“19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” – Matt 28:19-20
Let’s Get Some Foundation
You’re going to come across a variety of teachings and opinions. You may also come across warnings, hard sayings, and new concepts here. However, having a lot of topics about what to avoid, what is incorrect, and what not to do can only benefit you if you know what is true. When you know, understand, and can explain that 2 + 2 = 4, then you will not be shaken or convinced that 2 + 2 = 19. While there are an infinite number of solutions that 2 + 2 is NOT, learning what 2 + 2 IS will make it easier to weed out what is wrong. Similarly, when you have a good grasp on what the Bible says about a topic, you will be less easily swayed to believe incorrect doctrine.
This is meant to be interactive. By that, I mean that we would like for you to attempt to answer the questions on your own before checking the response. This is meant to strengthen each individual participating. This is not graded nor do you need to submit your answers. However, as a Christian, you should have a basic understanding of certain information and be able to explain it. Try talking out the answer or writing down your responses. See how much Biblical support you can find.
Are you a fundamentalist?
Over the years, fundamentalist Christians have been viewed as extremist, religious nutcases who use the Bible as a coverup for their personal issues, anger problems, and hatred. Those aren’t Christian virtues. Those people have their own agendas. Fundamentalists are those who hold to the core tenants of the faith with the understanding that the Bible is inerrant and is our guide for daily living. Let’s look at it more simply.
Fundamental:
– serving as, or being an essential part of, a foundation or basis; basic; underlying
– a basic principle, rule, law, or the like, that serves as the groundwork of a system; essential part
You CANNOT separate the basics of what comprises Christianity and still have Christianity! That’s not how it works. Try removing the foundation from your home or work area and see how fast it falls. God didn’t invest over 1500 years writing and organizing the Bible through 40 different authors for you to decide what is or isn’t “relevant” to today’s Christian. Show me a person who isn’t a fundamentalist Believer, and you’re looking at a person who isn’t a Christian. Do you study higher level mathematics without knowing how to count or basic arithmetic? If you don’t know your alphabet and have no clue how to use phonics, will you be placed in a position of teaching a child to read or write? There are many people today who would have you believe that Christianity can be redefined due to the times or in trying to be the world’s friends. However, when you choose to be a Christian, you are choosing to believe and act in accordance to what has already been established.
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With that in mind, let’s get started. If you have found this page after participating in last year’s study, try not to jump too far ahead. Compare how you answer these questions now to what you said last year.
In order to answer questions about the Bible, it’s necessary to use the Bible for its own support meaning that other books and commentaries are extras – not our primary sources. If they contradict the Word, then the books/authors are wrong – not the Bible. We have people from various denominations, so there are going to be things said that go against what people have been taught. That’s going to be unpleasant and very difficult for those individuals. I would suggest stepping away from the post, calming down, and then return to the post. This isn’t about what “pastor said,” how you grew up, or what “mama & ‘em” taught. The idea is to understand what God wrote to & for us. We want to avoid arguing over non-essentials (things that are not part of the core of Christianity). There are things we learned in church that aren’t Biblical, and that means we need to be willing to step away from our traditions if they conflict with what God says.
Resources to help you get started:
Bible online – http://www.biblegateway.com – Find Bible passages here.
Strong’s Concordance – http://www.blueletterbible.org – Find definitions of words in the Bible here.
Before you view the questions, I just want to explain why many of us post questions and look for Bible support. One is that if we use the objective Word of God as our basis, we can usually discuss things more calmly than when we try to use our emotions or our personal situations to explain what we’re doing. The Word is the same for everyone across the board, so there are no favorites. The second is because your friends/associates/family want to know why “you” believe what you do. They could care less what the rest of us believe. If the Lord moves on your heart to witness to someone you know, having that person go online to read a post instead of you opening your mouth is going to seem insensitive. It’s okay to tell someone that you don’t know and will look for an answer, but we need to know what we believe, why we believe it, and be able to give a response to anyone that asks.
“15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:” – 1 Peter 3:15
Answers will be further down the page. Although it’s tempting, try not to answer the questions before reading any responses. Some questions have multiple answers. it’s okay if you don’t have an answer right away because you can use this as your own personal study and can take the time you need.
1. The Gospel
2. Sin – 2A: The who, what, why
2B: No sinless people, unforgivable sin, repentance
2C: Suicide – Is suicide unforgivable?
3. Salvation
4. Intro to Apologetics – Why We Can Trust the Bible