I realize by using “in a Nutshell” in the title, some readers will jump on the chance to label me as the nut in the shell. That’s okay. At least you’re reading this!
This is a succinct description of the Christian faith, as I understand it. It’s sometimes good to get a picture of a big idea from just a few paragraphs. I hope this helps someone. Here we go.
In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve broke the only law that God had given them (“Do not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil”), and the consequence was that all of creation fell from grace with God. In the ages that followed, God knew some (but not most) people who loved Him and wanted to follow Him. Eventually, because of the faith of Abraham, God blessed him with the beginnings of a new nation of people who would be destined to become “God’s chosen people”, Israel. They were rebellious, even after being miraculously freed from captivity in Egypt. Their hearts were “hardened” against God and His love for them. They needed guidance, and to be shown in what ways they were not following God. So, He gave Moses a list of 10 Commandments. Some of the commandments reflected how people should regard God, and the rest showed them how to treat other people. Over the next hundreds of years, the religious leaders of Israel felt they should add even more laws that people must follow (“Don’t do this” kinds of laws, mostly).
Hundreds of years later, when only God Himself knew the time was right, He, in the form of Jesus (one of the three in the Godhead, who were distinct persons, yet the same), came into the world, grew up as a human being, lived a totally sinless life (enabled to do so because he was God, yet He was capable of sinning if He chose to give in to temptation), identified with our struggles personally, taught us much about relating to God, and finally died in our place as an atoning sacrifice to reconcile us to God, the Father. Death could not hold him, though, because He personally had never sinned. He was free to return to the Father on our behalf, and so he did. Many saw him resurrected, and we look forward to the day when we, too, will have resurrected bodies for all eternity. That is, we who have accepted the free gift Jesus procured for us, of eternal life with the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
Now, notice I said “accepted the free gift Jesus procured for us”. This is the way of our salvation, our acceptance of His free gift, “not by works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:9) To step back one verse to Eph 2:8, we read, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.” This is what I believe – that our salvation comes as a gift of God’s grace, a favor we don’t deserve, a gift we can only obtain through faith in Jesus as the redeeming Messiah. And this is ALL that is needed for someone to be saved. Baptism is not essential. Works are not essential. I believe that baptism is, for us, an “outward and physical sign of an inward and spiritual grace”. And I believe that good works will naturally flow from those who are grateful for God’s salvation.
Now, as to God’s laws, let me share my view. Jesus taught (in Matthew 22) that all the commandments are fulfilled if we will practice two things:
34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’c 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
This, also, I believe. It is only by my relationship with God, through Jesus Christ, sustained by His Holy Spirit dwelling in me, that I can follow these two commandments. I sometimes fail, because I am totally human. The sinful nature is in my DNA. But I also have a new nature living in me, through Christ. There is a war in my body, but ultimately God will prevail. I know that my only hope to perfectly please God is to stay connected to him every day. But I know that He loves me unconditionally – that means I know He will love me even when I fail to do right. Do I always love God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength? No. Do I always love my neighbor? No. But God’s Holy Spirit corrects me when I’ve done wrong, until I get things right. I am not perfect, and I never expect to achieve a perfect life while living here in this mortal body.
Whew! I don’t think I’ve ever explained my beliefs so briefly as that, but I think that sums it up pretty well. Thank you for reading this and carefully thinking it over, because truly the words above explain the essence of the faith by which I live.
