Sets of selected verses are traditionally used to support the Core Beliefs of Christianity.
Core Belief 1 – The Bible is the inspired, infallible and inerrant word of God -- is set forth in Section 1.3 of Theology Corner (TC) and further developed in Sections 13.15, 13.16 and 13.17 of Theology Corner and Chapter 10 of Christian Handbook of Reason and Insight for Scientists and Technologists. Core Belief 1 is not included in this Section of Theology Corner as a separate item.
Core Belief 8 -- Faith precedes regeneration; faith is an act of human free will responding to the grace of God – is also set forth in Section 1.3 of Theology Corner. It is a companion to Core Belief 5. Core Belief 8 is not included in this Section of Theology Corner as a separate item, but all the associated Scripture references are incorporated under Core Belief 5.
The remaining Core beliefs 2 through 7 and the associated verses are listed below. These include core beliefs concerning: 2. the Holy Trinity (TC 1.3, 12.10); 3. the theanthropic Jesus Christ (TC 1.3, 1.23, 2.5); 4. the inbred sin of mankind (TC 1.3, 8.6, 8.13, 12.11); 5. salvation offered to all men (TC 1.3, 8.6, 8.9, 8.11); 6. the Prevenient Grace of God (TC 1.3, 3.9, 3.10, 3.11, 3.12, 4.2, 4.8); 7. salvation by faith, the grace of God and the substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ (TC 1.3, 1.4, 3.13, 10.8, 11.4, 11.8). These core beliefs reflect a Wesleyan/Arminian theology. Beliefs 4, 5, 6 and 7 represent four points of the Remonstrance. The issue of “eternal security” is not critical to this discussion.
Core Belief 2 of Christianity
The one true God (Deut 4:35, 6:4; Isa 43:10, 44:6-8; I Cor 8:6; 1 Tim 2:5) exists as three distinct,
Transcendent (1 Kings 8:27),
Immanent (Acts 17:27,28; Col 1:16-17),
Infinite (1 Kings 8:27),
Eternal (Isa 57:15) and
Immutable (Mal 3:6) persons:
God the Father (John 5:18, 10:29, 14:28, 17:1-3; 1 Cor 8:6; Phil 2:11)
God the Son (Isa 7:14, 44:6; John 1:1-14, 5:18, 10:30, 20:28, 8:58 cf Ex 3:14; Rom 9:5; Phil 2:5-11; Col 1:15-18; Titus 2:13, Heb 1:8; 1 John 5:20; Rev 22:13-18)
God the Holy Spirit (Ex 17:7 cf Heb 3:7-9; Mat 28:19; Acts 5:3-4, 13:2 cf Gal 1:1 and 1 Tim 1:1; 1 Cor 3:16; 2 Cor 13:14; 2 Tim 3:16 cf 2 Pet 1:21; Heb 9:14).
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Core Belief 3 of Christianity
Jesus Christ is God the Son (Isa 7:14 cf Mat 1:23, 44:6; John 1:1-14, 5:18, 10:30, 20:28, 8:58 cf Ex 3:14; Rom 9:5; Phil 2:5-11; Col 1:15-18; Titus 2:13, Heb 1:8; 1 John 5:20; Rev 22:13-18).
Jesus Christ is man (Mark 2:27,28; John 1:14; Rom 1:3; Phil 2:5-11; 1 Tim 2:5; 1 John 4:1-4).
Jesus Christ is one person whose divine and human natures cannot be changed, divided, separated or mixed (John 1:14; Rom 1:3,4, 8:3, 9:5; Gal 4:4,5; Phil 2:5-7; 1 Tim 3:16; Heb 2:11-14; 1 John 4:2,3).
Jesus Christ was resurrected bodily from the dead (Luke 24:36-47; John 2:19-21; Rom 8:11; 1 Cor 15:3-7; 1 John 3:2).
Jesus Christ was born of a virgin (Isa 7:14; Mat 1:23).
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Core Belief 4 of Christianity
Every person since Adam and Eve (Gen 3:6-19; Rom 7:14-25), except Jesus Christ (Luke 1:35), was born with a sin nature.
No person (Rom 3:23, 5:12-18, 6:23; 1 John 1:8-10), except Jesus Christ (John 8:46; 2 Cor 5:21; Heb 4:15; 1 Pet 1:18-19, 2:21-22; 1 John 2:1, 3:3), has lived a sinless life.
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Core Belief 5 of Christianity
Salvation from the consequences of sin is offered to all persons by the grace of God and the substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ (Deut 10:17; 2 Chron 19:7; Job 34:18-19; Lam 3:33; Ezek 18:23-25, 33:11; Mark 12:14; John 1:29, 3:16, 14:6; Acts 4:10-12, 10:34-35; Rom 2:11, 3:21-25, 5:12-18; Eph 2:8-10, 6:9; 1 Tim 2:3-5, 4:9-10; Heb 9:14-15; 2 Pet 3:9; 1 John 2:2).
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Core Belief 6 of Christianity
The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all persons (Titus 2:11).
The requirements of the law are written by God on every heart (Rom. 2:15).
Jesus Christ knocks at the door of every heart (Rev. 3:20).
The Holy Spirit calls and convicts each person (John 16:8).
God’s eternal power and divine nature are evident in the world around us (Rom 1:20).
Nevertheless, many resist the grace of God (Mat 25:46; 2 Thes 1:8-9).
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Core Belief 7 of Christianity
Each person who responds to God’s grace and the substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ by
Confession of sin (Ps 32:3-5; 1 John 1:8-10),
Remorse (Ps 66:18; Luke 18:13),
Repentance (Mat 3:8; Rom 12:2, 13:14; Eph 4:23-24; Rev 2:5, 16, 3:3, 19),
Faith (John 6:29, 3:16-17; Acts 16:31; Eph 2:8-10) and
Obedience (Mat 28:20; Luke 11:28; John 14:15; Rom 1:5, 6:16; Heb 5:9)
Receives the great gift of salvation (Acts 4:12; Rom 1:16; 2 Cor 7:10; 1 Thes 5:9; Heb 5:9; 1 Pet 1:9, 18-19).
Each person who resists God’s grace is condemned to everlasting punishment (Mat 25:46; 2 Thes 1:8-9).
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Each of the indicated Scripture verses, as it appears in the NIV, is listed in section 13.20. When the best exegesis is assigned to each verse, that verse is found to support the corresponding Wesleyan/Arminian Core Belief of Christianity. Furthermore, when each verse from The Voice (VOICE) is compared with the corresponding NIV verse, they are found to be identical in meaning.
The Voice is a modern language, dynamic equivalent English Translation of the Bible developed by Thomas Nelson (a subsidiary of News Corp) and the Ecclesia Bible Society. The original New Testament was released in January 2011, the revised and updated New Testament was released in November 2011, and the full Bible was released in April 2012. The Voice has been harshly criticized by several well-intentioned fundamentalists.
But once again, the Wesleyan/ Arminian Core Beliefs of Christianity are fully supported by The Voice.
