The Bible is the only perfect written record of God’s purpose for mankind. It tells the story of how the world came into being, how human beings were created, and what each of us must do to have a relationship with God. If you are unfamiliar with the Bible or find it difficult to read, a good place to begin is with the Gospel of John, found in the New Testament.

God is the only true god. He is the creator of everything and everyone in the universe. The Bible describes God as our Father. That tells us about the kind of perfect loving relationship He wants to have with us. As our perfect Heavenly Father, God is our Creator, Protector, and Guide. He wants a relationship with each of us that is real and personal.

Jesus is described in the Bible as God’s only begotten Son. As God’s Son, He is equal to God in every way and in a miraculous way, the same as God but still uniquely His Son. While God is our Father, Jesus is our Savior. He was sent to earth by God to be born by His mother, Mary, while she was still a virgin. He lived a perfect life without ever sinning. He was crucified to pay the price for our sins. He was buried but rose from death after three days in a miraculous display of God’s ultimate power over everything including death. Finally, He was taken back to heaven by God but will, one day, return to earth to take those who have received forgiveness of their sins to heaven to live with Him forever.

The Holy Spirit was sent by God to live in Christians after Jesus went back to heaven. Jesus described the Holy Spirit as our Comforter. He told the disciples that He would send the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, to be with them after He went to be with the Father. As our Comforter, the Holy Spirit reassures us that Jesus is still with us in Spirit and reminds us that He will return to take us to Heaven with Him. The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sinful nature and leads us to repent so we can have the relationship with God He meant for us to have. The Holy Spirit is the One who helps us understand the Bible and to know God’s will for our lives.

Salvation is the plan God uses to forgive our sins and bring us into a personal relationship with Him. Salvation is something that only God can do. As we cannot forgive ourselves of a wrong we commit against another person, so we cannot remove the sin that separates us from God. However, we can receive the forgiveness that God offers by believing that Jesus is God’s Son, that He died on the cross, and that He rose from the dead. Then we must repent of our sins and accept His gift of abundant life on earth and eternal life in heaven. Salvation is serious business. It is free to us but cost God the life of His very own Son. Our response to the offer of salvation determines our future forever.

Baptism is a symbolic act that portrays the experience of dying to sin and being raised to new life in Christ. Baptism does not make one a Christian but is important for two reasons. First, it is an act of obedience. The Bible commands us to be baptized as an act of identifying with the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. Second, it is a testimony to others of our new life in Christ. For baptism to be authentic it must be by immersion and must follow a person’s experience of salvation.