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Basics of the faith

G

Godspeaks2me

New Member
Michael Wrenn said:
So, that's all that is necessary?
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It's a good start.


Michael Wrenn said:
That's the essence of the Gospel, in a nutshell?
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Basically

Michael Wrenn said:
If you were starting a church or founding a new denomination, is that all you would require to be believed?
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I would require only an open mind towards the possibility of God for someone to come to my church.

Now if your asking "and I think you are" what I consider to be a born again Christian and my brother in Christ, well, If you believe John 3:16 then you are my brother and the rest can be discussed over potluck, with zeal and brotherly love.
 
Thinkingstuff

Thinkingstuff

Active Member
Michael Wrenn said:
What do you folks think are the things necessary to believe to be a Christian?
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Everything in the Nicean Creed. Just for a refresher I'll post it here.

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 and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary
and became truly human.
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],
who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic 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.
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S

savedbymercy

New Member
The basics of the Faith according to scripture, is the foundation of Christ 1 Cor 3:11

11For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

Who He is, what He accomplished, for whom He accomplished it and Why ?
 
M

Michael Wrenn

New Member
So, if all a person needs to believe to be a Christian is that Jesus lived and died as one of us, to save us from sin and hell, and was physically resurrected and thus defeated death and the devil, why the need for denominations with all their extra "stuff"? And all the charges back and forth between them of false teachings?

Shouldn't there be a church/denomination where the only requirement for membership and service is to believe the above, repent of your sins, and resolve to live a holy life? If you are a Christian according to the above criteria, what does it matter what other or additional beliefs you hold?
 
Thinkingstuff

Thinkingstuff

Active Member
Michael Wrenn said:
Shouldn't there be a church/denomination where the only requirement for membership and service is to believe the above, repent of your sins, and resolve to live a holy life? If you are a Christian according to the above criteria, what does it matter what other or additional beliefs you hold?
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I thought that was pretty much it for being a Christian.
 
H

Heavenly Pilgrim

New Member
Ann: Yes they can but the Spirit will convict them of their sin.
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HP: If that does not happen antecedent to salvation, they cannot fulfill the first stated condition of salvation, i.e., repent.

Repentance must preceed salvation. Jesus said unles ye repent ye shall all likewise perish. No repentance, no salvation.
 
M

Michael Wrenn

New Member
Thinkingstuff said:
I thought that was pretty much it for being a Christian.
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My point exactly.

So, shouldn't there be a church/denomination where this is the only requirement, and let people believe what they want in all other areas?

Further, if people are Christians according to that criteria, then there are no false beliefs, are there -- only mistaken opinions?
 
Thinkingstuff

Thinkingstuff

Active Member
Michael Wrenn said:
My point exactly.

So, shouldn't there be a church/denomination where this is the only requirement, and let people believe what they want in all other areas?

Further, if people are Christians according to that criteria, then there are no false beliefs, are there -- only mistaken opinions?
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Now you are getting into the question of "how much has God revealed himself" and "through what means".

All Baptist are Sola Scriptura and believe that God primarily and fully reveales himself in the scriptures. However, since each man is his own authority on this it is on each man/woman to fall back onto to each person's personal interpretation of the scriptures and how much God has revealed to them individually through his word. Though it isn't spoken much baptist also believe in a General revelation that some of what can be known of God is revealed in nature. Finally, though this isn't spoken much of either baptist believe of an internal revelation in each person as the Holy Spirit presents each individual person more revelation. The obvious problem is that no one agrees on what deeper revelation God is presenting them. But despite this problem the prevailing view is that each person is at a different level than others.
 
M

Michael Wrenn

New Member
Thinkingstuff said:
Now you are getting into the question of "how much has God revealed himself" and "through what means".

All Baptist are Sola Scriptura and believe that God primarily and fully reveales himself in the scriptures. However, since each man is his own authority on this it is on each man/woman to fall back onto to each person's personal interpretation of the scriptures and how much God has revealed to them individually through his word. Though it isn't spoken much baptist also believe in a General revelation that some of what can be known of God is revealed in nature. Finally, though this isn't spoken much of either baptist believe of an internal revelation in each person as the Holy Spirit presents each individual person more revelation. The obvious problem is that no one agrees on what deeper revelation God is presenting them. But despite this problem the prevailing view is that each person is at a different level than others.
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I think that's a good analysis.

I am, for the most part, Baptist in my thinking and beliefs, but I don't hold to Sola Scriptura, preferring instead the "Wesleyan Quadrilateral". I used to hold that the Spirit is the final authority, like the Quakers, but that can lead to problems, too. Evangelical Quakers solve this by saying if a leading purported to be of the Spirit does not line up with scripture then it is a false leading -- which in effect returns to Sola Scriptura.

Well, anyway, in my searches I've found that even those churches carrying a "non-denominational" label still have denominational-like teachings. I haven't been able to find a church that says if you accept Jesus and repent, you can believe whatever else you want to. Seems that there should be a church like that. :)
 
M

mont974x4

New Member
1Co 2:2 For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.

This is how Paul summarized it. The problem is we tend to get into disagreements regarding just what that means. A reading of 2 John gives us some guidance:

2Jn 1:7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.
2Jn 1:8 Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward.
2Jn 1:9 Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son.
2Jn 1:10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting;
2Jn 1:11 for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds. (NASB)
 
M

Moriah

New Member
Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."John 14:21.
 
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