilled and those who are saved will live with Him forevermore.
III. FIVE RESULTS OF CHRISTIANITY THAT ARE “MUST” STATEMENTS
1. Cardinal doctrines. The Five Fundamentals are called the Cardinal Doctrines of the Faith. This means they are the first things for a person to believe.
Inspiration of The Bible. If you don’t believe the Word of God, you have no basis for anything else. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (II Timothy 3:16).
The Deity of Jesus Christ. If you don’t believe in Jesus Christ, you have missed the essence of Jesus Christ. Paul said, “For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord” (I Corinthians 4:5).
The vicarious blood sacrifice. This is the first thing that a person must believe to have his sins forgiven. Paul said, “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8).
The bodily resurrection. “If there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain” (I Corinthians 15:13-14). “And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain: ye are yet in your sins . . . and we are of all men most miserable” (I Corinthians 15:17,19).
Physical return of Jesus Christ. “If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also would sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him” (I Thessalonians 4:14). “And so shall we ever be with the Lord” (I Thessalonians 4:17).
These five cardinal truths are the first things you believe. You cannot put your belief in the Church, baptism, singing, or anything other than the five fundamentals.
2. Essential Doctrines.
The five fundamentals are also called the five essentials. Think of essentials to operate an airplane. You cannot operate a plane without wings, rudder, stabilizer, flaps, fuel tank, engines or a number of other essentials. To take any essential away, the plane no longer operates.
There are essentials to Christianity. For the past one hundred years great men of God have agreed on the following five essentials of Christianity:
The five essentials are like the wings of an airplane, if you take one of the essentials away, the entire airplane crashes and all on board are lost. You cannot deny any of the facts of the five essentials of Christianity.
3. Exclusive doctrines.
The word exclusive according to Webster means: “1- to shut out, 2-to bar from participation, or inclusion, 3-to expel from a place, position or that which was previously occupied.”
Christianity is exclusive because it excludes any other way to heaven but its own. Christianity maintains that all other religions are wrong. That’s as exclusive as one can get.
1. “I am the way, the truth and the life no man cometh unto the Father except by Me” (John 14:6).
2. “Neither is their salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
3. “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:36).
4. Foundational Doctrines.
All of Christianity is built on these five doctrinal essentials. The Early Church doctrinal statement emphasized these doctrines are foundational.
“Without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory”(I Timothy 3:16).
5. Obligatory Doctrines.
God did not reveal these doctrines to
1. Inform us
2. Entertain us
3. Motivate us
4. Inspire us
Doctrine demands a response. These five truths were revealed to us so we would obey God. These doctrines place an obligation on every individual in the world.
“We ought to give the more earnest heed the things which we have heard, lest that any time we should let them slip. For if . . . every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward: how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation: which at first began to be spoken by the LORD, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard Him: God also bearing them witness both with signs and wonders, and with diverse miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to His own will” (Hebrews 2:1-4).
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God. Contact us and ask for a copy of The How To Book or use The How To Book Online. It is a booklet that will answer many of the questions you are sure to have about living the Christian life. And when you contact us, tell us about your salvation experience so that we can rejoice with you.
