One common criticism of Christianity points to the plethora of denominations in the world. The USA has over 200 different ones, and there are 45,000 across the globe. “Why are there so many?” skeptics and critics ask. “If Christianity is the way, shouldn’t there be more unity?”
Unfortunately, these skeptics bring up great questions. Jesus said the world would know we follow him by the love we have for one another (John 13:35), and if we’re unified like the Father and the Son, then we give witness to the Father sending the Son for salvation (John 17:21). Of course, just as we can’t attain salvation in our own strength, neither can we attain unity. Our unity already exists within Christ. When we live by that spiritual unity, we testify to the goodness and power of God.
Why do so many denominations exist? Churches split from others due to doctrinal differences or disagreements over traditions and practices. While some variety of perspectives can be healthy and should be welcomed, every Jesus follower should hold to certain basic doctrines. To wander away from these core beliefs means we create a different religion. We’re no longer Christian.
What are these core beliefs? Here are 8 doctrines and creeds every Christian should know and read.
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1. The Doctrine of God's Divine Love
Jesus spoke about two topics more than any others—the Kingdom of God and the love of the Father.
As the Son, Jesus affirmed his Father’s boundless love for his creation, especially men and women. The Bible depicts this love as a central theme, underscoring God's nature and character.
In the New Testament, perhaps the most well-known verse encapsulating the love of the Father is found in John 3:16: “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.” The Father’s love motivated giving people the opportunity to escape hell and instead enjoy eternal life. He willingly offered his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to demonstrate this love.
The apostle Paul expresses the depth of God’s love in Romans 8:38-39: “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Nothing can separate any one of us from his love. This abundant and incomprehensible love exists within Christ, which is why we must repent unto God through Jesus to fully experience this forever.
Therefore, we must endeavor to better understand this love that pursues, redeems, restores, and invites every person into a transforming relationship with the Father through the Son. God’s love is at the root of all he does.
2. Jesus Is Fully God and Fully Man
God has made Christ the crux of truth and salvation. To be saved, we must rest in Christ. Correct doctrines speak of the actual person of God and Christ.
In John 1:1, the apostle declares, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John highlights the divine nature of Jesus Christ, identifying him as the eternal Word who existed with God from the very beginning. Colossians 1:15-17 proclaims, “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him, all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” Here, Paul emphasizes Christ’s preeminence and supremacy as creator and sustainer of all things.
In addition to his divine nature, the person of Christ also encompasses his humanity, as seen in John 1:14: “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.” This verse recounts the importance of the incarnation, making Jesus both man and God, central to his work of redemption and reconciliation. The story of this work, his literal death and resurrection, also becomes essential.
3. The Gospel of the Kingdom
Along with the love of the Father, Jesus taught extensively about the Kingdom of God, and this gospel serves as the foundation of Christian faith and mission.
In Mark 1:14-15, Jesus declares, “The time has come. The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” Here, Jesus announces the inauguration of God’s kingdom and calls upon people to repent and embrace the good news of salvation through him. This passage includes the immediacy and accessibility of the Kingdom of God, inviting all to participate in its blessings through faith in Jesus Christ.
Furthermore, in Matthew 6:33, Jesus instructs His disciples, "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." This verse highlights the priority of seeking God's kingdom above all else, emphasizing the transformative impact of aligning one's life with the values and purposes of God's reign.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God proclaims the redemptive reign of Jesus Christ, who inaugurates a new era of God’s rule characterized by justice, mercy, and reconciliation. For salvation, we must repent to the King and the Kingdom, submitting to and following Jesus. This Gospel heralds the fulfillment of God’s promises and the restoration of creation to its intended state of harmony and flourishing. Forgiveness, redemption, and regeneration come as a result of repentance to King Jesus and his rule.
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4. The Work of the Holy Spirit
Upon making the decision to repent and follow Christ, we receive the help and empowerment of the Holy Spirit. We need divine help to follow a divine path. The Holy Spirit regenerates unto the new creation and leads us into all truth.
Regeneration, the spiritual rebirth of believers, is a foundational work of the Holy Spirit. Jesus himself affirms this in John 3:5: “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.” Believers become a new creation, new in Christ.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The old has gone, the new is here!” - 2 Corinthians 5:17
With the new creation, the Spirit enables and empowers us to live in obedience to God’s will. Jesus promises the Spirit’s power to fulfill the mission in Acts 1:8 with, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” The Spirit empowers us in two ways, through the character (fruit) of the Spirit and spiritual gifts for ministry and witness.
