Publisher's Synopsis
Come just as you are and hear once again of the love, compassion, and healing that are in Christ. These universally accepted topics of Christian instruction have encouraged believers from the time of the Early Church. Whether you are new to the Christian faith or you are looking for the edification that comes by reviewing the basics, you'll be blessed by the Bible verses and their applications contained in "Foundations of the Faith." These timeless teachings are presented in the light of Pastor Steinle's decades of real-life discipleship to believers from every background. Foundations of the Faith covers these five Christian basics: Understanding Salvation, Assurance of Salvation, Following Jesus, Sanctification, and, The Christian Walk. This thorough guide includes Instruction on: Prayer, Bible Study, Baptism, Fellowship, Suffering, Trials, Chastening, Sin after salvation, Walking with endurance and more.... Excerpt from Chapter One: "This command I am giving you today is not too difficult for you to understand, and it is not beyond your reach." - Deuteronomy 30:11 Christian salvation is not too difficult to understand. God has presented the gospel message in a plain and simple way. Instead of asking us to blindly believe in unseen spiritual concepts, God used the Hebrew people and the incarnation of His Son to show us exactly how we could be saved. Every book of the Old Testament symbolized some aspect of Christ's saving work. Through Abraham, God showed us that salvation would come through the Jews. God used Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac as a picture of what God would do when He offered His Son Jesus on the cross on our behalf. Then God allowed the Jews to be held under bondage in Egypt as an example of our enslavement to sin. To demonstrate that we were unable to free ourselves from sin and self, God appointed Moses to deliver His people from Pharaoh. Likewise, God appointed His Son to be the Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world. "For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross." - Colossians 1:19,20 The blood of the Passover lamb provided the way of escape from God's judgment; and pointed further to the cross of Christ and Christ's ability to save us from being condemned by God's righteous judgment. Jesus lived a sinless life in order to present himself as a sacrifice without spot or blemish. He spoke about the coming kingdom of heaven and taught us that we must be born again by the Spirit. Then for the joy set before Him Jesus willingly suffered torture and crucifixion. After His death He was buried - and on the third day He arose from the grave. Forty days later He ascended to the Father's right hand where He intercedes on our behalf until He returns to glorify His followers. Unlike superstition, history testifies to the undeniable truth of these biblical facts. Archaeologists have located most of the sites mentioned in the Bible. The remains of buildings and villages have been found on the exact locations described in God's Word. Furthermore, thousands of writings on stone, copper, papyrus, and animal skins (vellum) have been found which confirm the truth of the Bible. Many of the wars and kings mentioned in the Bible are also found in the historical records of the nations that surrounded ancient Israel. Jesus' cross was placed by a busy highway where hundreds of eyewitnesses saw Him die. This public display was the Roman practice to discourage rebellion. Jesus was seen many times by various groups of people after His resurrection. On one occasion he presented Himself in His glorified body to more than 500 people. The legal definition of a 'fact' is satisfied when just two people witness the same event... - End excerpt
