The question that must be answered is when does human life begin. God has answered this through scripture as well as through science. Medically speaking (although somewhat simplified) a single cell is created upon conception that is unique and contains 23 chromosomes from both the mom and dad combining to make a total of 46 chromosomes… and so life begins.

Just how unique and how human is this life?

• Never again in history will another human exactly like this one exist.
• Nothing else will be added to this complete human life from this time on.
• Only time, nutrition, and oxygen will be needed for he or she to grow into an adult just like you.
• This human being can be a different sex and have a different blood type than the mother so obviously it’s not an extension of a woman’s body; he or she is a unique individual.

The pro-abortion crowd will do everything they can to keep from using words that would make you think about this little human being that resides in the womb. Instead of calling this human life, they have a virtual smoke screen of euphemisms and “positive spins”. Human life becomes just the product of conception, or tissue, or a potential human being. Baby murder becomes abortion, pro-abortion becomes pro-choice, and an unborn child’s death becomes women’s rights.

In the book Why Can’t We Love Them Both Dr. and Mrs. J.C. Willke says it best “This is not a potential human being; it is a human being with vast potential.” You can read the book free online at abortionfacts.com and I would highly recommend it. To say that it is insightful is a major understatement.

Abortion is as much a human rights issue as it is a religious one. In fact you don’t have to be a Christian to believe abortion is wrong but if you are a true Christian you will know it’s wrong. It really doesn’t matter when America or the world thinks human life begins. What matters is when God says it begins. It’s revealed clearly in the Bible in one of my favorite passages, Psalm 139:13-16. There are other places where God talks about life in the womb. Here are just a few: Psalm 22:9-10, Job 31:15, Psalm 100:3.

Isaiah 44:2

This is what the LORD says--He who made you, who formed you in the womb, and who will help you …

Isaiah 49:5

And now the LORD says--he who formed me in the womb to be his servant to bring Jacob back to him and gather Israel to himself, for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD and my God has been my strength

Jeremiah 1:5

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations."

Looking at the above scriptures we see that God views life as starting at conception.

Should America Protect Unborn Children?

Now that we know that it’s human life in the womb, should America protect this life? You hear judges say that banning abortion is unconstitutional. Our founding fathers would probably disagree. In the charter of this republic they clearly stated "we hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal and that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights — of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." The US Constitutional Amendment, Article XIV – Section 1 says “No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” The founding fathers thought protecting life was important. Today the appointed U.S. judges must see something here that I don’t. We protect eagle eggs. Why can’t we protect our children?

Look at the picture at the top of this article of a 12 week old fetus from Medline Plus http://medlineplus.gov. The first trimester of a pregnancy is a time of incredible growth and development. A 7-week fetus will have begun to develop all essential organs. This is human life.

What We Can Do

I do believe in my heart that my generation will see an end to abortion in America but we have a long way to go. Of course the first thing we need to do is pray. We cannot win this war without God’s help. There are many things we can do. We can contact our representatives to let them know where we stand and vote for pro-life candidates. You could work one day a week counseling women with unexpected pregnancies and those that are abortion vulnerable at a clinic that offers alternatives to abortion. You can also inform others about the truth of abortion with programs like Mini GAP. This stands for Genocide Awareness Project and is done at University Campuses. Read more about it at www.abortionno.org. These are just a few ways to help the unborn.

It has been said, “The only thing needed for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.”

This article was originally published September 5, 2004 in Salt and Light, the Hannon FWB Newsletter at the time.

Series: STREAMING God's Thoughts - Volume 1 – Issue 2

Area: Internet

Time to Read: 5 minutes

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” — Joshua 1:9

Imagine if your values and beliefs put your job in jeopardy? Would you hesitate to make them known? If it put your livelihood at risk, would you tend to keep your faith private? What if donating to a conservative cause meant that you would be verbally attacked, and protestors would call for a boycott of a company you cofounded? Would you go ahead and donate publicly? Privately?

For Brendan Eich these are not hypothetical questions. A well-known pioneer in the tech industry, Eich worked for Netscape in 1995 where he created the JavaScript programming language which allowed websites to break away from static pages and come alive with interactive content. He later cofounded Mozilla, developers of the Firefox web browser, and was made the CTO.

