What is the Christian faith?
The Christian faith centers on beliefs regarding the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Christian means “Christ-like.” Because of one’s belief in Jesus Christ, he or she strives to have a close relationship with God through prayer (communication with him) and reading/studying The Bible to see how Jesus lived His life here on Earth so that we can strive to model our lives after Him.
What is the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
"The word gospel means "good news," so the gospel of Christ is the good news of His coming to provide
forgiveness of sins for all who will believe (Colossians 1:14; Romans 10:9)."
"Since the first man's (Adam) sin, mankind has been under the condemnation of God (Romans 5:12-13). Because
everyone breaks God's perfect law by committing sin, everyone is guilty (Romans 3:23). Romans 6:23 reminds
us, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Avoidance of repentance leads to eternal separation from God, which is called the "second death"
(Revelation 20:14–15) (Matthew 25:46).
All who are guilty of sin are countered by the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ. God, because of
His love for the world, has made a way for man to be forgiven of their sins (John 3:16). He sent His Son,
Jesus Christ, to not only live a sinless life, but to take the sins of mankind on Himself through death
on the cross (1 Peter 2:24). Because of this, God ensured us that all who believe in the name of Jesus
will be forgiven (Acts 10:43). In addition, Romans 10:9 reminds us, "that if you confess with your mouth
the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."
How do you explain the Trinity?
"The Trinity is one God existing in three Persons (Father, Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit)." Perfect
example: If you place three cubes of ice onto a frying pan while it is heating, the three cubes of ice will
evaporate into one puddle.
"There is one God (Deuteronomy 6:4; 1 Corinthians 8:4, Galatians 3:20, 1 Timothy 2:5)."
"Each member of the Trinity is God. -The Father is God (John 6:27, Romans 1:7) -The Son, Jesus Christ is God (John 1:1,14, Romans 9:5, Colossians 2:9, 1 John 5:20) -The Holy Spirit is the third person of the trinity (Acts 5:3-4, John 14:15-31).
If you die today, where would you spend eternity?
The amazing thing about our Heavenly Father is that He gives us the free will to make the decision to
either surrender our lives to Jesus Christ or reject Him. With that being said, we will have to pay the
consequences for the decisions that we make.
-Romans 10:9 reminds us “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus
and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be
saved.”
-John 3:16 says "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should
not perish but have eternal life." Those who choose to reject or deny Jesus and choose to live a sinful
lifestyle without repentance will live for eternity in hell.
-John 3:3 says, "Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see
the kingdom of God."
-Revelation 20:15 says, "And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.
What does baptism mean? Why is baptism important?
Baptism is a Christian ordinance; a washing with water to demonstrate cleansing from sin, linked with
repentance and admission into the community of faith. "The word "Baptism" is a transliteration of the Greek
word "BAPTIZO," which means to "immerse." "Immerse" means "to dip or submerge."
Baptism is an outward symbolism of what Jesus did for us when He died on the cross and was resurrected on
the third day. Similarly to Jesus' death, when we are immersed or submerged into water, it symbolizes us
dying to our old self. Similar to Jesus' resurrection, when we are released out of water during baptism,
it symbolizes us being new in Jesus Christ.
Why is baptism important?
“Our Savior commands us to follow His example in all things, including baptism: Matthew 28:19 says, "Go
therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and
the Holy Spirit." At the beginning of His public ministry, Jesus chose to be baptized (Matthew 3:13-17).
If Jesus was baptized, why shouldn't we? John the Baptist was calling the Jewish people to confess their
sins and demonstrate repentance through immersion in the Jordan River."
Should a Christian tithe?
Yes, Christians should be tithe. Why? Let's first start with the definition of the word, "tithe," "tithe" means "one-tenth of any property or produce."
The Bible explains tithing as an important part of the Christian faith for those who follow Christ.
Proverbs 3:9 reminds us to "Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce;"
Malachi 3:10 says, "Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try
Me now in this," Says the Lord of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out
for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it."
In Matthew 23:23 and Luke 11:42, Jesus referred to tithing as something that should not be neglected.
"What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to
tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the
law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things."
- Matthew 23:23 and Luke 11:42
God has given generously to us, so why can't we be obedient and return the favor? Besides, everything we
have is His. It is not only important to give, but we must also do so cheerfully (2 Corinthians 9:6-7).
In addition, we must allow the Holy Spirit to lead us; if He lays on our hearts to give more than 10%,
do so obediently.
Is it ok for a Christian to drink alcohol?
"What God commands Christians regarding alcohol is to avoid drunkenness (Ephesians 5:18). The Bible condemns
drunkenness and its effects (Proverbs 23:29-35). Christians are also commanded to not allow their bodies
to be "mastered" by anything (1 Corinthians 6:12; 2 Peter 2:19). Drinking alcohol in excess is undeniably
addictive." Proverbs 20:1 says "Wine is a mocker, Strong drink is a brawler, And whoever is led astray by it is not wise."
With Christian freedoms, it is important to not cause others to stumble. A strength to one Christian may
not be a level of strength to another Christian. A concern/addiction for one Christian may not be the same
for another Christian. Be led by the Holy Spirit in how you live your life because others are watching
(1 Corinthians 8:9-13).
What does the Bible say about sex before marriage?
Sex isn't a bad thing; it is an enjoyable one. Marriage is a phenomenal union that God puts together
between a male and female (Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19:5). God has created sex; He has intended and
ordained sex to be a wonderful experience that can be enjoyed in a heterosexual marriage between husband
and wife (1 Corinthians 7:3-13, Hebrews 13:4, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, 1 Corinthians 6:18-20).
It is so important for us to understand how serious it is to guard our hearts and bodies, especially when
it comes to sex. 1 Corinthians 6:18 (NLT) reminds us "Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects
the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body." With sex, emotions are
involved and if you are not careful, it can easily lead to mental, physical, and emotional bondage that
will be difficult to break from without the Lord's help. If you've had sex outside of marriage, God's
grace enables us to repent of our sins and do our first works over.
Is salvation by faith alone, or faith plus works?
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own
doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
-Ephesians 2:8-9
Salvation is by faith alone; your actions are a by-product of our belief in Jesus
Christ. As a follower of Christ, the fruits of the Holy Spirit will be evident in our
lives (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,
and self-control).
How can we recognize the voice of God?
In order for us to be the men and women that God has called for us to be. We must first believe in Jesus
Christ and have a relationship with God. One thing that we must remember is that the most important relationship
a person can ever have is a relationship with God.
Why is that important?
So that we can know how Jesus lived His life here on Earth, so that we can model it. But like in any
relationship, it takes a certain level of compromise, trust, and communication. Both parties within a
relationship have an opportunity to not only speak, but also to listen. In this case, we must be willing
to be led by the Holy Spirit and listen to God's voice to successfully move forward in this journey called
"life."
How can we hear from God?
We can hear God's voice in many ways; one of which is from God's Word (the Bible). How can we hear God's
voice, if we don't read/study the Bible? We must remember that the Bible is "inspired by God" as 2 Timothy
3:16 reminds us. Therefore, our Heavenly Father speaks to us through the Bible.
We can also hear God’s voice as God speaks through other people.
(Proverbs 15:22)
Another way to hear God’s voice is to pray and ask for wisdom. (James
1:5)
Also, God speaks through dreams, visions, signs/wonders, and circumstances. (Genesis 15:1, Exodus 3:2-3, Numbers 12:6)
In addition, God speaks through the promptings of the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 10:20, Mark 13:11)