Basic Truths of Christian Faith - 24

24. What does the Holy Spirit do for you?
He works powerfully and effectively to give me faith, to justify and santify me, and to preserve me in Christ.

John 3:5
5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.

John 14:26
26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

Romans 8:9
9 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.

Romans 8:15
15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”

Basic Truths of Christian Faith - 23

23. Who is the Holy Spirit?
He is the eternal thrid Person of the Trinity.

John 15:26
The Work of the Holy Spirit
26 “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me.

Basic Truths of Christian Faith - 22

22. How does God minister His grace to you?

God ministers His grace to me by the power of the Holy Spirit through His Word, baptism and the Lord’s Supper, in the fellowship of His Church.
 
Romans 8:9-14 (NIV)
9 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.
12 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.

Romans 10:14 (NIV)

14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?

Acts 2:38 (NIV)

38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 11:23-25 (NIV)

23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

Ephesians 4:11-13 (NIV)

11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Basic Truths of Christian Faith - 21

21. Why has God loved you in Christ from eternity?

God has loved me not for anything in me, but only because of His good pleasure, which amazes me and makes me humble.
 

Ephesians 1:3-6 (NIV)

Praise for Spiritual Blessings in Christ
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.

Basic Truths of Christian Faith - 20

20. Why have you received the grace of God?

I have received the grace of God because of His eternal, electing plan in Christ.

Romans 8:29-30 (NIV)

29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

Basic Truths of Christian Faith - 19

19. Why are you utterly dependent on the grace of God?

In myself, I am dead in sin and resist God, seeking only to serve myself.

Ephesians 2:4-5 (NIV)

4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.

Romans 3:10-12 (NIV)

10 As it is written:
“There is no one righteous, not even one;
11     there is no one who understands;
    there is no one who seeks God.
12 All have turned away,
    they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
    not even one.”

Basic Truths of Christian Faith - 18

18. What is the grace of God?

The grace of God is the undeserved favour, mercy and action of God in rescuing sinners.

Ephesians 2:8-10 (NIV)

8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Basic Truths of Christian Faith - 17

17. How can you be united to Jesus and His work?

I can only be united to Jesus and His work only by God’s grace.

Ephesians 2:4-5 (NIV)

4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.

Basic Truths of Christian Faith - 16

16. Is Jesus the only saviour?

Yes. No one can find reconciliation with God and salvation from sin except through union with Christ.
 
Acts 4:12 (NIV)
12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
John 6:57 (NIV)
57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me.
John 10:9 (NIV)
9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.

Basic Truths of Christian Faith - 15

15. What does it mean that Jesus was raised for you?
Jesus was raised bodily from the dead and ever lives for me, praying for me and protecting me from all my enemies – the world, the flesh and the devil. 

Romans 4:25
25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.

Hebrews 4:16
16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Hebrews 7:25
25 Therefore he is able to save completelythose who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

Basic Truths of Christian Faith - 14

14. What does it mean that Jesus died for you?

Jesus died on the cross for me, fully bearing the wrath and curse of God against me for my sins and fully meriting the forgiveness of my sins.

2 Corinthians 5:19
19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.21 God made him who had no sin to be sinfor us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Basic Truths of Christian Faith - 13

13. What does it mean that Jesus lived for you?

Jesus perfectly kept the holy law for me as the second Adam and as the true Israelite, and He imputes His perfect righteousness to me.

Matthew 3:15
15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.

Romans 5:17-18
17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!
18 Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people.

Basic Truths of Christian Faith - 12

12. What has Jesus done to reconcile you to God?

Jesus lived, died and was raised for me.

Romans 4:25 (NIV)

25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.

Romans 6:5 (NIV)

5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his.

Basic Truths of Christian Faith - 11

11. Who is Jesus Christ?

Jesus is the eternal second Person of the Trinity, the Son, who became man, born in fulfilment of the prophets’ words, born of Mary as a decendant of David, born under the law.

John 1:1 (NIV)

The Word Became Flesh
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:14 (NIV)

14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Romans 1:2-4 (NIV)

2 the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3 regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life  was a descendant of David, 4 and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.

Galatians 4:4 (NIV)

4 But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,

Basic Truths of Christian Faith - 10

10. What do the Scriptures teach about how you as a sinner can live for God?

I can only live for God if I am united with Jesus Christ.

John 3:16 (NIV)

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 15:5 (NIV)

5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

2 Corinthians 5:15 (NIV)

15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

Basic Truths of Christian Faith - 9

9. Who intepretes the Scriptures?
God has not established any infallable intepreter – whether the church or tradition – for the Scriptures. Rather the Scriptures inteprete themselves, as those who are illuminated by the Holy Spirit read and study them in the community of faith. To know God and His truth, I must search the Scriptures.

Matthew 4:7 (NIV)

7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”

Deuteronomy 32:45-47 (NIV)

45 When Moses finished reciting all these words to all Israel, 46 he said to them, “Take to heart all the words I have solemnly declared to you this day, so that you may command your children to obey carefully all the words of this law. 47 They are not just idle words for you—they are your life. By them you will live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.”

Acts 17:11 (NIV)

11 Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

Basic Truths of Christian Faith - 8

8. Why do you need the Scriptures?
As a sinner, I have no reliable and saving knowledge of God and can know God only as He has revealed Himself.

Romans 3:10-11 (NIV)

10 As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one;
11 there is no one who understands;there is no one who seeks God.

Psalm 19:8-9 (NIV)

8 The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.
9 The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous.

Basic Truths of Christian Faith - 7

7. Are the Holy Scriptures reliable?

The Holy Scriptures are true in that all that they teach, infallable and inerrant because they are inspired by God.

 

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)

16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Psalm 119:96 (NIV)

96 To all perfection I see a limit, but your commands are boundless.

Psalm 119:138 (NIV)

138 The statutes you have laid down are righteous; they are fully trustworthy.

Psalm 119:160 (NIV)

160 All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal.

John 10:35 (NIV)

35 If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside—

Basic Truths of Christian Faith - 6

6. What are the Holy Scriptures?

The Holy Scriptures are the canonical books of the Old and New Testaments, inspired by the Holy Spirit through prophets and apostles.

 

2 Timothy 3:16 (NIV)
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,

Basic Truths of Christian Faith - 5

5. How can you know the truth about God and His work?

I know God and His work clearly and savingly by the written revelation of God, the Holy Scriptures.

Psalm 119:105New International Version (NIV)

105 Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.