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Basic beliefs of followers of Jesus

 

Jesus' followers share a basic set of beliefs that are called doctrines.  To not believe one doctrine would disqualify a person as a Christian. The simplest statement of these core beliefs is as follows:

Early in church history creeds were developed to aid the followers of Jesus to know what must be believed. There are long in depth creeds and there are short simple ones. Here is a simple one.

 

The Apostles' Creed

 

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.

And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy universal  Church, the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.

 

There is much more believed then stated above based upon teachings found in various places in the Bible. I will summarize some of these as best I can.

 

I believe in One God, existing as three eternal, equal, not created but each with a different role. I have covered much of the subject of God on other pages.

 

I believe that every human born becomes a being who will exist forever from the moment of conception. Each person has a single life and when that life ends each person will appear before God to be judged as to whether they live with God in His heaven forever or they will be separated from God forever and be cast into a place called Hell. Hell will be a place of eternal darkness, isolation and suffering with no chance of ever leaving that place. Some believe that Hell will eventually cease to exist so the suffering ceases. This does not agree with what is written in Bible though.

 

So, upon what will God base His judgement upon concerning each of us?

 

This is a Major difference between most world religions and some Christian denominations and what I believe the Bible clearly teaches.

 

Heaven or Hell will not be based on whether a person is good or bad, or whether a person does more "good works" or "good deeds" versus "bad works or bad deeds".

 

Listen to what the Bible says about "good works" or "good deeds".

 

"We are ALL as an unclean thing,  for ALL our righteousness (good works) are a pile of filthy rags." Isaiah 64:6 If that is how God views our good works, how does God view our bad deeds?

 

"...you are saved by faith, and not of yourselves(your own effort) ,...not of works lest any man should boast." Ephesians 2:8-9

 

"Not by works of righteousness...". Titus 3:5

 

Think you're a "good" person? Listen to the Bible again.

 

"There is none righteous(good), there is none that seek after God(the correct God)". Romans 3:10

 

"For ALL have sinnned and fall short of the glory of God(don't meet God's requirement)".

Romans 3:23

 

I'm a good person, I've never "killled anyone", I've never "stole anything", I've never commited adultery or lusted or disrespected my parents. I'm just as good as anyone else. Listen to the Bible.

 

"For whoever keeps the whole  law but breaks on ONE point IS GUILTY OF ALL". James 2:10. 

 

How can we ever do enough to know God is pleased with us? To know we've done enough?

 

 

 

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