BASIC TEACHINGS OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH

There are seven aspects of Christian theology:
Theology proper, about the nature of God
Ecclesiology, about the church,
Anthropology, about the nature of man
Bibliology, about the Bible
Angelology, about angels
Soteriology, about salvation
Eschatology, about the end-times

A lot has been written on those subjects. The basics of Christian doctrine, though, are covered in the course of answering four questions:

What should I believe about God?
How should I worship God?
How should I treat other people?
What is the purpose of my life?

Jesus Christ gave the answers to these questions to His followers, and they shared them with the church. This was written to share them with you. Applied with God's guidance, they will change your life.

What Should I Believe About God?

This summary of Christian beliefs was handed down from the early followers of Jesus Christ:

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ His only begotten Son, our Lord, who was conceived of the Holy Spirit in the womb of His virgin mother Mary. He was tempted in the wilderness, was baptized in the the Jordan River; He taught about the kingdom of God, healed the sick, and caused the blind to see. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, and died on a cross for my sins. On the third day, He arose from the dead and appeared to the disciples, who saw Him, touched Him, and ate with Him. He ascended into heaven, where He now sits at the right hand of the Father, until He returns to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, who dwells in the church, one body of believers. The church offers baptism for the forgiveness of sins. I believe in a final judgment, and in everlasting life, the gift of God.

How Should I Worship God?

Worship is not limited to what you do in church-services. Worship ought to be a way of life: loving the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.

Love for God is expressed by obeying His commands, which He gave for our benefit. Therefore, do not steal. Do not be drunken. Do not commit murder. Do not commit sodomy. Do not commit adultery. Do not commit fornication. Do not engage in sorcery. Do not lie. Do not covet. Do not speak with pride or malice. Forgive others as you want to be forgiven. Love one another. This is the path of life. Avoid the path of death: rage and murder, lust and adultery, horoscopes and idol-worship, greed and stealing, rebelliousness and drunkenness, immodesty and hypocrisy, and pride.

Meet together often, so that our love, our unity, and our desire for good works may be stirred up. Praise the Lord with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Diligently learn from the writings of the apostles and prophets in the New Testament, and from the books of the Old Testament, which were written by the inspiration of God.

Each congregation ought to have elders to shepherd the flock. An elder should be the husband of one wife, and meet the other qualifications given in the New Testament. Elders should guide and direct the congregation, and anoint the sick with oil, as Scripture says. Where there can be deacons also, there should be deacons to assist the elders. There may also be an evangelist to administer the word in preaching, in counsel, and in good works.

Christ told the apostles to administer two formal ceremonies, or sacraments, which transfer His grace: Christian baptism and the communion-meal. Regarding the form of baptism, the church should follow the example of the apostles, who, after teaching the way of the Lord, and after receiving from a listener the sincere confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, immersed in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. (In the generation after the apostles, it was permissible to pour water onto a new believer three times, if immersion was impossible.) Regarding the Lord's Supper, when the congregation assembles, each Christian should examine himself before partaking of the bread and the wine or juice, solemnly remembering that Christ's body was broken and His blood was shed to atone for our sins and reconcile us to the Father. At the Lord's table, in His presence, we thank God for the one sacrifice which was offered for sins forever.

Prayer, fasting, and donating (with joy, not by compulsion) are also parts of Christian worship. Christians should not pray as a show; they should pray thoughtfully, without vain repetition. Jesus taught His followers to pray this prayer:

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.
Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done,
in earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom, and the power,
and the glory forever. Amen.

How Should I Treat Other People?

Love your neighbor as yourself. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Pursue peace with everyone, as much as it depends on you. Have the attitude of Jesus Christ, who humbled Himself to serve others. Share the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Forgive others as Christ has forgiven you. Let your words be constructive, without lying, without filthiness, and without evil. Use the gifts that God has given you to help others. Feed the hungry; give drink to the thirsty; care for the sick; visit prisoners; by assisting them, you assist Christ.

In each Christian congregation, the members should pray for those in need, and also pray for the shepherds who oversee them. The shepherds should guide and protect the flock, using Scripture to teach, to rebuke, to correct, and to instruct about what is right.

In each Christian family, the husband should love his wife as Christ loves the church, and the wife should respect her husband and submit to his leadership. Children should honor and obey their parents, without disobeying God, and the parents should teach their children the way of life. The husband and the wife should be resolved to be faithful to one another until they are parted by death. Such a marriage is a holy and honorable state, and follows the pattern God has given. An unmarried life spent in chastity and purity is also holy and honorable.

In each nation, the government should be acknowledged as an agency of God; Christians should give the government its due honor; they should obey the laws and pay their due in taxes, without breaking the laws of God. Those who hold office in the government remain subject to the laws of God, like soldiers under their commander.

In each business, Christians who are supervisors should seek to please God in all things, using integrity, wisdom, and skill in their work, without showing favoritism. And Christians who are supervised workers should work sincerely, with goodwill, as if employed by God. And both the supervisors and the supervised should affirm that they share the same heavenly Master who loves them all.

What Is The Purpose Of My Life?

We are the handiwork of God, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God has prepared in advance for us to do, for His glory. God wants your life to be part of His kingdom. To the extent that you have the opportunity and ability, you are called to glorify God in your conduct, in church activities, in your family-life, in your duty as a citizen, and in your work. Scripture says, "As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." The Holy Spirit will empower you to overcome temptation, to fulfill God's purposes for your life, and to share the good news with others so that they may turn to God, receive forgiveness of their sins, and enjoy a new spiritual nature as a child of God.

God wants His children to believe His teachings and to put them into action. The message of the New Testament is only summarized here; the New Testament contains fuller details about the work and teachings of Christ. If you are looking for a church that follows the New Testament, we hope that you will join us as we resolve to take up the cross daily and follow Jesus, seeking to grow more like Him by His grace.