WHAT DO CHRISTIANS BELIEVE?

Seven Things About God

1. We believe there is Only One Unique God. It is written: (Deuteronomy 6:4) Hear, O Israel; The LORD our God [is] one LORD.

2. God is Creator of everything, this vast universe. All was created by His Word. He spoke it into being. It is written: (Genesis 1:3) And God said... and it was so. His Word is powerful.

3. How can we created beings know anything about God? How can we puny creatures know anything about His thoughts?

We can - but only because God Himself has chosen to reveal something about Himself to us. He is the God of Revelation. It is written: (Deuteronomy 29:29) The secret things belong to the LORD our God; but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.

What has God revealed about Himself to us?

4. He is Holy - pure - absolutely no evil can exist in or with Him. He has nothing to do with any sin, or wrong thinking, or evil. It is written: (Habakkuk 3:11) Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrong.

5. He is Just - which means that all wrongdoing will be punished. Sometimes people are confused on this point. Justice is not the same as mercy. Justice means if you break the law, you pay the penalty.

God does not compromise His nature of Holiness. He punishes all wrong doing.

It is not as if God puts all our good deeds on one side of a scale, and all our bad deeds on the other side to see which is heavier. To use an example: If I were to murder your brother, would a judge be just who said, "It's OK. We can let him be free. He has done mostly good during his life." God does not close His eyes to wrong. He does not tolerate it.

But doesn't God know that we are all dust? That we are prone to make mistakes? There is no perfect man or woman. Yes, He knows. But does this mean that our mistakes don't matter to God? God is holy and just, so they matter greatly. If we understand this, then we realize that we are in a very bad situation.

If we are honest - which of us has never had a selfish or wrong thought? or never lied? Who can say that they have a pure heart before a Holy God?

And even if we were able to live without making mistakes now - what about the past? Does God have a poor memory? Does doing good erase doing wrong? No.

Each of us deserves God's judgment and Hellfire. It's not just a matter of saying a prayer, "I am sorry. I will try to do better next time." There would be no justice in that.

An example: If I drive through a red light and an officer stops me, is it any good saying, "But officer, I have been going through green lights the rest of my life!" If this argument wouldn't work with an officer, how much less with a Holy and Just God! It is written: (Romans 6:23) The payment of wrongdoing is death.

Fortunately for each one of us, this is not the end of the story.

6. God is Almighty - God can do anything He wants to. It is written: (Jeremiah 32:17) Ah Lord GOD! You have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm, nothing is too hard for you.

There are no limits - no bounds to His power.

God is consistent. God is not contradictory - He doesn't contradict His holiness or justice. He does not violate His law.

Let me ask a question: "How do you get to know someone?" You might be able to tell something about others from the way they look. But you can't know what they think, what's in their heart. We need to hear a person's words. Their words tell what is inside their heart, what they are thinking in their mind.

If I want to communicate my wishes to you, there are several ways of doing it. I might send you a letter, writing down my thoughts. You could read it. But you might have questions, or not understand something. A better way is to send my letter with a good friend, someone who knows me well. My friend would be able to explain something of what I am saying. Better yet, I telephone you, and you can talk with me directly. But best of all, I come to you in person, and we meet face to face.

God's Word spoke the universe into being. His Word is powerful beyond our comprehension. He wants us to know Him. God gave His written Word in the law. He sent the prophets to explain and clarify His Word. It is written: (Hebrews 1:1) In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways.

God is so powerful that nothing is impossible - if God wants to, His WORD can actually come to us, face to face. His Word can become a man.

7. God is LOVE - God loves us and wants us to know Him - so His Word became a man.

It is written: (John 1:1,14) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God ... The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the Glory of the One and Only.

Jesus is the Word of God. The pure and Holy Word of God.

Remember Abraham and his son? (Genesis 22:1-14) Abraham wanted to obey and submit to God. He took his son to sacrifice him, and on the way his son asked, "The fire and wood are here, but where is the lamb for the offering?" Abraham answered, "God himself will provide the Lamb for the offering." Abraham laid his son on the altar for sacrifice and was about to slay him when God called to him, "Abraham! Do not lay a hand on the boy!" And Abraham looked up and saw a ram God momentously provided, caught by its horns, and sacrificed it instead. His son was ransomed.

The Bible calls Jesus the Lamb of God (John 1:29) when the prophet John declared, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" He ransomed us. In love, God's Word took the judgment we deserved upon Himself.

But He didn't stay dead - He could not - He rose victorious - and conquered death.

How can we know God?

How can we know God? It isn't easy - it takes humility.

It takes humility to recognize that we are dust, that we have unclean hearts, and our deeds deserve Hell.

It takes humility to receive what God has done: He washes us clean, makes us pure, and gives His Spirit to help us live lives of obedience.

There is great joy and freedom in knowing God - the One and Only God, the Creator, the One who Reveals Himself, who is Holy, Just, Almighty, and Loving.

He calls us not to be servants, but His children. Jesus says (John 15:15) I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead I have called you friends.

It is written: (John 1:12) To all who received Him, who believed in His name, He gave power to become children of God.