2012-03-22

A Concise Theology for Christians in One Verse

A friend sent an eMail with the title "A concise Theology for Christians" pointing a to post titled "Gateway". But the post contains many pages. It triggers me to see if we can come out with a truly short and concise Theology for Christians.

After some consideration, I think the best is still John 3:16:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life [ESV].

  1. Theology of God.
    • God is LOVE. God did not create the world and left it to run its own. He take care of it.
    • LOVE is expressed in action of GIVING your very best - His only SON.
    • GIVING to open the door way for the lost and separated Man to return to Him to live with Him forever.
  2. Theology of Jesus Christ
    • Jesus Christ is God.
    • Jesus Christ is the Son of God that was given to man to pay for the sins of Man on the cross that man may be re-birthed with eternal life of God.
  3. Theology of Salvation of Man
    • Whoever - Salvation is for EVERYONE.
    • By his own choice - Choose to belief. Even God does not force man to accept His way of salvation.
    • Man is in the condemned state already when we are born into this world. One day we will die physically and be externally separated from God. 
    • What to belief about Jesus? That He is the sent one, the Son of God, to us and for us. This is better seen in John 17:3  Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
    • Eternal Life is not just unending-life. All of us die physically on the earth but our soul and spirit lives on. Eternal life refers to the very God's kind of life. 
      • 2 Cor 5:17 tells us that we are born again as a new creation. 
      • Eph 1:5 In love he predestined us for adoption to son-ship through Jesus Christ,...
So, Christianity is not a religion of rules that one has to do to gain salvation.

Christianity is a relationship with God our creator through knowing His Son Jesus Christ. Once we desire to believe that Jesus is the Son of God sent from the Father God, and enter into a relationship with Him. His promised of His Holy Spirit will rebirth us that we become His children and having His type of eternal life and is to be with Him forever.

Christianity is a DONE and is a Being (Born of God as New Creation as Children of God).

Religion is Trying to Do then Trying to Be. A monkey may mimic man's behavior very well but still remain a monkey. A 'being' is not done by trying to be. The way to God is not by us trying and doing but simply accept by faith and enter into a relationship with Jesus Christ, the Son sent of God, our Heavenly Father that love us.

No comments: