Have you ever thought about what you feel to be the essential beliefs of a Christian?
Christians are something that we claim to be and we live our life by, but I have had seasons in my life where I have
gone too long without answering that question. The real issue that I run into when I forget this question is that I go too long without asking why I hold these beliefs. This answer to me is something that is crucial for us as Christians.
First Peter 3 tells us to always be ready to make a defense for the hope that is in us, and the question, “How do you know?” is vital when looking at why we have hope in Christ. When we boil it down, these are the things I always come back to. I’ve included Scripture references to show how we know these to be true.
1) God is the creator of all things, including us. (Genesis 1)
2) We sinned and as a result separated ourselves from God’s perfect nature. (Genesis 3)
3) God sent his only Son, Jesus, to live a perfect life, die in atonement for our sins, and rose again after three days overcoming death and tearing the veil between us and God. (1 Corinthians 15)
4) The Bible is the inspired Word of God. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
There is so much more to our faith and what we believe, but these to me are the building blocks of Christianity, creating a base that we can move deeper into study and communion with God. I urge you to take the time to ask yourself, “How do you know what you believe?” because your answer to that question builds the foundation for the rest of your faith.
