Christian Essentials
as compiled by Ray L. Winstead
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Christian Essentials
My Conclusion - What's yours?
My Conclusion - What's yours?
“What are the essential, core Christian beliefs?” - or - “Who is a Christian?” – or - “How do you become a Christian?”
Based on the biblical evidence, my answer becomes:
A Christian must:
a) LOVE
(I believe everything in the Bible is meant to be interpreted within the context of what Jesus said about Love, i.e., I believe in a "Love First Theology.")
Mark 12:28-31 "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this:” “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” “The second is this:” “Love your neighbor as yourself.” “There is no commandment greater than these.” (NIV)
Romans 13:8-10 “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. The commandments, 'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not covet,' and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” (NIV)
And among Christians Paul wrote: Galatians 3:28 "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (NIV) (That is, my interpretation is that neither group membership, position, gender, nor any other perceived, worldly difference is important with respect to being a Christian, since all Christians are equal in Christ Jesus.)
b) REPENT of his/her sins
Mark 1:15 - Jesus said “The kingdom of God is near.
Repent and believe the good news!” (NIV)
A dictionary says that “repent” means to feel sorrow, remorse, or regret for one’s
past conduct.
The author of Belief Matters (Charles Yrigoyen) says that repentance is “a complete turning to God and
the reorientation of our lives around God’s presence and will.”
Sin means the departure of an individual from God’s will.
c) BELIEVE and ACCEPT the essential, core beliefs expressed in the combination of the
Apostles’ Creed, the Korean Creed, and the Nicene Creed as summary
expressions of Biblical truth.
John 3:16 “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.” NIV
(See creeds below.)
d) DO the will of God as an expression of, and within the context of, faith
(recognizing that works outside of faith have no spiritual value or importance).
Matthew 7:21 – Jesus said “Not everyone who says to me,
‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he
who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” (NIV)
Micah 6:8 – “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And
what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love
mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (NIV)
Based on the biblical evidence, my answer becomes:
A Christian must:
a) LOVE
(I believe everything in the Bible is meant to be interpreted within the context of what Jesus said about Love, i.e., I believe in a "Love First Theology.")
Mark 12:28-31 "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this:” “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” “The second is this:” “Love your neighbor as yourself.” “There is no commandment greater than these.” (NIV)
Romans 13:8-10 “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. The commandments, 'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not covet,' and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” (NIV)
And among Christians Paul wrote: Galatians 3:28 "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (NIV) (That is, my interpretation is that neither group membership, position, gender, nor any other perceived, worldly difference is important with respect to being a Christian, since all Christians are equal in Christ Jesus.)
b) REPENT of his/her sins
Mark 1:15 - Jesus said “The kingdom of God is near.
Repent and believe the good news!” (NIV)
A dictionary says that “repent” means to feel sorrow, remorse, or regret for one’s
past conduct.
The author of Belief Matters (Charles Yrigoyen) says that repentance is “a complete turning to God and
the reorientation of our lives around God’s presence and will.”
Sin means the departure of an individual from God’s will.
c) BELIEVE and ACCEPT the essential, core beliefs expressed in the combination of the
Apostles’ Creed, the Korean Creed, and the Nicene Creed as summary
expressions of Biblical truth.
John 3:16 “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.” NIV
(See creeds below.)
d) DO the will of God as an expression of, and within the context of, faith
(recognizing that works outside of faith have no spiritual value or importance).
Matthew 7:21 – Jesus said “Not everyone who says to me,
‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he
who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” (NIV)
Micah 6:8 – “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And
what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love
mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (NIV)