What Christians Believe -- In Simple Terms (ebook)

What do Christians actually believe about God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit? Does God know what I'm thinking? Has God already decided the future for me? Did Jesus' body do all the things that our bodies do? Does he still have a body now? Is the Holy Spirit a person? Can I stop sinning? What does a real church look like? What's the right way to baptize or have communion? How does God want me to live?

This book gives 100 core answers that Christians throughout the centuries have given to basic questions about God. It not only includes answers that Christians have pretty much agreed on for 2000 years. It also charitably weighs in on a host of other matters that different Christian groups disagree on.

Readable. Easy to understand. This book of "theology" breaks down what Christians believe into simple terms.

Table of Contents:

Introduction to Christian Theology
1. What is Christian theology?
2. Start with the faith you have.
3. All truth is God’s truth.
4. God has revealed himself in nature.
5. God reveals himself in events apart from nature.
6. There is a spectrum of Christian thinking on many issues.

The Doctrine of God
7. God did not need to create.
8. God is not literally male.
9. God has the power to do anything.
10. God is present in all times and places.
11. God knows every possible thing to know.
12. God knows every actual thing to know.
13. God can do whatever he wants.
14. God loves everything he has created.
15. God’s justice fits within the context of his love.
16. To say God is holy is to say God is God.
17. There is only one God, but God is three persons.

The Doctrine of Creation
18. God created everything that exists out of nothing.
19. Everything God created was good.
20. God is in control of everything that happens.
21. There are good and evil spiritual beings at work in the world.
22. Human beings were created in the image of God.
23. God intended us to live forever.
24. All humanity is of equal value to God.

The Doctrine of Sin
25. Evil is a matter of choice and intention.
26. God created the possibility of evil choices.
27. Suffering in itself is not evil.
28. The current bent of humanity is toward evil.
29. All have sinned.
30. There is such a thing as corporate and structural sin.

The Doctrine of Christ (Christology)
31. Christ has been the Son of God from eternity past.
32. Jesus is “God with us,” God’s Word become flesh.
33. Jesus on earth was a prophet of the kingdom of God.
34. In his death, Jesus became the priest of all humanity and creation.
35. In his resurrection, Jesus became the king of all humanity and creation.

The Doctrine of Atonement 
36. God chose Christ’s death as the means to reconcile the world to himself.
37. In his death, Jesus showed us the love of God.
38. In his death, Jesus satisfied the order of things.
39. In his death, Jesus took humanity’s place.
40. In his death, Jesus defeated the power of death.

The Doctrine of Salvation (Soteriology)
41. Jesus saves.
42. Saving us is part of God’s plan.
43. God was reaching out to us long before we knew it.
44. God used Israel to prepare the way for Christ.
45. God justifies us in response to our repentance and faith.
46. God fills us with his Holy Spirit as a seal of ownership.
47. God adopts us as his children; we are born to new life.
48. The power of the Spirit breaks the power of Sin.
49. The dead in Christ will rise.
50. Christ will come again to save his people and judge the world.
51. God will restore the world, and we will enjoy him forever.

The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit (Pneumatology)
52. The Holy Spirit is a distinct person, one in substance with Trinity.
53. The Holy Spirit enacts the will of the Father and Son in the world.
54. The Spirit sanctifies the Church.
55. The Spirit sanctifies the believer.

The Doctrine of the Church (Ecclesiology)
56. In Christ, the Spirit creates the Church.
57. The true Church is an “invisible” church.
58. The invisible Church meets in visible churches.
59. The Church is one body, although it has many members.
60. There is no one, correct form of church governance.
61. There are predictable elements to church governance.
62. The Church is in the world but not of the world.
63. The Church has worship as its central and most important task.
64. The Church participates in God’s mission in the world.
65. The Church disciples and nurtures God’s people.

The Doctrine of the Sacraments
66. A sacrament is a divinely appointed means of grace.
67. Baptism is a sacrament of inclusion into the people of God.
68. Christians have varying perspectives on baptism.
69. Communion is a sacrament of re-empowerment.
70. Christians vary some in their perspectives on communion.
71. The Scriptures are a sacrament of God’s transformation.
72. Christians vary somewhat in their conceptions of Scripture.
73. The Bible is inspired, infallible, and inerrant.  
74. God uses many instruments of grace to transform his people.

Christian Ethics
The Greatest Commandment
75. The Christian ethic, at its base, is a virtue ethic. 
76. The foundational value of a Christian ethic is love.

Love God.
77. Love the Lord, your God, with the entirety of your being.

Honor authority.
78. God calls us to respect authority in honor of God’s authority.
79. God calls us to respect our governments.
80. God calls us to respect our parents and spouses.

Love neighbor.
Value life.
81. Thou shalt not murder.
82. War should only be conducted under extreme circumstances.
83. Capital punishment should be reserved for extreme circumstances, if used at all.
84. There are exceptional situations where force is permissible.
85. There is a time to die, but do not play God with human life.
86. God values life in the womb, and we should preserve it.
87. God values the entirety of creation, and we should steward it.

Be faithful in relationships.
88. Thou shalt not commit adultery.
89. Divorce is a matter of sorrow.
90. God’s ideal is an equal partnership in marriage.
91. Sex should be reserved for a marriage relationship.
92. Sexual deliverance is a part of redemption.

Look out for the best interests of others.
93. Thou shalt not steal. 
94. The Bible views hoarding wealth as an offense against God and others.
95. The economic structures of society can be more or less loving.
96. The social structures of society can be more or less loving.
97. Thou shalt not covet.

Value truthfulness.
98. Truth-telling is almost always the loving thing to do.

Disputable Issues
99. We work out our salvation with fear and trembling.
100. Many issues are a matter of individual or corporate conscience.