Crucial Truths

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.  If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well.  From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him.’”  (John 14:6-14)

There are prevailing beliefs teaching God is a consciousness which we humans are to aspire to—that He encompasses all religions.  Alongside such dogmas is a contention that loving hearts, good ethics, and good lives, no matter the religion, will grant admission into heaven. Wrong.  One cannot believe such and participate in the kingdom of God.  Jesus Christ is the gate, the only gate, to enter through for salvation (John 10:7-10).

If someone claims to be a Christian, yet refuses to believe Jesus is the Christ, they are an antichrist—not the Antichrist, but one who simply denies Him as God (1 John 2:18-27).  If you claim to serve and love God yet deny His Son, you are not saved.  If your mind-set is that Jesus was just a prophet, then you make Him out to be a liar.  And by that same reasoning, if He were just a prophet, He would not be a very good one if He lied about who He is.

There are many claims Jesus made of Himself--here are just ten (Case for Christ Study Bible, NIV):

1.      He claimed to establish the kingdom of God (Matthew 12:28)
2.      He claimed to equal with God (John 5:17-22)
3.      He claimed He will judge the world (Matthew 25:31-32)
4.      He claimed to have the power to forgive sins (Luke 5:20-21)
5.      He claimed to be the bread of life (John 8:12)
6.      He claimed to be the light of the world (John 8:12)
7.      He claimed to exist before His birth (John 8:58)
8.      He claimed to be the gate for God’s sheep (John 10:7-10)
9.      He claimed to have the power to grant eternal life (John 11:25-27)
10.    He claimed to be the only path to God (John 14:6)

To say one is a Christian, while contending God encompasses all religions and many avenues lead to Him, is outright heresy! God came in the flesh and His name is Jesus.   And He said, "I am the only way."

“And this is His command: to believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ” (1 John 3:23)

Now, there are those who will purse Jesus on their lips and deceive populations.  They will use His name to spread their lies.  They will mix truth with error contaminating the entire lot.  I guarantee they will downgrade, mutate, or deny one (if not more) of the above claims Jesus made about Himself.  Keep a watchful eye and attentive ear.

“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.  This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God.  This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.” (1 John 4:1-3)

Truly listen carefully.  Persons may claim Jesus is from God yet distort who God is, in turn falsifying their claims.  Others may claim Jesus as the Christ, but detour around His claims and commandments, thus proving they have the spirit of the antichrist.

“They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them.” (1 John 4:5)

Error and lies have infiltrated Christianity.  False teachers of Christ claim to possess clearer insights, epiphanies, and revelations about God.  You may be (or know of) one of the many people who truly believe they are Christian, yet in reality are unsaved because of the mutated truth of others.  If so, stop taking other people’s word at face value.  Don’t even take my word for it.  Get in the Bible and read it, study it, pray over it!   If you don’t have a working knowledge of Scripture, if you don’t stand for Christ, you will fall for malicious ministries of deceiving spirits (1 Timothy 4:1-2; 2 Timothy 4:3-4).

There are nine crucial doctrinal truths¹ one must hold to be a Christian. If these crucial absolutes are not accepted, you are lost.  These truths are the life of Jesus Christ, Christ being the operative root of “Christ”ian.  Deny these and you deny Him, and if you deny Him, how are you a Christian?

1.      Absolute inspiration of Scripture
2.      Scripture’s infallibility
3.      The virgin birth—Immaculate Conception (free from impurity or blemish)
4.      The deity of Jesus Christ
5.      The sinless life of Jesus
6.      Jesus’ substitutionary death on the cross for sinners
7.      Jesus’ bodily resurrection
8.      Jesus’ ascension into heaven
9.      Jesus’ return

“Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great:  He appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.” (1 Timothy 3:16)

 

¹ Charles R. Swindoll, “Doctrinal Truths” (2012, Insight for Living on OnePlace.com)