In 2008 Brendan Eich made a $1,000 donation to Proposition 8, which banned gay marriage in the state of California until it was struck down by the Supreme Court in June. When this became known activist set out to punish him for his Biblical view of marriage and to ultimately destroy his career. In 2014 Eich was appointed CEO of Mozilla. This was too much for the LGBT activists to handle. For the next round of attacks, they found an ally in OkCupid.com, a popular online dating site. OkCupid.com called for a boycott of Mozilla Firefox. Eich was CEO for 11 short days before deciding that he could no longer be an effective leader under these circumstances. In his mind there was no other choice but to resign.

In an attempt to appease his opponents Brendan Eich expressed his sorrow for any pain that he caused. Apologizing however is only seen as blood in the water in the eyes of the leftist community as they continue to attack their conservative victims with a viscous hatred. In the weeks leading up to his resignation Eich refused to come out in favor of gay marriage. In 2016 he cofounded Brave Software, the company responsible for the privacy focused web browser called Brave. Ironically, instead of destroying Eich they actually prompted the creation of the best web browser available today. In February Brave passed 25 million monthly active users. Pretty good for a young browser in a competitive market.

Other than being a technical wizard and entrepreneur Eich does not fit the Silicon Valley mold, and that is a good thing. I do wonder however if he could have taken a more active, rather than passive, stand when speaking of his reasoning to defend marriage through political donations. If in fact his convictions were based on the Bible, did he miss a great opportunity to be a voice of truth? Before I judge him too harshly though I think of how much easier it is for me to take a stand in the Bible Belt than a prominent figure living on the West Coast.

On the other hand, I think of people like Dan Cathy, CEO of Chick-fil-A, who has been a strong support of family values and Biblical Marriage. Despite the attacks by LGBT activists his business has thrived. He makes no attempt to hide his Christian faith despite any risk it may have on his business and his family fortune. It’s people like him that are truly Brave.

There is a cost to being a follower of Christ in this world. Are you and I willing to pay it? It is important for us to remember the words of Jesus in Luke 14.

Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. -Luke 14:27

Silicon Valley's Christians

I want to wrap up this article with an excerpt from an article I came across a while back called “How to Talk about God in Silicon Valley.” It reminds us of what it looks like to live in post-Christian America.

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Silicon Valley’s Christians describe life as an uneasy negotiation, between expressing their faith as called for by the Bible and integrating themselves into secular workplaces where religion is viewed, at best, as an anachronistic curiosity, and at worst, as a malevolent force.

I spoke with Christians working at some of tech’s biggest companies and at small startups. None says they’ve experienced overt hostility, and most find their colleagues welcoming and curious. Yet they also feel wary, with a sense that their beliefs cast them as outsiders, and that one false move could invite derision or worse.

Jesus admonished his followers not to hide their light, yet many Christians I spoke with admitted to being cowed by the Bay Area’s progressive, technocratic monoculture.

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It goes on to give a great perspective…

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Christians tend to do better as the underdog, anyway, Burns says. The early church of Paul was an insurgent, taking on the power of Rome. It’s only when Christianity was endorsed by the state that its troubles began. It’s more rewarding to be outsiders, Burns says. “I haven’t done it for that long,” he says, “but it’s fun.”

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In Brave Part 2 we will talk about why you might want to start using the Brave browser as well as other ways to protect your privacy online.

You can download Brave today at https://brave.com

Until next time be Brave and we will keep STREAMING God’s Thoughts.

Presenting a New Series from Hannon FWB Church

Time to Read: 7 minutes

STREAMING God's Thoughts

Volume I - Issue 1

The heavens declare the glory of God;

And the firmament shows His handiwork.

Day unto day utters speech,

And night unto night reveals knowledge.

-Psalm 19:1–2

Hello and welcome to the first edition of STREAMING God’s Thoughts. Great, what is it? What is with that title? Okay, so you are the inquisitive type. I like that. Let me explain the title and purpose.

STREAMING

In this case, STREAMING is an acronym that represents the topics that we will be discussing in this series. Ready? Take a deep breath. Through Biblical Lenses, we will be exploring Science, Technology, Robotics, Engineering, Art, Mathematics, the Internet, Neurotechnology, and Gaming. There is a need for a Christian voice within these areas as secular views are eroding the foundations upon which they are built. Here is a quick glance at each topic.

Science

As we take a deeper look you will see that the Bible and science are not competing views. When we view the world from a Biblical perspective, we can make sense of the universe around us. We will look at the history of science and the many Christians that made contributions. Join us as we uncover truths that shake the faith of evolutionists, skeptics, and materialists.

