Seven Foundational Pillars Of The Christian Faith

adc.) It means that Mormonism, The Watch tower society, Transcendental meditation, Hara Krishna, and the hundreds and thousands of other world religions are false.

.01) God’s Word makes it perfectly clear that anything or anyone other than Jesus Christ is not going to lead one to everlasting life, but will lead them in ways that are separate from God both in this life, and in eternity.

VI. THERE IS ONE BAPTISM.

1.) It is clear from the inspired Word of God there is but one baptism.

A.) Christianity is greatly divided on the mode of baptism, the purpose, of baptism, who it is for, and why it is to be carried out.

2.) The Word of God is clear that baptism is without exception by total immersion of one who is capable of putting his faith in Jesus Christ, repenting of his sinfulness, and confessing Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.

A.) The Bible also makes it very clear that the purpose of baptism is two-fold:

aa.) It is the point we are obedient to the faith and receive salvation.

ab.) It is also the point when God places His abiding presence in a Christian through the person of the Holy Spirit.

aba.) Acts 2:38

B.) Any deviance from the above is a change that has come into the church by man, and not by the Inspired Word of God.

C.) Because of time, I am not going into the changes in Baptism from the teachings in the Word of God to what has taken place in Christianity today, but will have a sermon specifically on this very subject in a few weeks’ time.

VII. THERE IS ONE GOD AND FATHER OF ALL.

1.) The final pillar to look at is that of One God and Father of all.

A.) Not going to say much more on this, as we had already covered this quite a bit under the section on the Holy spirit earlier.

B.) But Judaism and Christianity have always differed from all other religions with the recognition and proclamation that there is only one God.

ba.) Many world religions will allow for other views, and other gods.

bb.) The Christian faith believes there is only one God, and one alone.

bc.) In the ancient Roman Empire this was a matter that put the Christians in great peril and under great persecutions.

bca.) Many times the Roman Empire would allow you to be a Christian if you would first bow down and acknowledge the Roman Emperor as a god.

bcb.) Christians often would lose their lives because they would not acknowledge any God but the One God who has created all things and is over all things.

CONCLUSION:

1.) As I close today, there are aspects of the Christian faith in which we can all have our opinions, and your opinion is every bit as good as mine.

2.) The Bible also lists some areas where there can be no divergence from that in the inspired Word of God.

3.) Today we have looked at one such portion of Scripture that the Apostle Paul under the direction of the Holy Spirit gave on essentials of the faith.

4.) May we from the Word of God place priority on essentials of the faith: “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”