7 THINGS EVERY CHRISTIAN MUST KNOW
By: Dr. Mike Jones
Just what is a Christian? If anyone ever asks you that question, you should reply from this passage in Ephesians 4. Paul said a Christian, one who enjoys unity with the Spirit, must believe seven things. These are:
- There is one body.
- There is one Spirit.
- There is one hope.
- There is one Lord.
- There is one faith.
- There is one baptism.
- There is one God.
I. There is one body. (1 Corinthians 12:18-28)
18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. 19 And if they were all one member, where were the body? 20 But now are they many members, yet but one body. 21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
II. There is one Spirit. (Ephesians 2:12-18)
12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: 13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. 14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
There is only one Holy Spirit, and we only have access to God through that Spirit. No other spirit can bridge the gap which exists between God and man. No amount of chanting, meditation, self-actualization, dream therapy, or yoga can span the great gulf which separates man from God. Only the one Spirit has been given the job of communicating between the human and the heavenly realms — the one Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit gave us the words of God.
III. There is one hope of our calling. (Romans 5: 1-5)
1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
There is one great hope that all true believers share, and that hope is that we who believe and obey will one day live in the presence of God. We do not hope that we will live on a glorified earth as the Jehovah’s Witnesses claim.
IV. There is one Lord. (John 6:66-69)
66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. 67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? 68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life 69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.
As Peter observed, there is no one else to turn to, for only Jesus, our Lord, has the words of life.
- Mohammed cannot save us, for he is not the one Lord who has the words of life.
- Buddah cannot save us, for he is not the one Lord who has the words of life.
- Moses cannot save us, for he is not the one Lord who has the words of life.
- L. Ron Hubbard and his Scientology cannot save us, for he is not the one Lord who has the words of life.
- Shirley McClain and her channelers cannot save us for none of them are the one Lord who has the words of life…(TO BE CONTINUED)
(Adapted from 7 Things Every Christian Must Know; all Scripture references are taken from the KJV unless otherwise noted.)