Technology

Hold on tight! Human knowledge doubled every century until 1900, doubled every 25 years by the end of World War II, just a few short years ago it doubled at an average of every 13 months and today it doubles at an average of every 12 hours. During a prophetic passage about end times, Daniel 12:4 says that “many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” Another aspect we will explore is technology found in the Bible. You might just be surprised at what we find.

Robotics

Here many fields come together “breathing life” into machines and automating the world around us. With this excitement also comes many questions about how far we can take robotics, the ethical issues we will face, and what it really means to be human. We will explore how secular and Christian worldviews differ when it comes to the capabilities of robots and artificial intelligence.

Engineering

There have been some impressive feats in engineering, but we have not come close to reproducing many of the marvels found in creation. People are looking at creation for the actual details to design and engineer innovative new products but most refuse to give God credit. Oscar Wilde said, “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness.”

Art

One definition of art is “the making of objects, images, music, etc. that are beautiful or that express feeling.” Francis Schaeffer said, “Art is a reflection of God’s creativity, an evidence that we are made in the image of God.” We will examine art found in the Bible. Discover great Christian artists of the past and present. And we might as well jump into the middle of the great philosophical debate on whether there is an objective view of beauty or if it is only in the eye of the beholder?

Mathematics

Some have posed the question, “Is God a mathematician?” That is a fair question as universal mathematical truths are discovered rather than invented. We see it in the laws of physics, fractals, even the Fibonacci sequence. How can we look at the golden ratio found in nature and not stand in awe? We will also look at how statistics show strong evidence for a Creator and the improbability, you could say the impossibility, of evolution.

Internet

We will take an honest look at the Internet including the good, the bad and the ugly. Find out how you can use it as a force for good. I believe the Apostle Paul would have used the Internet to spread the Gospel if it existed in his time. Go into all the World Wide Web and preach the Gospel. If Matthew 28:19-20 was a Web address it would be TheGreat.com/mission. Um, yeah some of you get it… anyway, you will also be introduced to some great Christian resources online.

Neurotechnology

Neuro-what-now? Neurotechnology is any device that images or stimulates the brain. Some brain-computer interfaces are incredible blessings especially for the handicap. But there are some ethical issues that will need addressed? What is the mind? What is consciousness? Is there actually free will or is it an illusion? Could something as complex as the human brain and the nervous system evolve by random chance? Does the Bible hold the answers?

Gaming

Last but not least, we will look at the video game industry from a Christian worldview. Playing video games is insanely popular and continues to grow. According to a recent report, the global gaming market reached a value of $167.9 Billion in 2020. We are going to navigate these tricky digital waters with scripture as our guide. Game on!

God's Thoughts

The second part of “STREAMING God’s Thoughts” relates to a quote from the great mathematician and astronomer Johannes Kepler (1571-1630). When Kepler was asked what he was doing during his astronomical research he said that he was merely “thinking God’s thoughts after Him.” Great thinkers like Kepler believed an intelligent Creator designed all things from the beginning and therefore the laws of nature must be orderly and follow logical patterns. That belief served them well in their scientific discoveries.

Join us again next time as we explore “God’s thoughts” and discover the wonders of His handiwork.

June is here. Flag Day, Father’s Day, fun in the sun and… rainbows? Yep, June is designated as Pride Month and the rainbow can be seen far and wide as gay activist are growing louder and prouder. How do I know this is Pride Month? How can I not know? All the mainstream media, big tech, social media, search engines and large corporations are eager to remind us not just to acknowledge Pride Month but to celebrate it. But what exactly are they proud of and what are we to celebrate?

Myths

First, we must refute a couple of predominate myths.

MYTH #1: Christians Hate Homosexuals

Since the knee jerk reaction of many is to cancel and oppress opposing viewpoints and call it hate speech, I first want to make it clear that Christians do not hate people of the LGBTQ+ community. Neither do we elevate ourselves as perfect people who are without sin. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. The difference is that we are sinners saved by grace through repentance and faith. God has given us a new heart with new desires. It is only with this understanding that we can have a clear and honest dialog. Yes, God loves the homosexual and so do we.

MYTH #2: The Bible Does Not Say Homosexuality is a Sin

The Bible makes it very clear that Homosexuality is a sin. God defined marriage between one man and one woman (Gen. 2:24-25). Jesus confirmed this in Matthew 19:3-6 as he spoke about a man joining his wife and becoming one. Warnings against homosexuality along with other sexual sins are found in both the Old and New Testament (Leviticus 18:34-25, Leviticus 20:10-14, Romans 1:18-28, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, 1 Timothy 1:8-11).

