When People Refer to the Essentials’ of the Christian Faith, What Are the
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As for non-essentials, I think it depends upon the person, and that person's faith and beliefs. Romans 14 tells us that there is a bit of leeway in how we worship and practice our faith:
Romans 14
13 Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. 14 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. 15 For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. 16 So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. 19 So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.
As for non-essentials, I think it depends upon the person, and that person's faith and beliefs. Romans 14 tells us that there is a bit of leeway in how we worship and practice our faith:
Romans 14
13 Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. 14 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. 15 For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. 16 So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. 19 So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.
Essentials of the faith would include these:
1) the full deity of Jesus Christ
2) monotheism (there is only one God)
3) the doctrine of the Trinity or Triune nature of God
4) justification by faith alone
5) authority and inspiration of Scripture
6) substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ on the cross
7) original sin
8) virgin birth
9) bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ and believers
10) eternal reward of the righteous and eternal
punishment of the wicked at Christ's return
Non-essentials would be issues such as whether tongues are for today, or methods of church governance, etcetera.
Now, I know some would claim that this list is arbitrary, but I believe it is very plain that the above are not even questionable, and that anyone who denies them is operating outside of Christianity. Young believers may not understand the details of some of the points, but these items still define what the essence of Christianity is about. I would never claim that a person who is a younger believer is unsaved if they don't understand some of these points because they aren't very far in their growth process, but if someone is rebelliously teaching contrary to them, it's a good sign they are heretical or maybe not even saved.
I can't call something ice cream if it has no cream in it, and is a warm goopy mess. Same with Christianity. There are essential ingredients to Christianity, and if one's faith doesn't include certain core elements, you can't really call it Christianity.
Some cultic nuts would want to add other things, such as the Judaizing cult I belonged to (Armstrongites). Basically everything they taught was an essential, and they were the only true faith. I am sure that many Sabbathkeepers would claim Sabbathkeeping is an essential. Some claim speaking in tongues is an essential.
1) the full deity of Jesus Christ
2) monotheism (there is only one God)
3) the doctrine of the Trinity or Triune nature of God
4) justification by faith alone
5) authority and inspiration of Scripture
6) substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ on the cross
7) original sin
8) virgin birth
9) bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ and believers
10) eternal reward of the righteous and eternal
punishment of the wicked at Christ's return
Non-essentials would be issues such as whether tongues are for today, or methods of church governance, etcetera.
Now, I know some would claim that this list is arbitrary, but I believe it is very plain that the above are not even questionable, and that anyone who denies them is operating outside of Christianity. Young believers may not understand the details of some of the points, but these items still define what the essence of Christianity is about. I would never claim that a person who is a younger believer is unsaved if they don't understand some of these points because they aren't very far in their growth process, but if someone is rebelliously teaching contrary to them, it's a good sign they are heretical or maybe not even saved.
I can't call something ice cream if it has no cream in it, and is a warm goopy mess. Same with Christianity. There are essential ingredients to Christianity, and if one's faith doesn't include certain core elements, you can't really call it Christianity.
Some cultic nuts would want to add other things, such as the Judaizing cult I belonged to (Armstrongites). Basically everything they taught was an essential, and they were the only true faith. I am sure that many Sabbathkeepers would claim Sabbathkeeping is an essential. Some claim speaking in tongues is an essential.
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It's apparent in your OP that the non-essentials/essentials are teachings/doctrines. In fact, it's a given because anything listed as of the Christian faith is a teaching (doctrine).
That some make pretense that it doesn't or that the OP didn't include this is remarkable, disingenuous, and absurd.
Non essential example? Infant baptism.
Essential example? The Deity of Christ.
That some make pretense that it doesn't or that the OP didn't include this is remarkable, disingenuous, and absurd.
Non essential example? Infant baptism.
Essential example? The Deity of Christ.
The group I belonged to as a young man didn't allow men to remove their suit jacket even in the hottest weather. I won't even attend a church now that has a dress code like that. Requiring a suit is asinine. I can do without a lifetime of smelling the body odor of old men who couldn't afford to constantly launder their suits.
The group I belonged to as a young man didn't allow men to remove their suit jacket even in the hottest weather. I won't even attend a church now that has a dress code like that. Requiring a suit is asinine. I can do without a lifetime of smelling the body odor of old men who couldn't afford to constantly launder their suits.
A good question would be, how much can a Christian walk out of the truth of God and still be saved? Or if we walk out of the truth of God and can we be saved? For example, most Christians today are believing in a false return of Christ, is believing in the true return of Christ essential? Is believing in the true return of Christ not essential? The return of Christ is the second half of the gospel...I wonder, is it essential to be in truth in this area or does God just look the other way?
F
The "essentials" are called essential because they are the basic foundational truths of the Christian faith. Foundational to all we believe, not because they are all that we believe. They are not what we follow, they are what we who follow Jesus believe, and what we use to weed out the imposters from among us.