The Christian faith is unlike no other. Based on a relationship between the triune God and humanity, Christianity is centred on the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Without Jesus Christ Christianity would be nothing but dead formalism. The Christian Faith does not consist merely in aspects of ‘doing’ or ‘aesthetics’ in order to achieve connectivity with a certain deity.
Rather, Christianity is about a true knowledge of God, of man and of the created order. It’s about acknowledging the fall of man from the perfect state in which he was formed from the very beginning. True Christianity is about how fallen man may be reconciled to God. It is not based, as some people mistakenly believe, on ‘blind faith.’ Rather a true follower of Christ, also known as a Christian or believer, trusts in God based on a reasoned understanding of the truth. This truth may be found in the Holy Scriptures of God composed of the Old and New Testaments.
Basic Tenets of the Christian Faith
God
That God exists and that He has no beginning nor end. That there is one God in three persons, Father , Son and the Holy Spirit. That He is sovereign and does all things in accordance to His everlasting will.
Creation
That God created the universe in six (6) literal days. That the earth was specially created for God’s eternal purpose to unfold. That of the created order placed on earth, mankind was appointed by God to subdue the earth. That mankind alone was given the privilege and responsibility to tend to God’s creation and to worship Him forever.
Mankind
That man and woman were created in the image of God. That mankind failed to obey God’s commandment and that he fell as a result. That God ejected mankind from His presence and the garden of Eden. That as a result of the fall man no longer had the privilege of that direct access to God. That because of this fall man is tainted with sin throughout every faculty of his being.
The Lord Jesus Christ
That man needed a mediator who would be reconcile him back to God. That the Lord Jesus Christ was offered up once for the sins of many. That all who trust and believe in Him have eternal life. That such as trust in Christ shall never be lost.
Judgement Day
That there is a day in which all mankind shall appear before the Lord Jesus Christ to be judged for all the things that they did in their bodies on earth. That the judgment at the last day shall be preceded by a worldwide rebellion orchestrated by the Devil. That the Lord shall defeat all rebellion when He returns to earth from heaven to judge all men and devils.
Heaven and Hell
That there is a literal place where Christ ascended to, known as Heaven, and that this is the place where all that die in the Lord go to be with Him forevermore. That there is a literal hell where all who do not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ end up after they die.
Conversion
That only those who are born again are declared to be the children of God. That such persons are born again through the merits of Jesus Christ the only Saviour. That this conversion is a personal experience where one is inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit of God to become a child of God. That this experience has nothing to do with anything that is man-originated, but rather that the free favour of God is applied to a sinner who by this is made righteous. That all persons regardless of who they may be are converted by God’s Spirit.