A brief introduction to the Christian faith
We are part of God’s creation, made in the image of God.
Genesis 1: 27-28: “So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it. And have dominion over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth."
As part of our creation, we have free will – the ability to make choices: to love, to create, to reason, and to live in harmony with and in communion with God.
“I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse: therefore choose life.” (Deuteronomy 30: 19)
And God truly loves us! It was the Prophet Jeremiah who wrote that "the Lord appeared to us in the past saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness." (Jeremiah 31:3)
However, we are broken.
We humans abuse our free will and make choices that are apart from God and out of harmony with Creation.
We are victims of “original sin” – the fall of man as described in the Book of Genesis.
“Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned.” (Romans 5: 12)
“Indeed, I was born guilty, a sinner when my mother conceived me.” (Psalm 51: 5)
As in the sinful actions of Adam and Eve, we too sin and fall out of communion with God – we separate ourselves from God our Creator.
“For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)
Despite the fall of humanity from God, Our Creator revealed himself and established his will to restore us.
God revealed himself to Abraham and made a covenant with him to go into another land and build a nation that would serve Him. This land was called Israel and Abraham’s ancestry was known as the Hebrew people. (Read Genesis Chapters 12 through 24)
God revealed himself to Moses and established the Ten Commandments, the basis of the Old Covenant. (Read Exodus Chapter 20) With the Ten Commandments, God revealed to His people how to be faithful, instructing them to love justice, do mercy, and walk humbly before Him.
Despite our Covenant with God, our ability to reconcile to God is limited. Our lives are still broken and sin remains a barrier between God and His Creation.
The prophets of the Old Testament called the people of God to repent from sin and return to God who created them, who revealed Himself to them, and who delivered them from slavery and oppression. In doing so, the prophets foretold the coming of the Messiah. (As one example, read Isaiah 52: 13 through 53: 12. As another example, read Daniel 7: 13, 14.)
The Apostles of the New Testament confirm this. St. John the Evangelist wrote: "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us." (I John 1:8)
Jesus Christ of Nazareth is God’s Own Son, the Messiah.
John the Baptist foretold the ministry of Jesus, referring to him as "the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." (John 1:29)
Jesus himself said, during his ministry, "...I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father [God] except through me." (John 14: 6)
The Apostle Paul wrote in his first letter to Timothy: "For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus..." (I Timothy 2: 5)
We are saved by God's grace in Jesus Christ.
"When the kindness of God our Saviour, and his love towards us, appeared, not by works done in righteousness, which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy he saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, which he poured out upon us richly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that, being justified by his grace, we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." (Titus 3: 4-7)
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2: 8-9)
We are called to repent from sin and lead a new life in him that saves us.
"Peter replied, 'Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2: 38)
"The Lord is not slow to about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance." (I Peter 3: 9)
The Church was founded by Jesus Christ so that we may abide in him and he in us.
The Holy Scriptures describe the church in the following ways:
The Body of Christ (I Corinthians 12: 12-27)
Branches on a vine (John 15: 5)
The Bride of Christ (Ephesians 5: 31-32)
The Family of God (II Corinthians 6: 18)
God's House (Hebrews 3: 3-6)
New Temple and New Priesthood (I Peter 2: 4-8)
Pillar and Foundation of Truth (I Timothy 3: 15)
Temple of the Holy Spirit (II Corinthians 6: 6)
