Believing is very critical in many facets of life. It can make you or break you.It is never more critical than how it relates to one’s eternal destiny. As the Bible teaches, believing in Jesus Christ can result in eternal life. Therefore, many “church attendees” profess to be believers. But true believing is not a sometime affair, it is not partial; it must be complete and life-changing. Here are key principles a believer is required to believe, Parts 1 through 7:
What Should a Believer Believe
Part 1-A Great Beginning
1.There’s only one true God, and He has revealed Himself to humanity as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He is the Creator of all things. (Genesis 1:1; Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 42:5; Isaiah 43:10-13; Matthew 28:19)
2. God created all angels to be holy and righteous. (Psalm 104:4)
3. There was a war in Heaven caused by the rebellion of one-third of the angels. The leader of the rebellion was an angel named Lucifer. (Revelation 12:7-9; Isaiah 14: 12-15)
4. The rebelling angels were cast out of Heaven into the earth. Lucifer took on the main role of Satan, and the other angels became known as demons. (Revelation 12:7-9)
5. God created human beings to be in His own image and likeness. Therefore, we were supposed to be the greatest among God’s creations. (Genesis 1: 26-28)
6.Human beings were given dominion, or authority, to rule over the Earth. (Genesis 1:26-28)
7. At the time of creation, human beings were given the ability to live forever. (Genesis 1:27; Romans 5:12)
What Should a Believer Believe
Part 2-Then Comes Trouble
1. Using the serpent, Satan tempted Eve and Adam into disobeying God. (Genesis 2:16-17; 3:1-6)
2. Adam and Eve’s sin of disobedience brought sin on the entire human race. (Romans 5:12, 18)
3. Sin brought death into the human race. First came spiritual death followed by natural death; thus eliminating the ability to live forever. (Genesis 2:17; 5:5)
4. Sin also brought an end to human dominion or authority on Earth, allowing Satan to exercise his influence in the Earth. (II Corinthians 4:4; John 12:31; 14:30)
What Should a Believer Believe
Part 3-A Ray of Hope Turns into a Spotlight
1. However, before humans were banished from the Garden of Eden for their sin, God promised that an offspring of a woman would eventually come and defeat the works of Satan, thus granting forgiveness for sin. (Genesis 3:15)
2. Events, as recorded in the Old Testament, mainly show God’s work in establishing the nation of Israel, and revealing Himself to them. The end objective of God’s work through Israel was to bring the offer of eternal salvation to all of mankind. (Genesis 12:1-3)
3..God’s relationship with the nation of Israel was determined by a Covenant, or contract, based on the law God gave unto Moses. It is now known as the Old Covenant, or Old Testament. (Deuteronomy 5:1-21)
4. Many of the Old Testament prophets foretold the coming of Jesus Christ to establish a New Covenant; and become the Savior of the world, by offering everlasting life to all that would come to Him in repentance from sin, and have faith in Him. (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel 36:24-27; Joel 2:28-29; John 3:16)
5. Now, for anyone in the world to be saved, they must establish a relationship with God, according to the New Covenant; which is based on the work of Jesus Christ. (Luke 22:20; Hebrews 8:13; John 14:6)
What Should a Believer Believe
Part 4-The Light Breaks Forth over the World
1. The work of Jesus Christ included the preaching of the gospel; His death on the cross to pay the penalty for our PAST sins; His resurrection from the dead; His ascension back to heaven; and His sending of the Holy Spirit to give new life and power to His followers. (Luke 4:17-19; Romans 3:25; John 10:17-18; Luke 24:1-7; & 49-51
2. We can receive the work of Jesus Christ in us by repenting, or turning away from our old life; having faith that God will give us a new life; by receiving the Holy Spirit. This requires us to put our attention on our inner self, and pray to God to give us victory in the spiritual war.( Romans 6: 1-12; Acts 17:27; James 4:1;; Acts 1:8; 1 John 5:4)
3. Receiving the Holy Spirit causes us to be born again into a new, sin free, abundant life. Also we are enabled to experience and function in the spiritual realm, as lead by the Holy Spirit. (John 3:3-7; John 10:10; I Corinthians 2:9-15; Ephesians 3:8-21; II Corinthians 5:17; Romans 8:14 & 26)
What Should a Believer Believe
Part 5-Carrying the Torch In Adversity
1. After we have been born again, we are required by God to live a life free from sin. This requires a lot of fervent prayer, Bible study; and sound doctrinal teaching. We must seek to associate with other true Christians, and avoid types of media that promote sinful behavior. (Romans 6:1-23; I Thessalonians 5:17; 1 Timothy 4:12-16; Ephesians 5:1-21)
2. We now become students of the word of God to feed our spiritual growth, and to prepare us to carry out His work here on earth. (I Peter 2:2-3; II Timothy 2:15)
3.While living the Christian life, and doing the Lord’s work, we can expect to receive persecution and other types of tribulation. But the Lord will sustain us through his presence in us by the Holy Spirit; and use tribulation to strengthen us spiritually. (John 16:33; Acts 14:22; II Corinthians 1:3-4; John 14:18, 26-27)
4. Powered and led by the Holy Spirit, we live out our lives here on earth enjoying the fruit of the Spirit, worshiping God in spirit and in truth, and allowing Christ to work through us to spread His gospel in the world. (Acts 1:8; Romans 8:14; Galatians 5:22-23; John 4:23-24; Mark 16:15-20; I Peter 1:8)
5. As we move through time, headed toward eternity, we eagerly look forward to the time of our departure to be with the Lord more directly; or his return to gather all His people, which is known as the Rapture! (Romans 8:19; II Peter 3:12)
What Should a Believer Believe
Part 6-Losers and Winners
1. Before the Rapture, many in the church will become lost because of a strong delusion, or false Christianity; others will become spiritually “lukewarm” because of materialism; and some because of leaving their first love relationship with Jesus; therefore many have returned to a life of sin. (II Thessalonians 2:9-12; Revelation 2:4-5; 3:14-19; Daniel 8:23-25; II Peter 2:17-22)
2. After Jesus takes His true followers out of the world by the Rapture, the Wrath of God will come on the world with great destruction. (Luke 21:34-36; Ephesians 3:6; that Revelation 6:17; Chapters 8-11)
What Should a Believer Believe
Part 7-An Ending and the Beginning
1. After the Wrath of God comes to an end, Jesus and those that are saved will rule on this earth for 1000 years. (Revelation 20:4, 6; 2:26-27)
2. After the thousand-year period is over, the souls of all the lost (some taken from Hell) will be cast into the Lake of Fire, where they will spend eternity. (Revelation 20:5, 11-15)
3. This present earth, and the whole physical universe, will be totally done away with, ceasing to exist. (Revelation 20:11; Matthew 24:35; II Peter 3:10-12; I John 2:17)
4. God will then begin eternity with a new heaven and a new earth. He will dwell on the new earth among His people that remained true until the end. (II Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1)