The Christian Faith
Overview
As Christians we believe there is one God who exists in three Persons. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. This is the Holy Trinity.
The Holy Trinity – God the Father
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1 NIV).
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16 NIV).
God the Father created the universe and He sustains everything in it. He is omnipotent (all-powerful), omniscient (all-knowing) and omnipresent (everywhere). Though He is invisible, by observing the beauty, complexities and orderliness of His creation, we can know of the presence of a sovereign God.
God’s love motivates everything he does. In His greatest act of love, God the Father sent his only Son, Jesus Christ, to be the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all humanity. God the Father’s plan for salvation is lovingly based on His grace, not on human works. Only Jesus’ righteousness is acceptable to God the Father. Repenting of sin and accepting Jesus Christ as Saviour is the only way that makes us justified or righteous in God’s eyes.
The Holy Trinity – God the Son
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14 NIV).
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6 NIV).
Jesus Christ is the central figure in Christianity. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born to the Virgin Mary 2,000 years ago. He is the Son of God sent into the world to show humankind who God is. He lived a sinless life despite being tempted. Jesus Christ proclaimed the good news of the Kingdom of God. Throughout His ministry, Jesus performed many miracles, healing and teaching. He turned water into wine, He healed many sick, blind and lame people, He forgave sins, He multiplied fish and loaves of bread to feed thousands on more than one occasion, He delivered the deamon-possed, He walked on water, He calmed the stormy sea and He raised children and adults from death to life.
Through His perfect obedience to God’s will, Jesus Christ was crucified in Jerusalem by Pontius Pilate, died and became the perfect sacrifice for the atonement of our sins. He resurrected three days after his death, appeared to his disciples and then ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. Jesus Christ paid for sins of the world and purchased the pardon of men. He restored man’s fellowship with God, opening the way to eternal life. Today we can have a personal relationship with God by believing in and accepting Jesus Christ.
The Holy Trinity – God the Holy Spirit
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever – the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. (John 14:16-17 NIV).
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. (John 14:26 NIV).
After Jesus Christ ascended to heaven, the Holy Spirit is sent into the world to continue witnessing about Jesus in the hearts of people. The Holy Spirit with the Father and the Son, has existed before creation, participated in creation with the Father and Son, caused the Virgin Mary to conceive and at the baptism of Jesus descended on Jesus like a dove.
On the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit rested like tongues of fire on the apostles. The Holy Spirit filled the prophets with the Word of God, assisted Jesus and the apostles in their missions, inspired men who wrote the Bible, guides the church and sanctifies believers in their walk with Christ today. The Holy Spirit dwells in heaven but also on Earth inside the heart of every true believer and is a constant companion in the walk of faith.
The Holy Spirit serves as teacher, counsellor, comforter, strengthener, inspiration, revealer of the Scriptures, convincer of sin, caller of minsters and intercessor in prayer. The Holy Spirit helps believers to live out the Christian life and transform them to become more like Jesus.
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