The Spirit counsels and guides us. “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.” (John 14:26) The Spirit, being one of the Trinity, is also the source of truth, which God gives to us generously.
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5. Understanding the Cost of Discipleship
We require the power of the Holy Spirit expressly because the journey ahead will be difficult, even impossible without it. This leads us to Jesus’ teachings on the cost of discipleship. In Luke 14:27-33, Jesus articulates this:
“Whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple... In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.”
Jesus uses the cross, a symbol of shame and torture, to illustrate the radical nature of following him, denying ourselves. Yet this willing self-sacrifice and self-denial leads us to true and eternal life. All that we long for awaits us through the process of death and resurrection (Matthew 16:24-26).
The cost of discipleship encompasses a willingness to prioritize Jesus above all else, even in the face of opposition, persecution, or personal sacrifice. It requires a radical reorientation of our priorities, values, and allegiances, as well as a steadfast commitment to obeying Jesus’ teachings and embodying his example in daily life.
Ultimately, the cost of discipleship is not merely about giving up worldly possessions or comforts but about surrendering our entire self to the lordship of Jesus Christ. It is a call to embrace the way of the cross, following Jesus with unwavering devotion and obedience, regardless of the challenges or hardships that may arise.
6. The Divine Authority of Scripture
Jesus and the apostles affirm the divine inspiration, trustworthiness, and ultimate authority of the Bible (Matthew 24:35). Jesus taught directly from the Old Testament to reveal its authority. In 2 Timothy 3:16-17, the apostle Paul writes, “
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
Just as we rest in the work of God, the Spirit inspired all Scripture to train us as servants of God. Peter also declares the reliability of Scripture in 2 Peter 1:20-21: “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” Here, Peter highlights the role of divine inspiration in the authorship of Scripture, affirming it as the word of God.
The Bible's authority extends to all areas of life, providing guidance, instruction, and wisdom for believers as they navigate the complexities of the world. As the inspired and authoritative word of God, the Bible serves as the final authority in matters of faith, doctrine, morality, and spiritual practice.
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7. The Day of Judgement and God's Plan for Salvation
We need salvation because humanity and history rush toward a Day of Judgment, on which all people will stand before God and give an account of their lives. On this Day, God will bring justice and correction to the corruption of all creation.
In Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus speaks of the final judgment, depicting a scene in which the Son of Man separates the righteous from the wicked, saying, “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” This passage emphasizes the sobering reality of the coming judgment and its eternal consequences for many.
Similarly, in Revelation 20:11-15, John describes a great white throne judgment, in which the dead are judged according to their deeds, and those whose names are not found written in the book of life are cast into the lake of fire.
Thanks be to God, we have a way to survive this judgment through repenting to the Father through the Son. Christ’s work on the cross and his resurrection pave the way for us to follow him in eternal life now and live eternally in the Kingdom. The Day of Judgment sets everything right, revealing what each person is made of, either the corruption of the world or the new creation in Christ.
Ultimately, the coming judgment affirms God's justice and righteousness and his sovereignty over all creation. It serves as a catalyst for repentance, faith, and holy living as believers anticipate Christ's return and the consummation of God’s Kingdom.
8. The Second Coming of Jesus Christ
The Bible teaches how, along with the Day of Judgment, he will return and renew the whole of creation. In Matthew 24:30-31, Jesus describes his second coming, saying, “At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.” Jesus speaks of his dramatic and triumphant return, gathering his chosen people from every corner of the earth. Revelation 21:1-5 describes a vision of a new heaven and new earth, declaring,
“Then I saw 'a new heaven and a new earth,’ for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea... He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’”
Jesus’ return won’t simply be an amazing show across the sky; he will establish a renewal of all creation, where God’s presence will dwell with his people in perfect harmony and fulfillment. Jesus promised his return while living on the earth, and this promise inspires hope and anticipation among us as we await and expectantly look forward to the culmination of God’s redemptive purposes. Jesus will return and make all things new. Let us now be made new in him.
The doctrines of God aren’t for academic or intellectual achievement, not to help us win an argument. The creeds of Christianity aren’t designed to make us feel better. They exist to describe the Way, the only name by which men and women can be saved from the coming judgment and instead live in eternal peace and love. The truths of God transform and save us. They are worth the time to learn them and meditate upon them.
They will save our souls and the lives of others. That’s what makes them essential.
Originally published Wednesday, 01 May 2024.