Sermons

Summary: A Multi-Part study of historical Christian teaching concerning the claims of Jesus and the beginning of the Church

There are many religions in the world. A significant number of them predate Judaism, and the vast majority predates Christianity. All religions have various sects and subgroups that are also called denominations in Christianity.

Denominations have most often come about as the result of differences in beliefs. Many of them started because of a great move of God at a specific time and place in history. After several years, they became a religious organization that operates with its own identity, doctrinal beliefs, traditions, and legal hierarchy.

Some Denominations claim they are the only "true" church, while others say they are a non-denomination, even though they have 100's of churches under their 'banner' that are required to operate by specific rules of conduct, doctrine, and procedures.

Others claim direct mystical revelation from God, and many allege that Jesus, as well as Angels, visit them in person. Some say that they have visited Heaven many times and had conversations with Jesus as well as the Prophets and Apostles, which, by doing so, denigrates the authority of Scripture and creates a non-biblical experience-oriented theology that is based on emotionalism and suffused in mysticism. Others claim that they are a 'Prophet' or 'Apostle' and have divine authority to interpret or even change the Bible by adding to it.

There are also aberrations of Christianity known as 'cults' in the world today that have beliefs that are not supported by the Bible or historical orthodox Christianity.

Some of those various contrary beliefs are as follows:

1. There is only one Person or one 'Being' called "God."

2. The terms "Father," "Son," and "Holy Spirit" refer to three manifestations of one Person or one Being.

3. The Father is the only Person who is divine; the Son was created by the Father; and the Holy Spirit was created by the Son (AKA-Arianism).

4. God consists of three Persons in one Person, or three Beings in one Being.

5. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are essential parts of one Being, just as humans are made up of body, soul, and spirit.

6. God is a universal mind, conscience, love, goodness, and power filling all space and matter.

7. Jesus Christ is the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Every human being has beliefs based upon a confirmation bias of selective thinking because people often look for what confirms their beliefs (be they truly correct or incorrect) and ignore, undervalue, or not look for, information or facts that could contradict those beliefs.

Brilliant biblical scholars throughout history have looked at the same Scriptures and interpreted them very differently. That has happened since the beginning of time and why we have so many denominations and specific identifying beliefs such as Jesus did or did not drink or make alcohol, the present use of supernatural gifts, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, saved by grace versus salvation by works, partaking of communion only once a year versus daily, weekly, or monthly; baptism of infants versus adults by emersion, or sprinkling of water; the office of Apostle or Prophet are for today versus they are not; divorce is OK (even though God hates it) versus it is not OK; it is OK for women to have authority over men in the church versus not OK. I could go on and on ad-infinitum.

Those who disagree with a person's misinformed confirmation bias rightly use common sense, reasoning and logic to present their understanding of the original language used in context within the Scriptures, but are then often labeled as a liar, heretic, full of the devil, perverting, twisting or eisegeting the Scriptures, spouting doctrines of demons, or a being a false prophet, etc., etc., etc.

Despite man-made religious nonsense that has caused wars over differences of belief and interpretation, there are some fundamental essentials that are the absolute foundational truths of Christianity. The Bible warns its reader about accepting another Gospel other than the one the original Apostles witnessed and preached.

"…if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!" (Gal 1:8 NIV)

One Eternal God

The infinite Majestic God is not some universal mind or consciousness that fills space and matter. He is both omnipotent and omnipresent. He is not confined to three dimensions of space and one dimension of time. He can be in more than one place at a time. God has been seen physically by human eyes many times (Gen 18:1-33; 19:24; 32:24-30; Ex 24:11; 33:11-33; Josh 5:13-15; Judges 6:11-23; 13:3-25; 1 Chron. 21:16-17; Job 42:5; Isa 6; Ez 1:26-28; 10:1,20; 40:3; Dan 7:9-14; 10:5-10; Acts 7:56-59; Rev. 4:2-5; 5:1,5-7,11-14; 6:16; 7:9-17; 19:4; 21:3-5; 22:4).

The Bible declares there is only one eternal God who always existed in eternity past and into eternity future in three persons in what is known as the Trinity – God, the Father, God, the Son, Jesus Christ, and God, the Holy Spirit, who each have their own personal spirit-body, mind, and spirit (Deut. 33:27; Isa. 44:6; 57:15; 1 Kings 8:27; 2 Chron. 2:6; Ps. 147:5; Jer. 23:24; Acts 17:24-28).

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