A mature follower of Christ understands the importance of doctrine
and thinking correctly. Like a riptide, our world steadily pulls us away
from biblical truth. Current culture is a shifting wind that gusts hard
one way for one generation, then shifts direction for the next. There
are seductive voices that call like deceitful sirens to our minds and to
what we believe. The intense battle for the “what,” “why” and “how”
we think is not new. The battle for truth has been raging ever since
Satan entered the garden. It is because this battle for our minds is so
strong, deceitful, ongoing and deadly that we must gird and guard
our thinking with God’s truth.
The importance of our “Basic Christian Beliefs” cannot be undersold.
It is the job of every Christ follower to become well-grounded in the
truth. As Paul says to the Ephesians:
“Then we will no longer be like children, forever changing our
minds about what we believe because someone has told us
something different or because someone has cleverly lied to us
and made the lie sound like the truth. Instead we will hold to the
truth in love, becoming more and more in every way like Christ,
who is the head of his body, the church.” Ephesians 4:14-15 NLT
This booklet is to be used in the discipleship journey to build the
firm foundation of our faith. The specific Christian beliefs that are
addressed are taken from the doctrinal statement of Highlands
Church in Scottsdale, Arizona, but they represent key building blocks
for a proper understanding of Christianity – beyond just one local
church. In this booklet we provide a brief introduction of each
chapter, but leave the conclusions, implications and applications to
you - the reader. Dig deep into the scriptures provided. Exercise your
mind to observe what is written. Ask yourself about the meaning of
Basic Christian Beliefs
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each passage. Then record your thoughts about the implications and
discuss your findings between disciple maker and disciple.
We are not left to our own imaginations in this battle for the truth.
God has given us the Holy Spirit and the Word of God to equip us. Like
Paul warns his disciple Timothy, we need to be alert to a world that
is increasingly counter-Christian. We need to know what we believe
and stand firmly on this foundation of truth. We need to defend the
faith and be ready.
“For the time is coming when people will not endure sound
teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for
themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn
away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.” 2
Timothy 4:3-4
Follower of Christ – stand firm!