Irony

While the LGBTQ+ movement is morally bankrupt, it is rich in irony.

IRONY #1: Stealing the Rainbow

It would be an interesting, if not somewhat depressing, experiment to ask random individuals what the rainbow is symbolic of. What do you think they would say? We as Bible believing Christians know that the rainbow is the sign of a covenant that God made with the whole earth promising never to destroy the world again with a global flood (Gen. 9:8-17). However most people would probably associate the rainbow with something very different now days.

Imagine if you will, an army that adopts the peace symbol and plasters it on its weapons of wars. It paints the peace symbol on tanks, fighter jets and bombs. Their soldiers wear it on uniforms, and they fly it on their flag with the motto love, peace, and tolerance as they march across the world leaving a path of death and destruction. This is the irony that has been the rainbow flag of the LGBTQ+ crowd since 1978. Let’s explore this further.

In ancient times the Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and He saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil. Using a global flood, He wiped the human race from the face of the earth with the exception of Noah and his family. He then promised to never destroy the entire earth with a global flood again and designates the rainbow as a symbol of this covenant.

Now we have this community that glorifies sinful acts, acts that God says are an abomination. We have a group of people that celebrate wickedness. They take the rainbow and designate it as a symbol for their anti-Biblical cause. What was originally a symbol of peace and love is now a symbol of war against God and God’s people. It is a symbol of rebellion and hatred for His Holy Word. But while they march around the world leaving a path of destruction within families and communities their fate is foretold in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11. A partial list of people that will not inherit the Kingdom of God includes those who indulge in sexual sin, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality. In their attempt to thumb their nose at God and steal His rainbow they are waging a war they cannot win.

IRONY #2: Redefining the Word Gay

By the mid-1950s homosexual men fully embraced and promoted the redefinition of the word gay. At one time the word gay meant merry or lively, but studies show that the LGBTQ+ lifestyle is anything but happy.

In 2017, adult and adolescent gay and bisexual men made up 70% (27,000) of the 38,739 new HIV diagnoses in the United States. Gay and bisexual men are disproportionately impacted by sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). According to Virtue Online, “There are increased rates of mental ill health among the homosexual population compared to the general population. Many studies show much higher rates of psychiatric illness, such as depression, suicide attempts and drug abuse among homosexuals than among the general population. The homosexual lifestyle is associated with a shortened life expectancy of up to 20 years.” The sad irony here is that a word that was once associated with happiness is now tied to a lifestyle that has a high rate of disease, depression, destruction, and death.

IRONY #3: Use of the Word Pride

God defines marriage to be the union of one man and one woman for life. To redefine that is nothing to be proud of. The traditional family is the fabric of society. To try and destroy that is nothing to be proud of. Sex is God’s good gift to be enjoyed within the boundaries of marriage as defined in the Bible. To pervert that is nothing to be proud of. (Genesis 1:28, Genesis 2:18, Matthew 19:4-6, 1 Corinthians 7:32-34, Hebrews 13:4)

Ironically Proverbs 16:18 says, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall”.

Taking Back the Rainbow

The rainbow is beautiful and so is the covenant that it symbolizes. I love the vivid colors and what it stands for. To allow it to simply be hijacked without strong opposition is lazy and cowardice on our part.

The LGBTQ+ community is ready to intimidate, threaten, slander, and cancel any company, organization or group that does not pledge allegiance to pride month and the immorality for which it stands. So, we find ourselves on the opposing side of pop culture and political correctness. What a shocker? Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” I say it is time to take back the rainbow.

A good resource to learn more about this topic can be found on the CARM website.

Happy Resurrection Sunday! Easter 2021 is here and Jesus is alive! In the fullness of time He came and in God’s perfect time he will return.

“Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.”

-John 13:1

Yes, God’s timing is perfect.

“And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

-Mordecai, Esther 4:14

These are “unprecedented times”, “uncertain times”, “challenging times”. We have heard those words repeated over the last year as the COVID-19 pandemic took center stage. It is what you do during these times that make a difference. Make no mistake, God is not taken by surprise. His timing is always perfect, and he put you in this time and this place to do His will and His work. Just as God’s timing brought Esther on the scene to save people from certain death, we are given an opportunity to serve God and give the lifesaving message of the Gospel if we have the faith and courage to do so.

