Featured Essentials of the faith

The Philippian jailer asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" The answer he received was Christ-centered, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved, both you and your house." Paul and his companions were jailed for preaching Christ. What was the content of their Christ preaching? If the didactic epistles are any indication it included the Old Testament promises of Jesus' coming, His virgin birth, His miracles, His teachings, His arrest, His crucifixion, His burial, and His resurrection. In short - Christ. Paul said, "I desire to know nothing among you except Christ, and him crucified."

So, the essentials of the fair are Christ-centered; the facts, as contained in scripture, about Christ. Obviously we cab drill down on the parts, but it starts and ends with Christ.

 

If we believe in Jesus as our Savior then we have eternal life and we're not condemned:
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)

"Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son." (John 3:18)

"Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him." (John 3:36)

"I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life." (John 5:24)


I will add...
Believing that Jesus died to atone for your personal sins against God. This means you know that you deserve to be condemned to hell for your sins, but you are trusting that you will go to heaven because Jesus has already paid the penalty for you by dying on the cross as your Substitute.
Believing that Jesus, the Son of God, was resurrected from the dead.

 

Then how much do you care to drill down beyond that....For example: Sola Scriptura – Scripture alone – sola gratia – grace alone – and sola fide – faith alone. If so, do we then exclude RCC, Evangelical Anglicans etc? Bottom line, are these essentials or merely opinions???

 

There is one essential that many Christians would like to forget. James puts it pretty plainly.

Please note that James is not saying that works will save you, but that your faith will be shown in your works and if there are no works then .............

 

Let me add that what is essential for a new believer is only the first green shoots from a sprouting plant. Believers are supposed to progress in their knowledge and sanctification. They should know more about Christ, the teachings of the Apostles, and display the evidence of knowledge and faith through their works (Eph. 2:10). These are essentials for healthy Christian growth.

Thomas, notice I am not providing a check list of things. I do not believe the Bible presents the Christian faith as a check list. Knowledge and faith build over time.

 

so answer my question directly instead of evading it.... Again Sola Scriptura – Scripture alone – sola gratia – grace alone – and sola fide – faith alone. If so, do we then exclude RCC, Evangelical Anglicans etc? Bottom line, are these essentials or merely opinions???

 

Excuse me? Who is evading what?

 

A person does not need to be Reformed to be a Christian. I believe the Reformed understanding of scripture is more accurate than the synergist view, but it is not essential to be a Christian.

 

From what I understand, Reformed has more to do with Covenant Theology than it has to do with the Solas....if so Im not talking about being Reformed per se but in fact the tenants.

you said earlier that we were to contend for the faith. Well define the "Faith"....if its only the warrant to believe then the rest is just a conversation......however "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble."

 

The Reformed faith certainly includes Covenant Theology, but the canons of Dordt are also part of it. TULIP codifies Calvinism, and it was at Dordt that TULIP was so eloquently stated.

 

OK...let me be clear....I dont believe in covenant theology....but my soteriology is Sovereign Grace/DoG. Now Calvinism as I understand it requires you to be a Paedo & follow a sacremental / Catholic like whatever. I dont do that either. So I dont consider myself a Calvinist. But all this is a mute point. All your saying is that you have to believe in God.....James is saying that the demons do that too. What then proves your allegiance to Christ & what is really essential to being a died in the wool disipline...... I say at that point it is works. It has to be the fruit that distinguishes you.

 

Christ: virgin born, lived, died was buried, resurrected, and ascended, a literal and physical return of Christ

The Trinity

The sin of man

The wrath of God

Hell as the final judgment of God for those who reject Him

The cross

The eternal torment in hell

 

Saved by Grace alone, thru faith alone IS the heart of the true Gospel!

Add to that scriptures ALONE are sole authority for doctrines/practices, and that would answer your question!

ANY church that adds to thsoe 2 things is NOT a chrsitian church, casn have saved persons in it, but NOT a real christian church based upon not teaching the essentials of the faith!

 

calvinism has differing aspects to it, for there are Dispy like myself who hold to DoG, as does John McArthur, those who hold to a presby view, others a baptist reformed...

Also in reformed, are Old/New Coveant theologies...

Think that you would be one like me, who holds to the TULIP, but not rest of the entire calvinistic ttheology package!

 

Without being pigeonholed, I would say that the scriptural content of the Apostles creed is a good starting point.