Thursday, January 20, 2011

Fundamentals of the Christian Faith

Are You a Christian Fundamentalist?

Today, the Christian Fundamentalist is spoken of as a narrow minded bigot. Everybody knows it’s true. Actually, while everyone may 'know' it’s true that Christians Fundamentalists are bigots and narrow minded, most people have no idea exactly 'what' a Christian Fundamentalist actually believes.
So, I thought I would give you five fundamentals of the faith on which all Christians should be able to agree
1. The Bible is absolute truth without error.
2. Jesus is God, and certainly existed before His confinement on earth.
3. Jesus was born of a virgin.
4. Atonement or reconciliation with God requires a blood sacrifice – which was freely given by Jesus Christ at Calvary
5. The bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ

I see these fundamentals as just very basic Bible truths.
If you personally believe these things to be true, then you ARE a fundamentalist.

Can you find any bigotry or hatred in these fundamentals of the Christian faith?

Is there a rational reason in these fundamentals that causes people to hate and despise fundamentalists?

Those who reject these fundamentals are heretics who have departed from the faith and who were never actually of the household of faith. They will become, or already are, apostates who replace the truths of God with lies.

When you are trying to evaluate a bible teacher of preacher as speaking as one with authority coming from Bible knowledge, knowing the fundamentals of the faith will be a big help. If the preacher or teacher does not adhere strictly to these fundamentals of the faith – then go find someone who does.

Currently, there are many so called 'Christian Leaders' who do not accept these fundamental. Once such preacher is Rick Warren. Warren has said that fundamentalists will be the enemy of the 21st century. He says all fundamentalisms are based on fear. Warren also says he is not a fundamentalist.

The time has come spoken of in 2 Timothy when men will not endure sound doctrine, but instead turn from the truth to fables. There are many wolves in sheep's clothing, even many as bold as Warren, who call themselves Christians, but deny the most basic of Christian doctrines.

2 Timothy 3:1-7 says:
1. This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3. Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4. Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5. Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
6. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
7. Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

There is a very real reason the people spoken of in these verses never come to a real knowledge of the truth. It is because they are starting their quest by rejecting the fundamentals of the faith. That is like starting an algebra class while rejecting simple addition answers. If you insist that 2 + 2 is really 11 instead of 4, then you have rejected one of the most basic fundamentals of arithmetic! You have a faulty foundation, and will never do well in math.

Those who reject the fundamentals of faith will never come to a knowledge of the truth because they are looking for an answer that they like instead of actually looking for the truth.