Thursday, January 17, 2013
So is there any doctrine more important?
Yes. Yes. Yes.
All Bible is truth and so everything in Scripture is important. But there is one doctrine more important.
It is identified as "of first importance", it is what Paul preached, we are saved by it (but we must hold firm to it), and it is the doctrine on which Christians take their stand. It is the gospel, the good news.
It is the core doctrine of the church. It is our core belief.
It is taken from I Corinthians 15.
Jesus died for our sins according to the Scriptures. He came to earth to die. He died so I could be restored to a relationship with God. He paid a price for my rebellion and sin. He is the living embodiment of God's love for me. Jesus died for unholy, unworthy me.
He was buried. It is real. It is life changing.
He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures. He conquered death. He went back to the Father and showed me the way home. Satan cannot win.
God said this. Scripture. This is not something we made up. Or something we think God meant to communicate. God told us it would happen. And it did. And then he told us it happened.
Jesus is always the answer. What do you believe? What do you teach? What do I need to know about this church? The answer is always Jesus. Any answer that does not start with Jesus is the wrong answer.
So when people ask about my church, I tell them I worship with my community of faith at Southern Hills church of Christ. I do not believe this our name. I do not believe it is a title. I don't believe it is an identifying sign to put on the building.
It had better be a description of who we are. The church of Christ. The body of Christ. The family of Christ. It is why we are called Christians.
It is always Jesus.
Love God. Love your neighbor. Jesus died for your sins and God raised him from the dead.
That is who we are and that is what we believe
Christians.
All Bible is truth and so everything in Scripture is important. But there is one doctrine more important.
It is identified as "of first importance", it is what Paul preached, we are saved by it (but we must hold firm to it), and it is the doctrine on which Christians take their stand. It is the gospel, the good news.
It is the core doctrine of the church. It is our core belief.
It is taken from I Corinthians 15.
Jesus died for our sins according to the Scriptures. He came to earth to die. He died so I could be restored to a relationship with God. He paid a price for my rebellion and sin. He is the living embodiment of God's love for me. Jesus died for unholy, unworthy me.
He was buried. It is real. It is life changing.
He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures. He conquered death. He went back to the Father and showed me the way home. Satan cannot win.
God said this. Scripture. This is not something we made up. Or something we think God meant to communicate. God told us it would happen. And it did. And then he told us it happened.
Jesus is always the answer. What do you believe? What do you teach? What do I need to know about this church? The answer is always Jesus. Any answer that does not start with Jesus is the wrong answer.
So when people ask about my church, I tell them I worship with my community of faith at Southern Hills church of Christ. I do not believe this our name. I do not believe it is a title. I don't believe it is an identifying sign to put on the building.
It had better be a description of who we are. The church of Christ. The body of Christ. The family of Christ. It is why we are called Christians.
It is always Jesus.
Love God. Love your neighbor. Jesus died for your sins and God raised him from the dead.
That is who we are and that is what we believe
Christians.
