Give us your absolute bottom-line Christian essentials

[GodsGrace]

Here is my bottom line in five words. Everything else we need to learn will come from just knowing these five requirements for salvation.

1. Confession - Acts 2:21; Romans 10:9, 10

2. Repentance - Mark 1:14, 15

3. Faith - John 3:14-18

4. Regeneration - John 3:3-8

5. Holy Scripture - 2 Timothy 3:15

Hi FHG
I like your five words.
But think of this:
All religions believe in what you stated above.

What makes CHRISTIANITY unique?
What do you HAVE TO believe to be CHRISTIAN?

 

[Papa Zoom]

Hi Runner,
Just saw this.

I don't mind being in some of those battles.
Just two:
Calvinism. Oh my. Don't get me started. Is this the God I know and love???
Works: No works necessary. Just believe. God is insulted if we try to do works. Oh. And don't ask for forgiveness. Didn't you know Jesus already forgave all our sins??? Yeah. Get me a good movie and let me sit back and just worry about my little ole' self.

I've been told I don't have the Holy Spirit, I need to learn since I'm a new Christian, and that I need to get to know the Lord. I thought I met him in my kitchen about 40 years ago, but what do I know??

So, getting back to your O.P.
I do believe many here have misunderstood what you wanted as a reply.
I've seen posts that could pertain to ANY religion, not necessarily the Christian one. (Did I say "religion"? Sorry).

For instance, one poster said it means knowing the truth.
Every religion has some of the truth. I like Krishna's writings. Not that I remember much, but I remember thinking how cool he was and how nice it would be if we followed his teachings. Ditto for Buddha.

So. Yeah. I think the O.P. was not understood properly.
Here's my bottom line again:
Jesus has to be GOD.
The resurrection has to be TRUE.

See. I need less words than you do !

Good Post Wondering. I could have written it because I agree with all you said. I like the idea of examining what are the essentials of this Faith I follow (Jesus). I usually fall down on the idea of loving others. Jesus talked a lot about that. Loving others, serving others, that sort of thing. But maybe that's more an essential of the way a Believer should live. The OP probably is aiming at something more specific to essentials of belief? I'll be back later. I'm off to sub in 1st grade. Yesterday I subbed in Kindergarten. It's like herding cats.

 

[th1b.taylor]

A couple of recent threads got me to thinking: Putting aside all of the various creeds, confessions and statements of faith for the moment, what are the absolute bottom-line Christian essentials? How simple could someone’s theology be and still qualify as Christian?

When I was with Campus Crusade for Christ almost 50 years ago, we won souls (or at least thought we did) with the Four Spiritual Laws:

1. God loves you and offers a wonderful plan for your life.
2. Man is sinful and separated from God. Therefore, he cannot know and experience God’s love and plan for his life.
3. Jesus Christ is God’s only provision for man’s sin. Through Him you can know and experience God’s love and plan for your life.
4. We must individually receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord; then we can know and experience God’s love and plan for our lives.

A mere 77 words, but you will find even these criticized on the Internet as “terribly flawed,” “unbiblical” and “human trickery.”

Perhaps my own 110 words:

1. You are a created being in a created universe, wholly dependent on the creator God.
2. God is perfectly holy, just and loving.
3. You and other humans have breached your relationship with God through disobedience and unrighteousness.
4. You cannot repair the breach through your own efforts.
5. God offers forgiveness and reconciliation through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.
6. You can receive forgiveness and participate in the reconciliation by acknowledging and repenting of your disobedience and unrighteousness, prayerfully accepting God’s offer of forgiveness, asking the Holy Spirit to transform your life, being baptized, and prayerfully doing your best to follow the teachings of Jesus as set forth in the four gospels.

What if the above was someone’s entire theology? His entire Christian life was those 110 words and doing or at least sincerely attempting to do what they describe. Would he (or she) be a Christian?

The above says nothing about the inerrancy of the Bible, Adam and Eve, predestination, the Trinity, the divinity of Jesus, the Virgin Birth, the doctrine of Hell, or other doctrines that Christians love to wrangle over. Depending on one’s view of the Bible and how one interprets the biblical passages, perhaps there is a “probably correct” or even “clearly correct” position on most of those doctrines. Perhaps it is even important to be able to articulate a personal creed. But are any of them absolute bottom-line Christian essentials?

You have presented the awesome question! Your 110 word statement of faith leaves out only one thing I consider essential. I do not consider anyone saved if the presence of the Holy Spirit is not known to them and they are not attempting to live by Biblical standards the other six days of the week. Worship is a 24/7 life.

