Foundational Truths: Understanding God's Nature and Purpose

The study of foundational truths provides the essential framework for understanding God's character, His divine purposes, and our relationship with Him. These timeless principles serve as the bedrock of Christian faith, guiding believers in their spiritual journey and deepening their comprehension of biblical revelation.

Core Beliefs

These are the core beliefs of Christianity to which all true believers adhere. The Apostles' Creed developed in the early church as a response to heretical teachings and the need for a unified statement of faith that distinguished orthodox Christianity from false doctrines. It served as a baptismal confession and a teaching tool for new converts, ensuring that believers understood essential truths before being admitted to the church.

These foundational truths form the basis of early church creeds and confessions of faith. All believers should be conversant with them as they anchor our spiritual experience. A few faith groups within the framework of Christianity do not accept some of these beliefs or have slight variations. In non-essential issues there is freedom to have differing viewpoints, but in essential doctrines there must be unity.

The basics to know and believe

Although there is only one God, He expresses Himself as three persons in one—the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Isa 44:6,8; Mt 3:16-17, 28:19; 2 Cor 13:14).

God, who created all things, has always been and ever will be, and does not change (Gen 1:1; Ps 90:2; Isa 44:24; Jas 1:17). He is all-powerful (omnipotent), present everywhere (omnipresent) and knows all things (omniscient) (Jer 23:23-24; Ps 115:3; 1 Jn 3:20). He is sovereign, just (or righteous), holy and demonstrates the true definition of love (Ps 103:19, 116:5; 1 Pet 1:15; 1 Jn 4:8).

Although Jesus is God, when He intervened in our predicament He was born of a virgin (Mt 1:18; Jn 1:1,14, 10:30). Though fully God and fully man He remained perfect and sinless, and is the only way to God the Father (Jn 14:6; 2 Cor 5:21; Phil 2:5-8; Col 2:9; 1 Pet 2:22).

Humanity was created in the image of God but then sinned. The consequence was separation from God, the Holy One (Gen 1:26-27; Isa 59:2; Rom 3:23, 5:12). Jesus died a substitutionary death for our sins so that we might live forever with Him (Mt 20:28; Jn 3:16; 1 Pet 2:24; 1 Jn 2:2). Later He was resurrected from the dead in physical form (Jn 2:19-21). Salvation is a free gift of grace offered to all, and can't be earned by human effort (Rom 4:5, 6:23; Eph 2:8-9).

Humans are given the freedom to accept or reject the offer of salvation which must be personally embraced to be of value (Jn 1:12; Rom 10:9-10; 1 Jn 1:9).

Upon receiving Jesus as Saviour, we become a new creature in Christ, which means our lifestyle begins a transformation as we intentionally co-operate (Rom 6:4, 12:2; 2 Cor 5:17; Eph 4:22,24; Phil 1:6; Col 1:10).

We now belong to a new divine master, and He is to be the one we love and serve above all else (Mt 6:24; Mk 12:30; Lk 6:46; Jn 14:15; Acts 5:29).

Jesus desires a personal relationship with each individual (Jn 1:12). For those who accept, He will be with always providing strength, wisdom, and comfort in every situation (Mt 28:20).

After they die, those who reject Jesus Christ will be resurrected and judged, being doomed forever, along with Satan, to the Lake of Fire (Mt 25:41,46; Heb 9:27; 2 Pet 3:7; Rev 19:20, 20:11-15, 21:8).

There will be a rapture or gathering up of the believers, both living and the resurrected dead (Mt 24:30-31; Jn 14:1-3; 1 Cor 15:51-52; 1 Thes 4:16-17; Heb 9:28). Believers will be judged for their lifestyle and service to God's Kingdom (1 Cor 3:12-13; 2 Cor 5:10,15).

God will create a new heaven and a new earth where the saved will live forever with Him (Jn 11:25-26; 2 Pet 3:13; Rev 21:1-4).

Living Out the Faith

The above list is not exhaustive but covers many of the key points of Christianity. These key facts and principles should not be knowledge we amass but radically affect our whole way of life and world view. It is important to recognise that our understanding and practice of faith is always growing and deepening as we respond to God’s ongoing work in our lives. As we seek to live faithfully, both in times of joy and challenge, we are called to continually align our perspectives with the greater story of God’s kingdom—allowing heavenly hope, worship, and Christ-centred living to shape our attitudes, relationships, and actions in the world around us.