Basic Beliefs To Grow On: An Introduction

While witnessing for Christ on the streets of a city in California, evangelist H.A. Ironside and his associates were often interrupted by questions from the crowd. "There are hundreds of religions in this country, and the followers of each sect think they're right. How can poor plain people like us find out what really is the truth?"

Ironside and his friends would answer something like this: "Did I hear you say there are hundreds of religions? That's strange; I've heard of only two. True, I find many shades of difference in the opinions of those comprising the two great schools. But after all, there are but two. The one covers all who expect salvation by doing; the other, all who have been saved by something done."

Salvation is not an end in itself; rather, salvation is the first step of an exciting, challenging journey. When we accept Christ’s forgiveness and repent of our sin, we open the door to that relationship with God that He has created us for. Just because we’ve taken that first step, however, doesn’t mean the rest of the journey will be easy. The Bible never promises an easy, happy life for those who follow God. It DOES promise that God will be with us along the way and that He will provide for every need:

Deuteronomy 31:8 – The LORD Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.
2 Corinthians 9:8 – And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
Philippians 4:19 – And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
2 Peter 1:3 – His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him…

Together, during the next several weeks, we will discuss the basic beliefs of Christianity, which will both help you understand the "heart" of Christianity, and provide information necessary for healthy growth as a new Christian. Therefore, I whole-heartedly encourage you to read/review the passages mentioned in each posting during this series.

Like a mighty oak tree, we as believing Christians need to have a good solid foundation on which to grow. This doesn't just occur by accident or coincidence. There are certain principles, or foundational truths, that the Bible gives us to help us along in our walk. We won’t be able to prevent storms that shake us, but by building a strong foundation for our faith with these basic truths, we WILL be able to make it through the storms and grow from those experiences. (See Luke 6.46-49, “The Wise and Foolish Builders”) If we can understand and apply these principles, our journey with God will be off on a good start!

These truths are more than just theory: what we believe dramatically impacts how we live. When we believe lies, we live in defeat and wonder why our walk with God isn’t working. In fact, most spiritual problems and many psychological problems in our life are the result of lies we believe.

An incorrect view of God or belief about how He views us is detrimental to our faith and will negatively impact our walk with Him. In contrast, those with healthy spiritual and emotional lives are usually that way because they are living in the light of the truth given us in God’s Word.

During our series we will discuss four foundational truths about Christianity. Next time our topic will be the first truth: Our Identity. Until then, may God bless you!

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, I want to know you personally. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life to you and ask you to come in as my Savior and Lord. Take control of my life. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Make me the kind of person you want me to be. Amen

May God bless you,

Becky Lynn