 

[for_his_glory]

Hi FHG
I like your five words.
But think of this:
All religions believe in what you stated above.

What makes CHRISTIANITY unique?
What do you HAVE TO believe to be CHRISTIAN?

What makes it unique is that it is centered in Christ through faith, worship, obedience, imitation and fellowship as we are walking in the Spirit of God, filled with His Holy Spirit, guided by His Spirit, praying in the Spirit, quenching not His Spirit, being taught by His Spirit, living in His Spirit and grieving not His Spirit.
2 Timothy 1:12; Philippians 2:4-11; 2 Thessalonians 1:8; 1 Corinthians 11:1; 1 John 1:3; Galatians 5:16; Ephesians 5:18; John 16:13; Jude 20; 1 Thessalonians 5:19; John 14:26; Galatians 5:25; Ephesians 4:30

What we have to do is believe as Peter believed in whom Christ said He is and by faith that is Christ Jesus in whom we need to be centered in as He is the Christian's foundation for salvation.
Matthew 16:13-18; Hebrews 11; Acts 4:12

 

[GodsGrace]

Good Post Wondering. I could have written it because I agree with all you said. I like the idea of examining what are the essentials of this Faith I follow (Jesus). I usually fall down on the idea of loving others. Jesus talked a lot about that. Loving others, serving others, that sort of thing. But maybe that's more an essential of the way a Believer should live. The OP probably is aiming at something more specific to essentials of belief? I'll be back later. I'm off to sub in 1st grade. Yesterday I subbed in Kindergarten. It's like herding cats.

LOL
I used to teach catechism in the CC.
I wouldn't go near the first grades. I had to do at least 8 to 12 year olds.
I always tried to convince priests to START catechism at 12, but they claimed the guys in Rome rule ! So, yeah, I know what you mean. I'll pray for ya!

But hey --- you secretly miss working...

I think subbing is love.
Teaching is love.
Passing on your passion for art is love.
Raising a family the best you can is love.

Maybe it's not as difficult as we make it out to be?

What could the O.P. be aiming at that's more specific?
I think he means what makes Christianity be just that.
What makes it different from every other "religion"?

Maybe he'll chime in...

 

[GodsGrace]

You have presented the awesome question! Your 110 word statement of faith leaves out only one thing I consider essential. I do not consider anyone saved if the presence of the Holy Spirit is not known to them and they are not attempting to live by Biblical standards the other six days of the week. Worship is a 24/7 life.

I like this Bill.
It got me thinking.
I don't believe any other religion claims to have the Holy Spirit.
I'm not sure about this.

But, yes, that would be an essential.

 

[GodsGrace]

What makes it unique is that it is centered in Christ through faith, worship, obedience, imitation and fellowship as we are walking in the Spirit of God, filled with His Holy Spirit, guided by His Spirit, praying in the Spirit, quenching not His Spirit, being taught by His Spirit, living in His Spirit and grieving not His Spirit.
2 Timothy 1:12; Philippians 2:4-11; 2 Thessalonians 1:8; 1 Corinthians 11:1; 1 John 1:3; Galatians 5:16; Ephesians 5:18; John 16:13; Jude 20; 1 Thessalonians 5:19; John 14:26; Galatians 5:25; Ephesians 4:30

What we have to do is believe as Peter believed in whom Christ said He is and by faith that is Christ Jesus in whom we need to be centered in as He is the Christian's foundation for salvation.
Matthew 16:13-18; Hebrews 11; Acts 4:12

I'm not disagreeing with you dear sister.
BTW, I highly respect you.

You mention the Holy Spirit as did Bill, and I do believe this is unique to Christianity. Also, yes, we DO have to believe that Jesus is who Peter said He was, or IS.
The SON OF GOD.
God in the flesh.

As far as salvation... Don't all religions believe they can save man?

 

[th1b.taylor]

I like this Bill.
It got me thinking.
I don't believe any other religion claims to have the Holy Spirit.
I'm not sure about this.

But, yes, that would be an essential.

None I have ever heard about have any mention of the or a Holy Spirit, in any form except the Christian and Jewish Churches. In the Jewish Religion David and oters would be indwelt for a time and then the Spirit seemed to leave them. The return of the Holy Spirit was longed for the return of by King David, as I recall it in one of the Psalms.

 

[GodsGrace]

None I have ever heard about have any mention of the or a Holy Spirit, in any form except the Christian and Jewish Churches. In the Jewish Religion David and oters would be indwelt for a time and then the Spirit seemed to leave them. The return of the Holy Spirit was longed for the return of by King David, as I recall it in one of the Psalms.

