Tuesday 2 January 2007

The Essentials?

What are the most basic Christian beliefs? If you were describing the Christian faith to someone, what are the most important truths you would want to explain? A few of us discussed these questions recently. We suggested a list of subjects; then each picked the 4 or 5 that we felt were the most important. Here's the final list. The figures give the number of votes each received. I know it's not perfect, but is not bad for a half an hour or so discussion:

9Adam fell (Genesis 3, Romans 5:12)
8Jesus died (Romans 5:8, The Gospels)
7God made us (Genesis 1:27)
7Sacrifice (1 John 4:10, Isaiah 33:10)
7Everlasting life, heaven (Matthew 25:46)
5We need forgiveness (Romans 3:10-12)
5Repentance (Acts 3:19)
5Jesus paid the price - ransom, redemption, rescue (1 Timothy 2:6)
4We sinned (Romans 3:23)
3Jesus was without sin (Isaiah 53:9)
3Hell (Romans 6:23)
3God is holy (Revelation 4:8, Isaiah 6:3)
3Faith (Hebrews 11:1, Acts 16:31)
2The Bible: authoritative, infallible, inerrant (2 Timothy 3:16, Revelation 22:18)
2Resurrection (Romans 6:5, John 20:8-9)
2Jesus was born (Luke 2:6, Matthew 1:25)
2Trust and obey
1God is ... Spirit, love, just, almighty, omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscient, eternal, three in one, infinite, creator
1Justification
1Sanctification
1Adoption
1Jesus is the messiah
1The kingdom of God
1The church, the body of Christ, universal, catholic, victorious
1Prayer
1Mediator
1Judgment day
1Grace not works

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