Foundational Basics
Back
Composed of the following:
In the times that we live,
the basic doctrines of Christianity are under attack by not only the cults,
and various religions of the world, but also some main line denominations
are in stages of APOSTASY ( a falling away ). A falling away from the
doctrines and principles that Christians through out the ages have embraced
and held dear to.
Just as a house must have
a good foundation and solid structure to be strong, so too must a Christian.
If a Christian isn’t founded on solid biblical doctrines they can be easily
moved from their Faith.
Ephesians 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro,
and carried about with every wind of doctrine.
Matthew 7:24-25 Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them,
I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
Vs.25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and
beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
In this study course,
a house under construction will be used as an
illustration of Christian growth; using
the foundation,
( Foundational Basics ) the wooden structure, ( Structural Truths )
and the building bricks ( Solid Building Blocks ) as an example.
Just as a house is built from the foundation up, brick upon brick, so too
is our Christian growth in understanding and knowledge of God.
Isaiah 28:9-10 Whom shall He teach knowledge? And whom shall he make to
understand doctrine? Them that are weaned from milk, and drawn from the
breast.
Vs.10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon
line, line upon line; here a little and there a little.
MEMORY VERSE
1 Corinthians 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid.
which is Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ is the only foundation that we can build on
for eternal life and a relationship with God. Just as the foundation of a
house has various components such as, cement, sand, gravel, and water, so to
does our foundation, Jesus Christ and the different doctrines concerning
him.
Back to top
_______________________________
His
Divinity
Jesus Christ is not a god but is God. Existing before his physical birth at
Bethlehem, from eternity he was always with God the Father ( the first
person of the trinity ) as God the Son ( the second person of the trinity
). Although he was God manifested in the flesh, here on earth, he lived as a
perfect sinless man and ministered by the anointing of the Holy Ghost
( Acts 10:38 ). At no time was Jesus ever an angel ( Hebrews 1:4-5, 13 )
but in truth, as part of the God Head, he created them ( Colossians 1:16-17
)
John 1:1-3 In the
beginning was the word, and the word was with God and the Word was God.
Vs. 2 The same was
in the beginning with God.
Vs. 14 And the Word
was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as
the only begotton of the Father, full of grace and truth.
1 Timothy 3:16 And
without controversy great was the mystery of godliness. God was
manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached
unto the Gentiles believed on in the world, received up into glory.
Titus 2:13 Looking
for the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Philippians 2:6 Who
being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God.
1 John 1:2 For the
life was manifested and we have seen it and bear witness and shew unto you
that eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested unto us.
Isaiah 9:6 His name
shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting
Father, The Prince of Peace.
1 Corinthians 10:9
Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, were destroyed
of serpents. ( see Numbers 21:6 )
Back to top
_______________________________
His Eternal Existence
John
6:38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the
will of him that sent me.
John 8:58 Jesus said
to them, verily verily. I say unto you. before Abraham was, I am.
John 17:5 And now, O
Father, glorify thou me with thine own self, with the glory which I had
with thee before the world was.
God shares his glory
with no one, only God can partake of Gods glory.
Isaiah 42:8. I am the
Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another,
neither my praise to graven images.
Another reference to
the Divinity of Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 1:8-9 But
unto the Son he saith Thy throne O God is forever and ever: sceptre of
righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
Vs.9 Thou hast loved
righteousness and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed
thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
Revelation 1:8, 11,
17, 18 I Am Alpha Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith
the Lord, which
is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
Vs.11 Saying, I Am
Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest,
write in a
book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus,
and unto Smyrna, and unto Peramos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and
unto
Philadelhia, and unto
Laodicea.
Vs.17. And when I
saw Him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me,
saying unto me, Fear not; I Am the first and the last:
Vs.18 I Am he
that liveth and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, amen;
and have the
keys of hell and of death.
Back to top
_______________________________
As the Creator
Jesus
Christ was not created and in his pre-Bethlehem existence as God the Son,
was indeed the Creator of all the Universe and every thing in it, visible
and invisible.
John 1:3, 10 All
things were made by him and without him was not anything made, that was
made.
Vs.10 He was in the
world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
Ephesians 3:9 And to
make all men to see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the
beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by
Jesus Christ.
Colossians 1:16 For
by him were all things created that are in heaven, and that are in earth,
visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or
principalities, or powers:
all things were created by him and for him.
Hebrews 1:1-2 God,
who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the
fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son,
whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds.
Back to top
_______________________________
His Virgin Birth
The
virgin birth of Jesus Christ was necessary because of Original Sin that
passed upon the human race through Adam, being born of a virgin, he never
inherited original sin, and therefore was able to offer himself up as a sin
offering for all of mankind.
Isaiah 7:14
Therefore, the Lord himself shall give you a sign; behold, a virgin
shall conceive, and bear a Son and shall call his name Emmanuel.
Matthew 1:18 Now the
birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: when as his mother Mary was espoused
to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of
the Holy Ghost.
Matthew 1:23 Behold,
a virgin shall be with child and shall bring forth a son, and they shall
call his name, Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
Luke 1:26, 27, 31, 34,
35 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto the
city of Galilee, named Nazareth.
Vs.27 To a virgin
espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David;
and the virgins name
was Mary.
Vs.31 An behold,
thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a Son, and shalt call his
name Jesus.
Vs.34 Then said Mary
unto the angel, how shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
Vs.35 And the angel
answered and said unto her, the Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the
power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; therefore also that holy thing
which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
Hebrews 10:5
Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, sacrifice and offering
thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me.
Back to top
_______________________________
Jesus was Sinless
Jesus Christ was the perfect sin offering, for the sins of all humanity,
because he was without the spot and blemish of original sin and personal
sin. Although he was God
manifested in flesh,
he was also fully man, and therefore, because of his humanity, was able to
sin. Resisting every temptation from Satan and the weakness of his flesh, he
is the only person who has never sinned.