I know that the Holy Spirit was in the O.T. too but it did not INDWELL persons like after Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to us.

I don't understand that too well.
I just accept a lot. I doubt all of Christianity could be understood since it involves GOD.

 

[for_his_glory]

I'm not disagreeing with you dear sister.
BTW, I highly respect you.

You mention the Holy Spirit as did Bill, and I do believe this is unique to Christianity. Also, yes, we DO have to believe that Jesus is who Peter said He was, or IS.
The SON OF GOD.
God in the flesh.

As far as salvation... Don't all religions believe they can save man?

My reply was in reference to what you asked and glad we agree on this
What makes CHRISTIANITY unique?
What do you HAVE TO believe to be CHRISTIAN?

Many religions believe they can save man, but we know it is by Gods grace alone through faith that we are saved. Many religions that call themselves Christian do not even believe the indwelling of the Holy Spirit nor the gifts of the Spirit are for today.

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

 

[th1b.taylor]

I know that the Holy Spirit was in the O.T. too but it did not INDWELL persons like after Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to us.

I don't understand that too well.
I just accept a lot. I doubt all of Christianity could be understood since it involves GOD.

I have been confronted and asked to explain God and frequently asked about the Holy Spirit because people have heard the term of the Holy Ghost and that seems to make harder for people to deal with because as general knowledge we refuse the Ghost reports. When I explain that I do not understand God or the Holy Spirit, at different levels, they all freak out.

The average person in Europe and the USA, even in the Church believe Science over the Word of God. We have a few of those on these forums. And that really worries me for their souls because Jesus did say except you believe and it is a mystery of where the limits are.

 

[Papa Zoom]

I know that the Holy Spirit was in the O.T. too but it did not INDWELL persons like after Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to us.

I don't understand that too well.
I just accept a lot. I doubt all of Christianity could be understood since it involves GOD.

God would have to be pretty small for this small mind to grasp. I'm glad He's unfathomable. There's comfort in that.

 

[Runner]

LOL
What could the O.P. be aiming at that's more specific?
I think he means what makes Christianity be just that.
What makes it different from every other "religion"?

Maybe he'll chime in...

It seems all threads take on a life of their own and seldom end up bearing much relationship to what the OP was talking about.

My issue is simply: What, in your mind, must an individual believe to be considered a fellow Christian?

Put it in simplest terms: Fred says, "I know and care about nothing except this: I was a sinner who needed God's forgiveness. Somehow, in some way that I don't understand, God made it possible through Jesus life, death and resurrection for me to receive this forgiveness and be saved. I accepted God's offer. I have repented and been baptized. I don't intend to ever give another thought to what it all means or how it all works. I am now moving forward, with daily prayer, to live out a Christian life as I understand Jesus' teachings."

The above is Fred's entire theology, his entire statement of faith. He doesn't care one iota about the Baptists, the Methodists, the Catholics, the Mormons or the Jehovah's Witnesses or any of their creeds, statements of faith or doctrines. He truly is not interested. He bought a red-letter Bible and all he ever intends to read are Jesus' words in red, because it is those words that are going to guide the rest of his life.

Are Fred's simplistic understanding and sincere but simplistic effort to lead a Christian life sufficient for him to be deemed a Christian brother in your eyes? In God's eyes? If not, what essential is missing?

My belief is that Fred is missing nothing. My belief is that if every Fred and Freda had this theology, Christianity might actually look like what Jesus had in mind.

 

[th1b.taylor]

It seems all threads take on a life of their own and seldom end up bearing much relationship to what the OP was talking about.

My issue is simply: What, in your mind, must an individual believe to be considered a fellow Christian?

Put it in simplest terms: Fred says, "I know and care about nothing except this: I was a sinner who needed God's forgiveness. Somehow, in some way that I don't understand, God made it possible through Jesus life, death and resurrection for me to receive this forgiveness and be saved. I accepted God's offer. I have repented and been baptized. I don't intend to ever give another thought to what it all means or how it all works. I am now moving forward, with daily prayer, to live out a Christian life as I understand Jesus' teachings."

The above is Fred's entire theology, his entire statement of faith. He doesn't care one iota about the Baptists, the Methodists, the Catholics, the Mormons or the Jehovah's Witnesses or any of their creeds, statements of faith or doctrines. He truly is not interested. He bought a red-letter Bible and all he ever intends to read are Jesus' words in red, because it is those words that are going to guide the rest of his life.

Are Fred's simplistic understanding and sincere but simplistic effort to lead a Christian life sufficient for him to be deemed a Christian brother in your eyes? In God's eyes? If not, what essential is missing?

