Having been a Christian Blogger and Podcaster for over three years now, I have received many different reactions to my posts and Podcasts; from the very positive to the very negative. The negative is almost always someone who is a Secular Humanist or a Christian who wants to argue over non-essentials.
The only thing that really bothers me is when Christians argue over non-essentials. These non-essentials are the things that have created so many denominations in the Christian Church and what caused some of the worst bickering between Christians. Many people cling, I mean really cling to tradition or routine like they are scriptural essentials, when in fact they are not.
Examples of the non-essentials are, what day we worship, type of baptism(full immersion or Sprinkling of water), frequency of communion, type of music in service, instruments in service, dress code, King James Version only, I could go on and on. People get wrapped around the wheel over non-essentials more than anything else.
Below is a list of essentials...or in other words, this is what's important.
The deity of Christ. - Jesus was fully God and fully man. (John 10:30 , John 20:28, Matt. 2:2,11; 14:33, Heb. 1:8,Col. 2:9)
Salvation by grace - There is nothing we can do to earn God’s favor or gain access to heaven apart from His grace. Salvation is by grace through faith alone. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Salvation through Jesus Christ alone - HE IS the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through HIM. (Acts 4:12, John 14:6, Rom. 5:1; Eph. 2:8-9; Gal. 3:1-2)
The gospel - The resurrection of Christ. The gospel of Jesus Christ—His death on the cross for sinners and His resurrection from the dead to everlasting life. This is the bedrock of the Christian faith. To believe Jesus did not resurrect is to deny that Jesus’ work here on earth was a satisfactory offering to God for the sins of mankind. Jesus rose from the grave physically. (1 Corinthians 15:14, John 2:19-21,1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Galatians 1:8-9)
Monotheism - There is only one God, you are to put no other “gods” before Him. (Exodus 20:3,1 Corinthians 8:5-6, Isaiah 43:10; 44:6,8)
The Holy Trinity - All three Persons ARE represented as one in the Bible. - (Matthew 28:19, 1 Corinthians 12:4-6, 2 Cor. 13:14, Isaiah 6:8, Gen. 1:26)
As we mature as Christians we can see Gods work more clearly in the small things. Faith is essential in Christianity. Hebrews 11:1 tells us “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen”. We believe in a God we cannot see, but we can see Him in things around us and in our life when we earnestly seek Him out. “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).
Thanks for Checking in and God Bless >>John
The only thing that really bothers me is when Christians argue over non-essentials. These non-essentials are the things that have created so many denominations in the Christian Church and what caused some of the worst bickering between Christians. Many people cling, I mean really cling to tradition or routine like they are scriptural essentials, when in fact they are not.
Examples of the non-essentials are, what day we worship, type of baptism(full immersion or Sprinkling of water), frequency of communion, type of music in service, instruments in service, dress code, King James Version only, I could go on and on. People get wrapped around the wheel over non-essentials more than anything else.
Below is a list of essentials...or in other words, this is what's important.
The deity of Christ. - Jesus was fully God and fully man. (John 10:30 , John 20:28, Matt. 2:2,11; 14:33, Heb. 1:8,Col. 2:9)
Salvation by grace - There is nothing we can do to earn God’s favor or gain access to heaven apart from His grace. Salvation is by grace through faith alone. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Salvation through Jesus Christ alone - HE IS the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through HIM. (Acts 4:12, John 14:6, Rom. 5:1; Eph. 2:8-9; Gal. 3:1-2)
The gospel - The resurrection of Christ. The gospel of Jesus Christ—His death on the cross for sinners and His resurrection from the dead to everlasting life. This is the bedrock of the Christian faith. To believe Jesus did not resurrect is to deny that Jesus’ work here on earth was a satisfactory offering to God for the sins of mankind. Jesus rose from the grave physically. (1 Corinthians 15:14, John 2:19-21,1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Galatians 1:8-9)
Monotheism - There is only one God, you are to put no other “gods” before Him. (Exodus 20:3,1 Corinthians 8:5-6, Isaiah 43:10; 44:6,8)
The Holy Trinity - All three Persons ARE represented as one in the Bible. - (Matthew 28:19, 1 Corinthians 12:4-6, 2 Cor. 13:14, Isaiah 6:8, Gen. 1:26)
As we mature as Christians we can see Gods work more clearly in the small things. Faith is essential in Christianity. Hebrews 11:1 tells us “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen”. We believe in a God we cannot see, but we can see Him in things around us and in our life when we earnestly seek Him out. “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).
Thanks for Checking in and God Bless >>John
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