“I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo.

"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”

― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

You Are Busy, I Get It

Thanks for taking a few minutes out of your day to read this. Someone once said, “The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot.” I know you are busy so I will keep this short. I understand, life is busy. I get it… really.

Taking Time

My daughter Gia has been needing to study for her drivers permit. It has been on the list of things to do for quite a while and so I decided to bug her about it, as any annoying father would. I asked her when she was going to get that done. She said she hadn’t had… she stopped mid-sentence and then admitted to not “making the time”. Smiling she told me that she is not going to say that she doesn’t have time for things because the truth is, she could make time. Such wisdom. Must be from her mom.

Anyway, I said that was good and then I corrected her (that is what annoying dad’s do) telling her she can’t make time. God only gives a limited amount each day. Therefore, she cannot make time, only take it. What we do with that time is so important. She can use that time scrolling on her iPod looking at social media apps like TikTok or Pinterest or she can get her permit and master the roadway. Honestly, after that conversation I find myself more conscience of when I start to say, “I didn’t have time”. Sometimes I think I learn more from my kids than they do from me.

Giving it Back

God gives us all the same 24 hours per day. What we do with it makes the difference. What do people do with their time? ABC News reported, “The average American spends a staggering 11 hours, 54 minutes each day connected to some form of media — TV, smartphones, radio, games — although that number is bloated because some of the usage is simultaneous, Nielsen said. That's up nearly an hour and a half in only a year.”

What if we took some of that time and gave it back to God through prayer, Bible study, ministry, and outreach. When we think about giving, we often think about money. But we are also to give back to God our time and talents. What if everyone at Hannon Free Will Baptist Church shifted just a little of that mind blowing amount of time we spend drowning in the world’s media and give it back to God? What a huge impact that would make for His Kingdom. For example our monthly newsletter will be created as a ministry of ministries within Hannon FWB Church and is a team effort. It will be from people taking the time to give back to God, to give of their time and talents, helping you worship in Spirit and Truth no matter where you are.

 Redeeming the Time

Ephesians 5:15-16 says, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” Until next time, live wisely and make the best use of the time God gives you. It is a gift from him. Maybe that is why it is called the present.

So you want to be a spiritual superhero? That’s great, I don’t claim to be an expert but I hope to give you some pointers in this article. I know that it can be overwhelming at first, trust me I’ve been there, but you’re not alone. The first thing that I need to brief you on is the mission. Every good hero has a mission to accomplish or a goal to achieve. Your mission is to keep as many people from going to hell as you possibly can. Jude 1:23 says “Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives.”

Everyone should already know who our greatest enemy is but I’ll remind you just in case. Satan is our archenemy, he is powerful but not as powerful as God. He is a master of deception, he takes on your most desired form, he spreads hate and evil wherever he goes, and his demons are everywhere. There are ways to defeat this villain but we can’t do it alone.

HQ (church) is where you will learn to hone your abilities and where you will be trained to go into battle against the enemy. Only by working together can we resist this evil threat. It is vitally important to check into HQ on a weekly basis for your mission briefings. Our leader, captain, and the most powerful hero of all is God. As a Christian, you work for him.

Your most powerful ability is that you can communicate with God himself through Jesus Christ. Jeremiah 29:12 says “Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.” You can ask God to help you with any situation, he won’t always answer with a yes, because yes might not be best, but he does still want you to bring all your problems to him in prayer.

We have many other God-given superpowers; we have the power to impact people on a spiritual level, leading them to Christ and away from the devil. We have the power to use the fruits of the spirit, which are: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. We have the power to be a light in the darkness and push back Satan’s forces of evil To wrap this up, it’s very important to know that we can do nothing without God but with him we can do anything.

 Use your God given abilities to help others and to carry out God’s will and he will bless you beyond anything you could imagine. Thank God for the abilities that he grants you and for everything else that he gives you, lastly you should know that even though Satan has a hold on this world now, we know that we will be victorious in the end. Praise God!

“I’ve been too busy lately with work/school.” “I work all day long; can’t I just relax and do what I want when I get home.” “I would go to church today but I wanted to go hunting, or my kid had a game.” These are all common excuses that we use for ignoring God and doing our own thing. It’s not that we don’t want anything to do with God or that we don’t care about church, but life tends to get in the way. 

