Below are what I consider to be the essential doctrines of the Christian faith, without which a person's faith ceases to be biblical.

Concerning the Bible:

The 66 books of the Bible are the written Word of God. The Bible is divinely inspired and inerrant throughout. Its assertions are factually true in all the original autographs. It is the supreme authority, not only in all matters of faith and conduct, but in everything it teaches. Its authority is not limited to spiritual, religious or redemptive themes but includes its assertions in such fields as history and science.
"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17


Concerning God:

There is one God in three persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
"Jesus said... I am in the Father and the Father in Me..." John 14:9,11
"Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness..." Genesis 1:26a

God is sovereign in creation, revelation, redemption and final judgement.
"You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created." Revelation 4:11
"[God]...has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained." Acts 17:31


Concerning Jesus:

Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. Jesus Christ rose bodily from the dead, ascended to Heaven, is currently seated at the right hand of God the Father, and shall return in like manner to this Earth as Judge of the living and the dead.
"For in [Christ] dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily..." Colossians 2:9
"Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit." Matthew 1:18
"[Christ]... committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth..." 1 Peter 2:22
"... Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and ... He was buried, and ... He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and ... He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve." 1 Corinthians 15:3-5
"...Jesus Christ... has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him." 1 Peter 3:22
"... the Lord Jesus [will be] revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe..." 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10


Concerning the Holy Spirit:

The Holy Spirit alone makes the work of Christ effective to individual sinners, convicting them of sin and bringing them to spiritual life the moment they truly believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.
"... Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you." Romans 8:11
"... He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged." John 16:8-11

The Holy Spirit lives in all those He has regenerated. He makes them increasingly Christlike in character and behaviour and gives them power for their witness in the world.
"But when the kindness and the love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour..." Titus 3:4-6


Concerning mankind:

Since the fall, the whole of humankind is sinful and guilty, so that everyone is subject to God's wrath and condemnation.
"...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God..." Romans 3:23
"As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one."" Romans 3:10-12
"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man--and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things." Romans 1:18-23
"He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." John 3:36


Concerning the penalty for sin:

God's righteous judgement on those who do not believe in Jesus Christ as their Saviour and Lord is eternal separation from God and eternal, conscious torment in the lake of fire (commonly known as Hell).
"...anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire." Revelation 20:15
"Then He will also say to those on the left hand, "Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:" Matthew 25:41
"...These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power..." 2 Thessalonians 1:9


Concerning salvation:

Sinful human beings are redeemed from the guilt, penalty and power of sin only through the sacrificial death once and for all time of their representative and substitute, Jesus Christ, the only mediator between them and God.
"But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus." Romans 3:21-26

Those who believe in Christ are pardoned all their sins and accepted in God's sight only because of the righteousness of Christ credited to them; this justification is God's act of undeserved mercy, received solely by trust in Him and not by their own efforts.
"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." Ephesians 2:8-9
"But when the kindness and the love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour..." Titus 3:4-6


Concerning the Church:

The one holy universal church is the Body of Christ, to which all true believers belong.
"Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually." 1 Corinthians 12:27

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