CHRISTIANITY IS not a list of dos and don’ts. It’s all about Jesus – what he did for us and how he freely gives us a relationship with God. Jesus came to deliver us from ourselves, free us from sin and evil, and connect us with Almighty God. The more we understand Jesus, the more we will experience God. And the more we experience God, the most awesome, glorious, and wonderful Person there is, the more we will find true joy and satisfaction.
“You did not choose me, I chose you” (John 15:16a).
You probably have this book for a reason. God has chosen you to be his child, and he wants you to grow spiritually. He wants you to be established in your Christian faith and to be grounded in truth.
“You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32).
As you read this book, which is based on the Bible, you will learn important truths that will transform your life.
“The word of God is living and active, and sharper than every two-edged sword” (Heb. 4:12).
The Bible is written by God. It is completely true. The word of God is alive. It can set you free from wrong thoughts about God and about yourself. It can free you from sinful habits that cause harm to yourself and others. It can even free you from the evil that ravages your life and the lives of the ones you love. Jesus came to save us. His salvation is perfect and complete. The more we understand God’s truth, the more we will experience his glorious salvation in all aspects of our lives.
The truth of God is infinite, because God is infinite. It has many layers and levels. It is spiritually deep, high, and wide. The truth of God reflects the infinite salvation of Jesus. The salvation of Jesus is inexhaustible and limitless, and it can affect everything. We will not understand all the truth of God until we get to heaven and see God face to face, and then we will be delivered from all evil. But as we understand and accept truth now, we will experience more and more salvation.
There are 7 basic spiritual principles of Jesus Christ. The extent of our experience of Jesus depends on applying these 7 basic principles to our lives.
These 7 spiritual foundations are listed in Hebrews 6:1-2:
Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. (Hebrews 6:1-2)
- Repentance from Dead Works
- Faith toward God
- Water Baptism
- Holy Spirit Baptism (Hebrews 6:2 mentions more than one baptism.)
- Laying on of Hands
- Resurrection of the Dead
- Eternal Judgment
God wants us to grow spiritually and become mature. He wants us to go beyond elementary school and eventually get to high school, college, and even graduate school in our spiritual walk. To get a higher spiritual education and grow into spiritual maturity, we must understand these 7 elementary principles. Without these 7 foundations, it is impossible to build a strong spiritual life.
These 7 basic spiritual principles are called “the foundation.” They reveal Jesus, who is the “chief cornerstone” in the spiritual realm (Eph. 2:20). Everything we do spiritually must be built on Jesus Christ, who is the only way we can connect to God (John 14:6). God wants us to build our lives on Jesus Christ and grow into spiritual maturity, and this begins with learning and implementing these 7 principles of Jesus.
How to Read This Book
As you read this book, pray. God is the best teacher of spiritual truth, and he wants to teach you. It is impossible to understand the truth of God on your own. We need God to help us understand his word.
“The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Cor. 2:14).
The word of God is understood by the spirit, not the intellect. We need God to open our spiritual eyes, so we can understand spiritual things.
When you pray and ask God to teach you, he will. The Holy Spirit dwells inside everyone who believes in Jesus, and he is our teacher.
“When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13).
There is no better teacher than the Holy Spirit, and there is no better textbook for spirituality than the Bible.
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 Tim. 3:16)
Start a Bible Study
Using the Seven Foundations, you can lead a Bible study. At the end of each chapter are study notes. Start your Bible study with prayer. Then take turns reading the Bible verses. After the verses are read, discuss them using the included questions. Everyone can participate, ask questions, and share thoughts. Prayer and fellowship will happen during this time of study, and such a study might eventually become a house church.
Discern False Teachings
There are many false Christian teachings in the world. By knowing the 7 foundations of Christ, many of these false teachings can be discerned. A building is strong only as long as its foundation is strong, and Christianity is strong only as it is built on these 7 foundations. The Bible is the only standard by which Christianity can be measured, and if something in Christianity doesn’t line up with the Bible, it’s not genuine. To aid with discernment, at the end of each chapter are lists of false teachings that contradict each of these 7 foundations.
A Hunger for God’s Word
We need a hunger for the Bible so that we will want to read it. Hungry people eat. Thirsty people drink. May God bless you with a hunger for his word and a thirst for his Holy Spirit. As your spiritual appetite increases, you will find it easier to read the Bible. Try to have a regular plan of systematically reading through your Bible, and follow that plan until you finish reading the entire Bible. The NKJV might be the best Bible version for you. (For more information on the importance of the Bible and on different Bible versions, please see the Appendix).
By understanding the 7 basic principles of Christianity, you will grow spiritually and encounter the reality of God. You will become the spiritually mature man or woman that God intends you to be. Your Christianity will become alive.
Bethel Cornerstone 