1 Peter 2:22 Who
did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth.
1 John 3:5 And ye
know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is
no sin.
Hebrews 1:9 Thou
hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy
God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
Hebrews 4:15 For we
have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our
infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without
sin.
2 Corinthians 5:21
For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew not sin; that we might be
made the righteousness of God in him.
Back to top
_______________________________
Jesus Christ is
the Only Way
Jesus Christ came to this earth the first time, for one purpose, to save
sinners, in the fulfillment of Old Testament prophesy and the Fathers will.
He died for our sins, was buried and rose again on the third day. The
scriptures teach that he is the only way of salvation, for all of mankind.
Without him there is no way to God.
John 3:16 For God
so loved the world, that he gave his only begotton Son, that
whosoever
believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:17 For God
sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world
through him might be saved.
John 14:6 Jesus
saith to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the
Father but by me.
Luke 2:11 For unto
you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the
Lord.
Acts 4:12 Neither is
there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven
given among men, whereby we must be saved.
1 Timothy 1:15 This
is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came
into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
Isaiah 53:5 But he
was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the
chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
1 Peter 3:18 For
Christ also hath suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might
bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened ( made alive
) by the Spirit.
Back to top
_______________________________
His Resurrection
If you
have never seen Jesus Christ and believe in him, then consider yourself
blessed.
Thomas said “ He would
not believe unless he could see and feel the nail scars”, Later Jesus
appeared to him and said “ Blessed are they that have not seen and yet
believe” The word of God gives birth to our faith and that faith is the
substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. ( Hebrews
11:1 ) The resurrection of Jesus was bodily, as the first fruit, of them
that sleep. ( 1 Corinthians 15:20 )
In Luke
24:36-43...Jesus appeared to his disciples, ate food with them and they
touched him.
Matthew 16:21 From
that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples how that he must go
to Jerusalem and suffer many things of the elders and the chief priests and
scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the 3rd. day.
Luke 24:46 Thus it
it written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead
the 3rd. day.
Acts 26:23 That
Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from
the dead, and should shew light unto the people and to the Gentiles.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4
For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that
Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures:
Vs.4 And that he was
buried, and that he rose again the 3rd. day according to the scriptures.
Romans 4:25 Who was
delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification.
1 Thessalonians 4:14
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which
sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
Back to
top
_______________________________
Our Advocate
The
Bible says in 1 Timothy 2:5 that there is only one Mediator between God
and man, the man Christ Jesus. In order for him to be our Mediator, he had
to become our High Priest, a Priest that knew what it felt like to suffer
the temptations of the flesh and Satan, yet without sin.
Because he can identify with us, he can represent us before God as our
Advocate ( a lawyer or one who pleads the cause or case of another ) based
upon the blood he shed at Calvary for the remission of our sins. The bible
says we can come boldly unto the throne room of grace and find help in
time of need. Hebrews 4:16 )
1
John 2:1-2 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye
sin not, and if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ the righteous.
Vs.2 And he is the
propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of
the whole world.
1 Timothy 2:5 For
there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the man
Christ Jesus.
Hebrews 4:15-16
For we have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling
of our infirmities; But was in all points tempted as we are, yet without
sin.
Vs.16 Let us
therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy,
and find grace to help in time of need.
Hebrews 7:25
Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come to God
by him, seeing he ever live to make intercession for them.
Hebrews 9:12
Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he
entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption
for us.
1 John 1:9 If we
confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
* Admitting to God that you
have sinned, and asking for forgiveness keeps us in right standing with
him.
Back to top
_______________________________
His First Coming
The
first coming of Jesus Christ was one of suffering and rejection,
Throughout the Old Testament, it was proclaimed that the Messiah was to
come; while some scriptures speak of him suffering and dying, yet others
speak of him reigning as a King. Needless to say this was perplexing to
many, who read and interpreted the scriptures throughout the ages.
In the times that
Jesus was manifested, Israel was under the rule of the Roman Empire and the
people were looking for a deliverer, to lead them out of their oppression,
and not a
lamb who was to die
for the sins of the world. As a whole, Jesus was rejected by the
religious
leaders of his day because of this and also their jealousy over his ministry
and
popularity with the
common people. God's plan was the salvation of the whole world, the
1st. Coming of
Jesus was to provide the means for this and the second will be to reign as
King over all
the world. Israel failed to understand this.
1 Peter 1:11
Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ who was in
them did signify, when it testified before hand its sufferings of Christ,
and the glory that should follow.
Mark 8:31 And he
began to teach them, that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be
rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests and scribes, and be killed,
and after three days rise again.
Luke 24:26 Ought not
Christ to have suffer these things, and to enter into his glory?
Isaiah 53:3 He is
despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief:
and we hid our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Psalms 22:16 For
dogs have compassed me: the assemble of the wicked have inclosed me: they
pierced my hands and my feet.
Back to top
_______________________________
*The second coming
of Jesus Christ will be visible and in glory and power.
A. VISIBLE
ACTS 1:11 Which also
said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into the heavens? This same
Jesus, which is taken
up from you into heaven, shall so come in
like manner as ye have
seen him go into heaven.
REVELATIONS 1:7
Behold he cometh with the clouds; and every eye shall see him, and
they also which pierced him:
and all kindreds of
the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
B. GLORY AND
POWER
Revelation 19:11, 12, 15, 16 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a
white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in
righteousness he
doth judge and make
war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many
crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
Out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the
nations: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of
Almighty God. He hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King
of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Revelation 11:15 The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our
Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
( Other references: Isaiah
11, Jeremiah 23, Zechariah 14 )
In Christ's Service
E.L. Davis
|