Our church community has an adult Bible study (ABF) called Foundations which runs during the school year every Sunday. It was a privilege for me to go through the course – twice so far. It isn’t just that I’m slow and needed to repeat it, I’m excited about this study and plan to take it again.

The full title of the study guide we used is this: Foundations: 11 Core Truths to Build Your Life On   –You can see one chapter of this excellent study guide including an outline of what is taught in this PDF file. You can also purchase it yourself from cbd.com by clicking here. (My goal isn’t to advertise on this website, but I do like to be thorough and including a link to the book seemed a good idea. Our youth group does get a percentage of income if you use the link.)

The 11 core truths presented in the book could be considered essentials of the Christian faith. In other words, for a true Christian, one who is born from above, that person must gain an understanding of certain basic truths in order to appreciate their new life in Christ. How can a believer live their faith if they don’t have an understanding of the foundations of their faith?

Here are the 11 topics covered in the curriculum:

1. The Bible
2. God
3. Jesus
4. The Holy Spirit
5. Creation
6. Salvation
7. Sanctification
8. Good and Evil
9. The Afterlife
10. The Church
11. The Second Coming

Most of these may appear so basic as to be an insult to suggest that a seasoned believer should take the study. Allow me to share some of my thoughts about the study guide.

Many of us learn our doctrine by a process of osmosis. (Webster’s has this definition: “a subtle or gradual absorption.”)  By just hanging around and talking with other believers we learn bits and pieces about what the Bible has to say and we put all that together in our mind. But there are several problems with this.

People too often either misquote the Bible, quote it out of context, repeat something they heard, or make something up. In all four cases the information is often wrong – a deception. Learning this way causes serious problems. We need to be in the Word ourselves and not believing hearsay. It is possible that we don’t have things exactly right and that might be important to correct.

Remember that Satan doesn’t always whisper contrary ideas. He whispers something only slightly askew from the truth. Deception begins with a slight variance. That’s all it takes because he knows that it is easier for a person to accept it if it isn’t too far off and that even a slight deviation from the truth causes error that could be destructive to ourselves or those around us. Deception will restrain or prevent us from living out our faith.

How many of us go to the Bible like the Bereans who “examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true”?  They were double checking everything the Apostle Paul said to them! Paul had an excellent education and reputation and more importantly he had the power of God in him. Yet the Bereans made sure that what he said was true.

So many times I receive emails from well-meaning Christians who passed on something that just isn’t true, things like how Madalyn Murry O’Hair and atheists are petitioning the FCC to get religious broadcasting banned from American airwaves. Not true! Besides, Madalyn Murry O’Hair disappeared in 1995 her body eventually found. She is deceased yet this email still circulates. It has become so bad that Dr. Dobson and Focus on the Family, (mentioned in the email), and the FCC released official statements ([1] [2]) addressing the falsity of the email on their websites. Another source says “Nothing else at the FCC rivals this rumor, in both its longevity and its bizarre ability to withstand the commission’s repeated attempts to convey the truth.”  I personally use Snopes as my primary source for dispelling such urban legends.

On one occasion an email was sent to an entire group of believers on an email list, I responded to the entire group for the purpose of protecting preserving the integrity of those who claim to believe in God. In the email I said this: “We all must be careful to speak and email accurately as we are people of the Truth, and what we believe matters to those who have not yet recognized the Truth.”  If we who claim to believe in the resurrection also claim to believe in what is clearly a falsehood, we become laughable and the Gospel is compromised. I feel bad for those who were embarrassed for spreading the email but I could not stand by and watch the distortion and destruction.

Let’s get back to the subject.  Without a foundation of beliefs understood and practiced then I doubt that we live the holy life that we are called to live. How can we know who we are in Christ if we don’t accurately understand Who God is? Are we able to list doctrinal positions that we believe? Can we defend them with Scripture?

In fact, the Bible lists 8 areas that we must improve as His disciples. In 2nd Peter 1:3-11 we see that we must “make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind…”   Paul goes on to say that “if you do these things, you will never fall…”

One of the areas that we need to increase is our knowledge. The Apostle Paul prays several times for believers to increase in their understanding of God and their calling in Christ. Paul says, “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints…” (Ephesians 1:17-18)

“…that you may know the hope to which he has called you…”  –This is a great “for instance.”  As we solidly know the hope to which God has called us, we will become powerful, immovable disciples of Christ. How do we know except we are taught?

Foundations: We build good houses – and homes – with good foundations. Shouldn’t our faith be built on a good foundation, too? I sure think so.

Someday I really must make my own Statement of Faith using my own scripture references. (Watch this space for it!) Here is an example of a Statement of Faith.  I didn’t make it; I just found it somewhere on the internet and thought it was a sufficient example. Making and having my own will help me to have a solid foundation in my faith that I can pass on to others. But before you endeavor to make one yourself, you may want to invest your time reading through the Foundations study guide that I mention here. It really helped me and others in the class to develop and establish our own faith.

I’d like to address how understanding and able to defend our faith and doctrine helps prevent deception. I’m thinking of the entire chapter of Colossians 2 and at least a dozen other places in Scripture.  But I think that I need to wrap this up.

One final thought. I didn’t mention the great value that I gained from going through the Foundations study guide as part of an adult Bible study. The good discussion and fellowship we had encouraged each of us participating to grow. You may want to consider going through this study with your children, at a Wednesday night Bible study class, or as part of cell group/core group/small group (whatever you call it), — it will be well worth the time. The Teacher’s Guide that can be purchased separately appeared useful to those teaching the class. (My wife and her good friend were the teachers. I was just a student in the class.)

Find out what you believe and why you believe it. Build a good foundation on Jesus Christ.  In my opinion, the Foundations study guide is a good resource to begin with.

Love rejoices in the truth.  Purpose to walk in the truth.    The truth will set you free.

With Love, Truth, and Alive In Christ,  :~)