My belief is that Fred is missing nothing. My belief is that if every Fred and Freda had this theology, Christianity might actually look like what Jesus had in mind.

I would say he is my brother and that God will complete what He has begun in Fred!

 

[Free]

It seems all threads take on a life of their own and seldom end up bearing much relationship to what the OP was talking about.

My issue is simply: What, in your mind, must an individual believe to be considered a fellow Christian?

Put it in simplest terms: Fred says, "I know and care about nothing except this: I was a sinner who needed God's forgiveness. Somehow, in some way that I don't understand, God made it possible through Jesus life, death and resurrection for me to receive this forgiveness and be saved. I accepted God's offer. I have repented and been baptized. I don't intend to ever give another thought to what it all means or how it all works. I am now moving forward, with daily prayer, to live out a Christian life as I understand Jesus' teachings."

The above is Fred's entire theology, his entire statement of faith. He doesn't care one iota about the Baptists, the Methodists, the Catholics, the Mormons or the Jehovah's Witnesses or any of their creeds, statements of faith or doctrines. He truly is not interested. He bought a red-letter Bible and all he ever intends to read are Jesus' words in red, because it is those words that are going to guide the rest of his life.

Are Fred's simplistic understanding and sincere but simplistic effort to lead a Christian life sufficient for him to be deemed a Christian brother in your eyes? In God's eyes? If not, what essential is missing?

My belief is that Fred is missing nothing. My belief is that if every Fred and Freda had this theology, Christianity might actually look like what Jesus had in mind.

I would say that Fred could get into a whole lot of trouble, not necessarily, but quite likely. I think that is too simplistic a view.

Jesus, being the central figure of the entire Scriptures, the only one through whom we have salvation, simply cannot be whoever or whatever we want him to be. To "believe in his name" is to believe in the sum of what that name means--what he has done and who he is.

I think God will show mercy and extend grace to those who, for whatever reason, don't have the mental capacity to understand anymore than what you have given, but for those who do, they are called to study, to rightly divide the word of truth.

Who Jesus is is absolutely central and essential for salvation.

 

[Runner]

I would say that Fred could get into a whole lot of trouble, not necessarily, but quite likely. I think that is too simplistic a view.

Jesus, being the central figure of the entire Scriptures, the only one through whom we have salvation, simply cannot be whoever or whatever we want him to be. To "believe in his name" is to believe in the sum of what that name means--what he has done and who he is.

I think God will show mercy and extend grace to those who, for whatever reason, don't have the mental capacity to understand anymore than what you have given, but for those who do, they are called to study, to rightly divide the word of truth.

Who Jesus is is absolutely central and essential for salvation.

Well, Christians of all stripes get into a whole lot of trouble every day, but my question is: In what essentials, if any, is Fred's Christianity lacking?

For the sake of argument, we'll give Fred an IQ of 193. He simply declines to bog down in any theology beyond what I have stated. He simply chooses to move prayerfully forward, putting Jesus' red-letter teachings into practice.

Fred's Jesus is not whoever or whatever Fred wants Him to be. Fred believes that Jesus' life, death and resurrection make it possible for him to receive forgiveness from God. That's who Jesus is - the One through whom God makes salvation possible for Fred. Is it essential that he believe more than this about Jesus? If so, why? If so, what more must he believe?

Having repented of his sins, accepted God's grace and been baptized, Fred now intends to prayerfully put into practice Jesus' teachings as shown in his red-letter Bible. Is it essential that he do more than this? (Can he do more than this?) If so, what more must he do?

What is "the sum of what that name means"? If Fred believes that Jesus' life, death and resurrection make forgiveness and salvation possible for him, what else must be added to this sum? Is it the Virgin Birth, the Trinity, the Rapture, or what? All of those things, perhaps - all of those things are essential to being a Christian brother?

I'm not debating just to be argumentative. I'm genuinely having a hard time understanding why Fred, if he existed, wouldn't be just about the best Christian I've ever met. I'm certainly not arguing on behalf of Runner - my Christian path has been almost the precise opposite of Fred's, with a great deal of intellectualizing at the expense of Christian practice. If I knew a Fred, I'd cheerfully concede that he's far closer to what Jesus had in mind than I am.

 

[GodsGrace]

It seems all threads take on a life of their own and seldom end up bearing much relationship to what the OP was talking about.

My issue is simply: What, in your mind, must an individual believe to be considered a fellow Christian?

