The Foundations of Belief: Exploring the Core Doctrines of Christianity
Isaiah 40:8: “The grass withers, the flowers fade, but the word of our God remains forever.”
The Inevitable Truth begins a new series to explore the “Doctrines” of Christianity.
What are the core tenets that Biblical Christians believe in and rely upon?
Now, I purposefully use the term “Biblical Christian” as a point of distinction. That is to say, many also claim to be “Christian” but either do not believe in or rely upon the Bible, preferring other books, or rely upon tradition and/or the magisterium. Thus, this is the distinctiveness of Biblical Christianity.
Since these doctrines are embedded in the Bible, it is essential to address its accessibility. Although some parts of the Bible may be difficult to understand, the Bible is clear that there is, in fact, one interpretation as John 7:17 states, “If anyone is willing to do His [the Father’s] will, he will know about the teaching…” Likewise, John 16:13 assures us, “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth…”
This series will concentrate on the significant doctrines with both practical applications and analysis of some of the more controversial issues. As such, it is not meant to be a systematic theology treatise but a refinement that will help you solidify the core tenets and encourage you to question and contemplate their importance in your spiritual life.
I would encourage readers to be like the Bereans, whom Luke in Acts 17:11 complimented, “Now these Jews [the Bereans] were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.” This brings up my final preliminary comment: my thoughts and comments, on their own, are without any particular merit. Consequently, all the positions presented in this series will be supported with scriptural verses. This allows the reader to reference what I’ve stated and, much like the Bereans, the option “to see if these things [are] so.”
Here are the seven major topics we’ll cover:
God’s Word – obviously the Bible. Is it inspired and sufficient? Are there other books that claim to be from God? Can anyone understand it?
The Trinitarian God – the monotheistic concept of God as opposed to many other polytheisms. What roles do the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit play?
Man and Sin – are we basically good, as most psychologists claim, or are essentially bad, as the Bible seems to claim? How does this affect our worldview? And what about creation and evolution over billions of years, or is there another explanation?
Salvation – here, we get into some of the more controversial areas. Is salvation the provident of God and His sovereignty or man’s free will? Can it be lost? How does this affect evangelism?
Angels – this is the arena of spiritual battles, with good and bad angels—the angelic conflict, which most only view as a consequence after the fact. Also, there are only male angels.
The Church – contrary to belief, the Church is its members, not the buildings. Who rules, and what are the purposes and powers of this organization?
The Future – yet another controversial area. When does the Anti-Christ return? What about Armageddon, the Rapture, the Millennium, and ultimately, New Heaven and New Earth?
I encourage you to follow this series. Feel free to add your questions and note your concerns in the comments section, and I’ll do my best to respond. It should be an exciting journey for me and, hopefully, for you.
To that end, let’s discuss the doctrines of Biblical Christianity…
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Go here to read more articles in this mini-series.
Finally, I’d love your input on how I could make “The Inevitable Truth” even more useful to you! Please leave a comment with:
Ideas and questions you’d like covered in future editions
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Very much looking forward to the series!