THE FOUNDATIONAL DOCTRINES OF CHRISTIANITY - A DETAILED STUDY
Perth Fellowship
LESSON 4
FOUNDATIONAL DOCTRINES OF CHRISTIAN LIFE
Jesus compared His discipleship to a tower, which would be built by paying a heavy cost, which it demands. Any good building built in this world must have an unshakable foundation. Similarly the real Christian life also must be founded on a good foundation. In Hebrews chapter six we can see the foundational doctrines of Christianity. They are,
1.Repentance from dead works
2. Faith
4. Laying on of hands
5. Resurrection
6. Eternal judgement.
Let us have a look at the first doctrine in Today’s lesson.
1.Repentance
All the descendants of Adam are moving away from God, indulging in things which are against the wishes of the loving Father. When Adam did sin and surrendered his life to Satan, he tried to hide from God. (Gen3.7-13). Till that time Lords voice was sweet to Adam, but after that the voice of the Lord became a cause of fear, which shows his new character of surrendered life to Satan. Satan hates and fears the Word of God and is in all out effort to pollute the Word of God. (Matt.4.1-10, 1Tim.4.1-5)
To escape from fear, they tried foolishly to hide from God. This is the character of all descendants of Adam, hating the Word of God. Jews and Gentiles are equally under sin. There is no one righteous: not even one; there is no one who understands; no one who seeks God; all have turned away; they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one. ((Rom.3.9-20). Adam and Eve fear to listen the Word of God. But God went in search of them. This is what God do today too. (Rom.3.23, Luke.15.11-13).
When a man become aware of this guilt of living away from the loving Father and decides to return to the loving Father, his spiritual life will begin. This is called repentance, the first step for a Christian life.
This is what is depicted in the parable of the prodigal son. Prodigal son represents the entire humanity and not just the adulterers and drunkards, as commonly thought. If any one is not convinced of his fallen condition and not wilfully deciding to return to the Father, he is not repented. Repentance is a decision of the Will and neither a feeling nor an emotion.
It is a wilful decision to fulfil the desire of the Father or to stop living for him. (Gal.2.20).
It is a decision to say ‘no’ to ones own desire/Will and say ‘yes’ to the Will of the Lord. (John.6.38).
It is a decision not to say “ in my opinion ” rather a decision to say “What His Will is”. (Gal.2.20)
It is a transformation from saying ‘I will do’ to ‘If the Lord wills we shall do ’. (James.4.14-15)
It is death to the flesh and to live by the Spirit. (Rom. 8.13)
It is a decision to be contended with whatever He gives in our life and not to live in this world to amass wealth. (1Tim.6.6-8).
It is a decision for the restitution of all past untrue financial transactions and a decision to equally think about the needs of
(Luke.14.26)
It is a decision to forsake any human relation if situation warrants, for giving the supreme love to the Lord. (Luke.14.26, Matt. 4.19-22,Acts. 4.19)
It is a decision to sell everything, to buy that precious pearl. (Matt.13.44-46)
If faith is not preceded by repentance the ‘less fortunate’ (Luke.19.8, Eph.4.28, Js.2.14-20,1John.3.17-18)
It is a decision to submit to the husbands in everything, as to the Lord. (Eph.5.22-24).
For children it is a decision to obey their parents in everything. (Col.3.20)
It is a decision to love the wife as Lord loved His Church. (Eph.5.25)
It is a decision to keep the marital covenant of mutually surrendering the physical body always in order to protect each other from Satan. (1Cor.7.2-5)
It is a decision to forsake everything for gaining Christ. (Luke.14.33, Phil.3.8)
It is a decision to love the Lord more than that of our life. that faith will never give salvation. See our Lords opening Words “ Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand “ (Matt.4.17)
Apostles went out and preached repentance. (Mark.6.12)
Pauls preaching begin with repentance. (Acts.17.30,20.21, 26.20 )
Peters preaching begin with repentance. (Acts2.38,8.22)
Listen the last Words of the resurrected Lord “ And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Luke.24.47)
Lords first and last Words are centred on repentance. If Godly repentance is not there in ones life, the faith will not save a soul. If the repentance is not of the type mentioned above, the faith will bring death. (2Cor.7.10). Today Satan has succeeded in removing the repentance from the preaching of the Word and thereby putting forward a gospel which can not save the soul.
Thought from this lesson. Why Satan hate the Word of God and why he tried to steal repentance from the present day preaching.
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