Back To The Basics
August 30th, 2007 by Victor
In our recent conversation about “Sacred Cows” some comments were brought up which I thought might be good to discuss further, yet in a different way.
You will often hear evangelicals talk about the “basic essentials” that one must believe to be a Christian/saved, etc. For example, the absolute infallibility of Scripture, the believer’s hope of heaven, the death, buirial and resurrection of Jesus, the trinity, and more would all be on this list. I find this interesting considering some of these basics are things I would disagree with Scripturally.
Can anyone think of the “basics” that you have been refering to as listed in Scripture? I think it would be easy for someone to argue that their list of basics is essential while another would disagree and have an entirely different list! Can we turn to Scripture for some guidance in this area? What do you think?
“Jesus is Lord” (Rom 10:9; 1 Cor 12:3)
This is the one thing which Paul says you have to confess and “you will be saved”.
Of course, we could then argue that one has to understand what it means to be “Lord” in order to confess this properly.
I’ve always considered Psalm 119 to be an excellent source when teaching children (and adults) some of the ABCs of the bible. After all, this Psalm in particular is structured with the Hebrew ABCs and it’s my understanding that this was used by Hebrew grandparents as a primer for teaching their grand children.
You should check this Psalm out with that in mind.
-Thom
I believe that the foundational doctrine which is the key to eternal life according to Jesus, is the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. We are expected to believe the Gospel and act upon its commands. But it is more than just “there is a Kingdom coming.” Included in that Gospel are such points as Who is God, Who is Jesus, and what is the nature of man. The nature of man includes things like the fact that we were intended to rule on the earth but fell due to sin, and the fact that we are not inherantly immortal and need to be given eternal life. All of these truths are part and parcel to the overall concept of the Good News of the Coming Kingdom. So I would say that the “basics” are those things which relate to the overall Gospel message that Jesus preached.
Two sections of Scripture come to mind that list out the basics.
Regarding the idea that one must believe that the Bible is the innerrant and infallible, this is not a necessary condition to salvation. Mark is correct in that salvation depends on an intelligent reception of the gospel of the kingdom to such a degree that it causes repentance in someone that lasts a lifetime. To that end, perhaps Steve’s “Jesus is Lord” approach could be the shortest way to summarize. After all, if we call Jesus Lord then we do what he says (Luke 6.46) and the first command he ever gave is “Repent, the kingdom of God is at hand” (Mark 1.14-15; Matthew 4.17).
Mark & Sean,
To confess that ‘Jesus is the Lord’ I would suggest is the same as believing His Gospel of the Kingdom. His Lordship is due to His being the Son of David, the King of Israel. Even ‘Son of God’ was a title recognising His Kingship. At Pentecost Peter declared that God had made Jesus “both Lord and Christ”, both terms referring to His exaltation (enthronement?) as King and Messiah.
Hence the Gospel of the Kingdom is summarised as “One Lord, one faith, one hope, etc”. The “one body” in Paul’s confession is the ekklesia, the community of God’s people i.e. Israel assembled.
The Ephesians 4 confession is interesting in a ‘trinitarian’ context in that the order here is “one Spirit … one Lord … one God” - the reverse order of what we might expect in a trinitarian formula. Paul was probably building up crescendo-like to his climax of “one God”.
1. You must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind.
2. You must love your neighbor as yourself
I think one definitely needs to believe that Jesus died for his or her sins on the cross in order to be saved. (Rom 10.9; 1 Cor 15.3-4; etc)
hi, 2 timothy 2:15 is a scripture that says that we as sons of God. are also workman . who can with help (colossians 1:27)rightly divide the word of truth. in order to know truth. so we can live truth.
Hi all,
as the various comments show, we indeed have already a number of “different lists of basics” ….
Perhaps it would be better to first define terms more accurately? What basics are meant in the above questions in Victo’s post and/or the evanglicals’ lists of basics? About what “basics” regarding which matters or topics are people talking? I.e., are we talking about “basics of salvation”? “bascis of Scripture interpretation”? “basics of agreement in order to have fellowship”? “basics of {Christian} doctrine”, etc. etc. etc. …
Cheers,
Wolfgang
Concerning basics, the “answer of a good conscience toward God [via identifying with the death, burial and resurrection of Christ” (baptisim in the name of Jesus Christ] is held up all over the place in scripture as the basis of true repentance and salvation. Knowing the meaning and relevance of his name is an integral component to (having) the faith required for baptism, for ..”whosever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved'’
Conscience is huge. There’s a commandment that Paul gave to Timothy that would reveal the conscience and character of the believers in Ephesus, as well as Timothy’s; The charge is that they would “teach no other doctrine, nor give heed to fables & endless genealogies [gnosticism and allegorical interpretatons of the law that was so prevalent at the time] This commandment Paul gave to Timothy is like a sword that simultaneously pierces the one wielding it, and the one at whom it is directed. This commandment invoked Timothy to constantly teach the Word & and to give rebuke of any and all contrary teaching to sound doctrine. Also, this charge would pierce the less mature believer and cause him to cease from a lifestyle of vain disputing . The outcome of the commandment would produce love from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith in Timothy as well as the less mature ones he was charged to instruct. I’d say these are integral qualities that accompany salvation.