HOW WE BELIEVE

“I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another
so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.”

1 Corinthians 1:10

In essential beliefs - we have unity

1. We are called to unity.

“There is one body and one Spirit - just as you were called to one hope when you were called - one Lord, one faith,
one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” Ephesians 4:4-6 (See also John 17:17ff)

2. Some beliefs have more importance than other beliefs.

“Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 
By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.  

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve.
After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.
Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.”  I Corinthians 15:1-8

3. Jesus tells us what some more important beliefs are.

"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices-- mint, dill and cummin.
But you have neglected the more important matters of the law-- justice, mercy and faithfulness.
You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. Matthew 23:23ff

                “One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"

Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.

' This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'

All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."  Matthew 22:35-40

4. God confirms Jesus’ emphasis even in the Old Testament.

“With what shall I come before the LORD and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,

with calves a year old?  Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil?

Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?  He has showed you, O man, what is good.

And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.  Micah 6:6-8

In non-essential beliefs - we have liberty

“Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters . . . Who are you to judge someone else’s servant?

To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand...So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God

. . .So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves.”

Romans 14:1,4,12,22

In all our beliefs - we show Love

“If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.”

1 Corinthians 13:2

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