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essential doctrines of the Christian faith – Baptism – Salvation – and the Cross
One of the true essential doctrines of the Christian Faith is that we can have Assurance of Salvation in Christ Jesus; this is when we are Sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise unto our inheritance of eternal life with Him.
We Can Have Assurance Of Salvation, by understanding Salvation Scripture, but can we lay claim to Salvation now, or is Salvation what we hope for?
This topic is of the utmost importance to the Follower of Christ!!
Isaiah 25:9 And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.
1 Thess 5:8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
False teachers do great harm to the very understanding of Salvation, as they falsely teach that Salvation is realized through works. To claim that Salvation occurs in the present tense removes faith and hope from occurring. However we can have Assurance of Salvation, and the hope of our inheritance with Christ. This gives us a Faith that endures until the end. So true faith and hope are therefore two of the most important essential doctrines of the Christian Faith.
But how can you hope for something you already believe to possess (2 Tim 2:14-18).
Another of the important essential doctrines of the Christian Faith is that the end of our faith is the assurance of the Salvation of our soul (1 Peter 1:9).
Essential doctrines of the Christian Faith-Salvation by Works or by Grace
So many ask the question,” Can I lose my Salvation”? The answer is without any doubt, absolutely not! How you can not lose something you do not yet posses.
Every time that salvation, redemption or the resurrection of the believer is mentioned in salvation scripture, it is always referred to in the future tense. All of the essential doctrines of the Christian Faith are realized through the Holy spirit, and the true follower of Christ realizes that only upon Christ’s return to earth can this redemptive process be finalized.
We can not discuss the hope that we do not have, because of the Salvation that we claim to already possess. Many deceived souls accept the false teaching of having the assurance of Salvation before our salvation returns with Christ. Tragically, through works, they claim to be saved now by the words they speak.
Heb 9:27-28 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
In Christ we can obtain Salvation, and upon His return He brings Salvation to his Elect.
1 Peter 1:5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
In understanding the essential doctrines of the Christian Faith, we must know that true Faith itself leads us to Salvation.
Basing the assurance of salvation on works, whether it be through words or deeds, is self-righteousness, and it is a deadly and deceptive false doctrine unto destruction.
Essential doctrines of the Christian Faith
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth;
The above verses clearly show that our Salvation is future tense. One of the essential doctrines of the Christian Faith then, is realizing and then utilizing correctly the Power of the Gospel of Christ. This is the True Word of God.
Romans 13:11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we (first) believed.
We are to cast off the works of darkness brought by the traditions of men, and embrace the Light of Christ that illuminates our path towards fellowship with Him.
Matt 3:11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
John did not baptize with water and expect immediate repentance, it would be a process. Likewise sanctification and belief of the truth are unto the Assurance of Salvation, ready to be revealed at the last day. One of the essential doctrines of the Christian Faith is enduring until the end.
John 6:40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Matt 10:22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endures to the end shall be saved.
Another of the essential doctrines of the Christian Faith is to realize the Truth We Share is not our own. It belongs to Jesus Christ and is available to all who submit to His authority, and plan for Redemption and Transformation, through the Holy spirit.
If any man does not have the spirit of Christ, or the Baptism of the Holy Spirit he can not be of Christ. We must be transformed by Christ to put on the Mind of Christ.
This is the key to all understanding, and allows us to walk with and in Him, for without him we can do nothing (John 1:3).
Romans 8:9 tells us that without His Spirit we do not even belong to Him; without him we can not understand Him or his Word.
Our Lord said the “words that I speak they are Spirit and they are Life”(John 6:63). The reason for false teachings, various denominations, confusion and ignorance of the truth is because men that do not have the Spirit of Christ can in no way understand his Word!
Without the Spirit of Truth the teachings of man is just a bunch of useless opinions.
Romans 8:6-9 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
Are you are attempting to follow Christ? Are you seeking to follow the essential doctrines of the Christian Faith? If you are looking for answers related to the End of Days you must be Born Again (John 3:5-21).
That which is born of the flesh is of the flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is of the spirit.
Unless you are Born again you can not have a true knowledge of the Kingdom of God; we can have Assurance of Salvation by no other means.
One of the least understood essential doctrines of the Christian Faith is that becoming born again and receiving the Baptism of the Holy Spirit are one in the same. Unless a man is born of water and the Spirit, he can not enter into the Kingdom of God (John 3:3-8).
The greatest tragedy is believing you are Born again without ever experiencing the true indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The ability to truly understand Christ the Word of God, is impossible without His Spirit (John 14:17; 15:26; 16:13; Eph 1:13).
Essential doctrines of the Christian Faith – Christ purchased us through His shed blood
All false teachers and the congregations that they preside over, that do not truly have the Holy Spirit have a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof. It is quite impossible to truly know Jesus, apart from having His Spirit that abides in the temple of the true believer.
Another of the essential doctrines of the Christian Faith, is that only the true believer that has been sealed is Born Again. In this life changing event we are set apart unto Christ, and through the infilling of the Holy Spirit, we can begin to understand and walk with the Word.
Eph 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise
Of all of the essential doctrines of the Christian Faith, understanding that Christ purchased us through His shed blood, and gives us the Holy Spirit as a down payment is paramount. The fulfillment of this contract which is our inheritance, occurs upon our redemption at His second coming.
Eph 1:14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
Christ spoke plainly when He said that unless you believe and are baptized you shall not be saved. He did not say you are saved, but you shall be saved. We can have Assurance of Salvation through Him alone.
Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized (with the Holy Spirit) shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. Emphasis added
Yet another of the essential doctrines of the Christian Faith, is understanding that there are two Baptisms. The first one is unto repentance, and the other is one in which we can have the Assurance of Salvation through the Holy Spirit.
Luke 3:16 John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:
It is the Spirit of Truth that enables us to truly receive and walk in Christ; the Spirit witnesses or confirms the truth of Jesus to us. It also empowers us to be a true and faithful witness to others with the authority that Christ has given us.
John 15:26-27 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: And ye also shall bear witness,( testify) because ye have been with me from the beginning.
Essential doctrines of the Christian Faith- The Traditions of Men vs. the Teachings of Christ
We are saved by the renewing of the Spirit. The picture here is one of our old nature being made new, by putting on the mind of Christ. Another of the essential doctrines of the Christian Faith, is understanding that we are not to conform to the world, but are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, in Christ.
1 Peter 1:8-9 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
The deceptive teaching of Salvation received through self-righteous works, as opposed to having the hope of Salvation when Christ returns with our Salvation, has deadly consequences. Yet this false doctrine is preached to and believed by the majority within the religion of Christianity.
We can’t stress this point enough. Of all of the essential doctrines of the Christian Faith, it must be understood, that Salvation is quite impossible to obtain before Christ returns with our Salvation. It is also impossible to be saved without the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
This is the reason Jesus will say to many upon his Second Coming, “depart from me you workers of iniquity, I never knew you”.
The reason for this, is that without His Holy Spirit we can not know Him!
Yes, we can have the Assurance of Salvation, however many who claim a false salvation that is based upon self-righteousness, and the gospel of men, will be damned as a result of not truly living in or for Christ (Jer 17:13; Psalm 101:4; Mathew 7:15-23).
The last of the essential doctrines of the Christian Faith presented in this article, is that we are the temple of God, but the Spirit of God will not dwell in a temple that is unfit for his presence (1 Cor 6:19; 1 Cor 3:16; 2 Cor 6:16).