Put it in simplest terms: Fred says, "I know and care about nothing except this: I was a sinner who needed God's forgiveness. Somehow, in some way that I don't understand, God made it possible through Jesus life, death and resurrection for me to receive this forgiveness and be saved. I accepted God's offer. I have repented and been baptized. I don't intend to ever give another thought to what it all means or how it all works. I am now moving forward, with daily prayer, to live out a Christian life as I understand Jesus' teachings."

The above is Fred's entire theology, his entire statement of faith. He doesn't care one iota about the Baptists, the Methodists, the Catholics, the Mormons or the Jehovah's Witnesses or any of their creeds, statements of faith or doctrines. He truly is not interested. He bought a red-letter Bible and all he ever intends to read are Jesus' words in red, because it is those words that are going to guide the rest of his life.

Are Fred's simplistic understanding and sincere but simplistic effort to lead a Christian life sufficient for him to be deemed a Christian brother in your eyes? In God's eyes? If not, what essential is missing?

My belief is that Fred is missing nothing. My belief is that if every Fred and Freda had this theology, Christianity might actually look like what Jesus had in mind.

I agree that Fred will be a fellow Christian brother.
Nothing else is needed but to read those red words and follow them to the best of our ability.

To be honest, I'm becoming a little tired of hearing what Paul has to say and Jesus hardly ever gets quoted.

There is ONE item missing for me from Fred's words. I DO believe we have to believe Jesus is God. However, I can say that even if one cannot reach to this point, God will forgive Him and perhaps one day Fred will, or perhaps Fred forgot to mention it.

IOW, other persons in other religions claim to bring people to God and to "save" them for heaven (or a good reincarnation, or whatever) but only Jesus was claimed to be God.

So I do think this is a very big difference between Christianity and every other religion.

So Fred is expousing the FORM of how to LIVE a Christianly life. Or why He loves Jesus.

This is not what you asked.

I think I must have already said this, but what makes a person Christian for me is:

Belief that Jesus is God
Belief in the resurrection

Of course, if one believes Jesus is God, he will also agree with everything Fred said and read those words in red carefully and try to live them.

 

[Runner]

I agree that Fred will be a fellow Christian brother.
Nothing else is needed but to read those red words and follow them to the best of our ability.

To be honest, I'm becoming a little tired of hearing what Paul has to say and Jesus hardly ever gets quoted.

There is ONE item missing for me from Fred's words. I DO believe we have to believe Jesus is God. However, I can say that even if one cannot reach to this point, God will forgive Him and perhaps one day Fred will, or perhaps Fred forgot to mention it.

IOW, other persons in other religions claim to bring people to God and to "save" them for heaven (or a good reincarnation, or whatever) but only Jesus was claimed to be God.

So I do think this is a very big difference between Christianity and every other religion.

So Fred is expousing the FORM of how to LIVE a Christianly life. Or why He loves Jesus.

This is not what you asked.

I think I must have already said this, but what makes a person Christian for me is:

Belief that Jesus is God
Belief in the resurrection

Of course, if one believes Jesus is God, he will also agree with everything Fred said and read those words in red carefully and try to live them.

Just to be fair to dear old Fred, of whom I'm becoming rather fond, he does recognize the uniqueness of Christianity. He does recognize that Jesus' life, death and resurrection are the sole means for him to receive forgiveness and salvation.

Having recognized those essentials, he just isn't going to spend any more time pondering exactly who Jesus was or exactly how it all works.

As Fred reads his red-letter Bible, he will of course encounter some of Jesus' more startling statements: "Jesus said to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.'" John 8:58, NASB. So clearly, Fred doesn't think Jesus was just some guy God happened to choose as the vehicle of salvation.

Jesus is, at a minimum, the Christ and the incarnation of a heavenly being - but Fred is content to leave it at that, without wading into the debate as to whether Jesus is the Second Person of a Trinity, "merely" the begotten Son of God, or the image of God in some way that we are unable to grasp.

Fred believes he can't go wrong by simply recognizing that Jesus is the Christ, the unique Person whose life, death and resurrection make salvation possible. He is concerned that if he locks himself into a dogmatic position, whether it be the Second Person of the Trinity or "merely" the begotten Son of God, he could turn out to be very wrong in a way that is displeasing to God and detrimental to his own relationship with God.

 

[Winter Tapioca]

I know that the Holy Spirit was in the O.T. too but it did not INDWELL persons like after Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to us.

I don't understand that too well.
I just accept a lot. I doubt all of Christianity could be understood since it involves GOD.

"It" ?

“Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me” (Psalm 51:11).

 

[Christ_empowered]

I always have difficulty understanding The Holy Spirit as a person, too. He is awfully mysterious.