Christianity 101

Salvation

Salvation is a gift from God. You are saved from the eternal consequences of your sin and given eternal life. Salvation is about what God has already done for you – not what you can do for Him.

How am i saved?

Ephesians 2:8 says "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God."  You have been saved by the grace of Jesus through faith; not because of anything you have done but rather, because of what he did for you when he died on the cross and rose again.

What do I need to do to be saved?

Romans 10:9 says, "If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Salvation is when you turn away from sin, repent, and believe and confess that Jesus is Lord. You don’t have to work for salvation, you can simply believe for salvation.

(References: Romans 3:20, Romans 5:8, Romans 10:13)

The Bible is fully inspired by the Holy Spirit and God-Breathed

The Bible is the word of God, written by faithful men chosen by God under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. While humans were the vessels God used to write down the passages, the truth of the Bible did not come from human understanding or knowledge. Every part of the Bible is God-breathed. While various writers bring different perspectives, the Bible is inspired by God and reveals his identity, nature, and divine plan for all of humankind.

"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness...” 

2 Timothy 3:16

What is Sin?

Sin, by the dictionary definition, is an immoral act considered to be a transgression against divine law. Biblically, sin is when a person does anything that is out of line with the perfect character and direction of God

Who is the serpent?

The serpent in Genesis 3 is the tempter. He convinced Eve to act in opposition to God. This character matches that of a being known as Satan, an opposer of God. Throughout scripture we see Satan and his followers deceive and destroy God’s creation. Jesus and his apostles warn us time and time again to resist Satan (also known as the Devil) as to not fall into the same trap as Eve.

(References: 2 Corinthians 11:3 | 1 John 3:8 | John 8:44)

Sin causes a separation between humans and God. God is holy and perfect in every way. When we act out of line with His nature, we create a divide between us and our Creator.

Because God so loved the world, He had a plan to save us from our sin.

Now that I have received salvation and understand what it means, what comes next?

Sanctification is the ongoing process of submitting to God’s Word and Spirit to complete the development of Christ’s character in us. Sanctification is not about perfection, it is about progression. It is the Holy Spirit’s continued work in us to become more like him.

God is the one who does the work of making us more like Christ. We participate in that work by continually turning away from sin and demonstrating our faith in Christ by obeying God’s commands.

The Bible teaches that we should be baptized in water in the name of the Father, the Son and of the Holy Spirit. We believe in water baptism because Jesus himself modeled it for us. In the book of Luke it says,

"When all the people were baptized, Jesus was baptized too. As he was praying, heaven was opened" 

Luke 3:21

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take it; this is my body.”

Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it.

“This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many,” he said to them.

“Truly I tell you, I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Why do we pray?

The power of prayer deepens our dependence on Him and sharpens our faith. When we pray we choose to put everything in God’s hands knowing that His hand will show up in every aspect of our lives and in those around us.

Why we fast?

Fasting is an ancient Christian practice of intentionally abstaining from food to grow closer to Jesus Christ. It’s a spiritual discipline that helps you draw near to God, rely on the Holy Spirit, and overcome sinful desires, habits, and cravings. Fasting strengthens faith and guides believers toward spiritual growth and maturity.

"Fasting helps us to express, to deepen, and to confirm the resolution that we are ready to sacrifice anything, even ourselves, to attain the Kingdom of God.”-Scot McKnight.