As a 17 year old high school student, I often find myself doing what I want instead of what I know I should be doing. My reasoning being that I’m young and I’ll have plenty of time to do stuff for God when I’m older. You might think that you’re too young or too old to do God’s work but you are very wrong. God can use anyone from 5 to 95 and beyond. Of course not every age group can do the same things but that’s the beauty of it, we all have a part that we can play in God’s plan. 

I am writing this with the hope that whoever is reading is willing to open their heart and their schedules for God. There are a few easy things that you can do to strengthen your walk with God. Number one is reading your Bible every day. Setting aside even just five minutes of your morning or night to read the Bible is vital for a healthy Christian.

Number two is setting aside time to go to church, not only that but giving the preacher or teacher your full attention. There are so many different opportunities that church gives you to serve. Whether it’s as a Sunday school teacher, a worship leader, or a sound guy in the back. You can serve in your church by going to work at outreaches, making food for a social, or even just reaching out to a fellow believer in your church that might need your help.

Prayer is one of the most powerful tools at your disposal as a believer. You should be an active prayer warrior. Praising God for who he is, confessing your sins, thanking him for what he gives you and asking for God to help you. Philippians 4:6-7 says “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

The last and most important thing that you can do for God right now is evangelizing. Spreading the word of God to other people is what Jesus has called all of us to do. You can hand out tracts at your local Walmart, invite your friends and coworkers to church, or even just share a Christian post on social media. 

People of any age can find something from this list that they can do for God. Everyone has a God given talent that they might not be using but it’s there, waiting for you to unleash it on the world. I encourage you to go to your pastor or youth pastor and ask what YOU can do for God and for his church.

What you will Learn

In this article you will learn the definition of a true Christian, what Christianity is and the essential doctrines of the Christian Faith. Some groups, organizations and individuals claim to be Christian and use similar terminology, yet they are not actually Christian. After reading this article you will be able to distinguish between those groups and true Christians. You will be able to recognize Christian cults and most importantly, you can examine your own beliefs to see where you stand.

Why this is Important

If Christianity is true, eternal life awaits all who believe in the person and work of Jesus Christ. If true it also means that eternal torment awaits all unbelievers. There is much evidence for the truth of Christianity but in this article, we simply touch on some fundamentals.

Who this is For

This article is for both Christians and non-Christians who want to gain a better understanding of the fundamentals of the Christian Faith.

Introduction

When talking about important topics it is necessary to make sure everyone agrees on definitions to minimize any confusion. I cannot think of a more important topic than where you will spend eternity.

Definitions

The word Christian has some interesting history and sometimes the true meaning is lost or obscured. However, for the purpose of this article we will strive to define it as it is currently understood and sometimes called a born again Christian or Bible believing Christian.

CHRISTIAN Follower of Jesus Christ. One who has repented (turned from their sins) and put their faith (trust) in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Below is a definition of Christianity according to The Lexham Bible Dictionary.

CHRISTIANITY The beliefs, practices, and socio-cultural expressions of the Jesus community and the wider Christian religion and culture. The key phenomenon of Christianity emerged from the early beginnings of the Jesus movement to the subsequent formation of Eastern and Western Christendom and its broader impacts on society and culture.

Essential Christian Doctrine

Let's put these in two categories, those that are clearly declared in scripture and those that are clearly implied by scripture. Keep in mind that any religion that contradicts these teachings is not Christian.

Clearly Declared in Scripture

1. The Deity of Christ (1 John 4:2-3, John 1:1, John 1:14; John 8:58 John 10:30-33; John 20:28; Col. 2:9; Phil. 2:5-8; Heb. 1:8)
2. Salvation by Grace (Eph. 2:8-9, Gal. 2:21, al. 3:21, al. 5:4, Rom. 3:20, Rom. 4:5)
3. Resurrection of Christ (John 2:19-21, 1 Cor. 15:14, 1 Cor. 15:17)
4. The gospel (Gal. 1:8-9, 1 Cor. 15:1-4)
5. Monotheism (Exodus 20:3; Isaiah 43:10; Isaiah 44:6,8)

Clearly Implied by Scripture

1. God is a Trinity (Matt. 28:19, Matt. 3:16-17; 1 Cor. 12:4-6; 2 Cor. 13:14; Eph. 4:4-6)
2. Jesus was born of a virgin (Matt. 1:23, John 8:24)
3. Jesus is the only way to salvation (John 14:6, Acts 4:12)

Summary

To be clear, one cannot be saved and deny these central doctrines that define true Christianity. Stay tuned. We will build off these and go more in depth in the future.