Biblical Christianity
So, What’s the Difference? • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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What does it mean to be a Biblical Christian?
“Biblical” means that the Christian believes and searches seriously and carefully for the meaning of the Bible on its own terms, not changing its meaning to fit the times.
Christians in the second century were already seeing subtle heresies coming in.
“Heresy” - “An opinion held in opposition to the commonly received doctrine and tending to promote division or dissension.”
Biblical Christians today must guard against heresy as well as being too quick to judge other Christians with differing viewpoints.
Why are there so many denominations of Christianity? Because there are different interpretations of Scripture.
There is, however, one thing that holds all true Biblical Christians together.
3 For I passed on to you as most important what I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
To explore Biblical Christianity, we must answer some questions?
To explore Biblical Christianity, we must answer some questions?
1. Was Jesus really God, or was He a great teacher and nothing more than that?
1. Was Jesus really God, or was He a great teacher and nothing more than that?
The Bible does not use the exact words “Jesus is God.”
However, the teaching of the Bible is clear.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
14 The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
30 I and the Father are one.”
9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been among you all this time and you do not know me, Philip? The one who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
58 Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, before Abraham was, I am.”
Jesus is either LIAR (claimed He was God but knew He wasn’t), a LUNATIC (claimed He was God and actually thought He was but wasn’t) or He is LORD. C.S. Lewis.
2. Did the virgin birth really happen?
2. Did the virgin birth really happen?
People with an atheistic or naturalistic worldview scoff at this story because they do not believe in the supernatural or miracles.
35 The angel replied to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.
“The virgin birth made possible the uniting of full deity and full humanity in one person.” Jesus could have descended from heaven as a fully grown man, but that would have made it very hard for us to see how He could be just as human as we are. Or, He could have been born of two human parents, but that would have made it hard for us to see that He was truly God.
3. Does the Trinity make three gods?
3. Does the Trinity make three gods?
Many religions believe (like Islam) that Christians worship three separate gods.
Is there one verse that speaks about the Trinity and how it operates? No. You have to do a systematic approach to the Bible.
26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.”
7 Come, let’s go down there and confuse their language so that they will not understand one another’s speech.”
The Trinity, however, is one of the most difficult concepts for Christians to understand or explain to other people.
As Christians we believe in ONE God who exists as THREE persons.
“If God is supernatural - beyond nature - why must He be understood only in natural terms.”
The Trinity is a kind of existence far different from anything we have experienced.
4. Did Jesus really rise from the dead?
4. Did Jesus really rise from the dead?
Biblical Christianity says He did.
The doctrine of the resurrection is the foundation on which Christianity rests.
17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.
It is hard to deny that Jesus rose from the dead when you see the changes in the lives of the disciples.
Also, the Bible records that 500 people saw Jesus after He rose from the dead.
6 Then he appeared to over five hundred brothers and sisters at one time; most of them are still alive, but some have fallen asleep.
