Questions on Christianity

In this blog we have consistently stated that salvation takes more than our belief, action, motivation, or repentance–it takes all of them.  A book I have recently read elevates one other aspect of our soul above all the others.  This book quotes Randall Eaton as saying: “More important than our behavior or action is our intention.” [1]

Saint Bernard of Clairvaux of the 12^th century would question Eaton because he observed that “the road to hell is paved with good intentions”.  We can intend to do anything but unless we actually do it, we are only daydreaming. 

While our intentions are important, so are our beliefs, actions, motivation, or repentance and I am not aware of any scripture that places one as more important than the others,

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[1]   As quoted in Mansal Denton.  Sacred Hunting.  2021.

The dictionary defines faith as confidence or trust in a person or thing that is not based on proof.  The Bible agrees.  “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1 ESV).

Now God tells us in the Bible we must have faith in order to go to heaven.  “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6 ESV).

Why does God require faith?  It is because God made us finite.  As we detailed in my first book, The Renovation of Our Soul, we are very limited in our ability to determine what is true; we can only objectively know what is true for events that occur in our space and time.  The problem is that many of the decisions we must make depend upon events that have occurred in the past or will occur in the future. And that includes our belief in Jesus and his redemptive work on our behalf.

If God is not willing that any should perish (2 Peter 3:9), why would he require us to believe in something for which we cannot obtain certain proof?  Over the next months we will explore some reasons.

Matthew 3 tells us about the ministry of John the Baptist prior to when Jesus appeared on the scene. About half of Matthew 3 is John berating the religious leaders of his day because while they came to his baptism, hey did not “Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.” (Matthew 3:8 ESV). In other words, their actions did not correspond with their words.

John’s words apply to us as well. We can claim to be Christians, we can be baptized, attend church, tithe, take communion. But all these are meaningless if we do not bear fruit, which means we change our lives, change our person, change our soul so it is like Christ. We can take all sorts of action that makes us seem to be a Christian but as God tells Samuel:  “. . .For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”  (1 Samuel 16:7 ESV).

So what exactly is a Christian?   Webster’s defines it as “pertaining to or derived from Jesus Christ or his teachings”.  That does not provide much help because there are many conflicting ideas of what Jesus taught.  As we noted in the last blog, there are scores of different Christian organizations each with differing doctrinal statements all of which claim to be based on Jesus’ teachings.

Could we define Christianity with only three doctrinal statements?

1. Love God with all your soul and mind.
2. Love your neighbor as yourself.
3. Acceptance that Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and rose again.

I choose the first two because Jesus says all the Law and Prophets are based on them. 

“And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the great and first commandment.  And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.  On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”  (Matthew 22:37-40 ESV).

Additionally, Christianity is more than a belief system it requires action and love is an action not a feeling or emotion (1 Corinthians 13).

 I choose the third because the apostle Paul says it is of first importance.

“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4 ESV)

What do you think?