What Precisely Must One Believe About Jesus?
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informed about all that the NT has to say about Him--and about us. They would
not limit themselves to what is included in 1 Cor 15:1-11, but would add in
whatever information they feel necessary.
Here are some of the things which people today are saying needs to be
included in addition to the material found in 1 Corinthians 15:1-11:
Universal sinfulness.
5
A list of everything that is sin.
6
Total depravity.
Perseverance of the saints.
The deity of Christ.
7
The virgin birth.
8
Fulfilled prophecies.
Jesus` impeccability.
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Inerrancy.
10
The fall of mankind.
Original sin.
Explaining what discipleship is and its cost.
The Trinity.
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God`s sovereignty.
The Lordship of Christ.
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Explanation and call to repentance.
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Explanation and call to confess Christ.
Explanation and call to be baptized.
Explanation of hell and eternal condemnation.
Jesus` ascension and heavenly session.
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5
Packer, Evangelism, pp. 59-63.
6
Ibid., pp. 70-73, 88. Where there is no clear knowledge, and hence no realistic recognition of the real claims
Christ makes, there can be no repentance, and therefore no salvation (p. 73).
7
John F. MacArthur, Jr., plenary session message on The Sufficiency of Scripture. The exact message title is
Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth. It was given in January of 2001 at a Men`s Bible Conference. A transcript of
a portion of the message appears below in the text of this paper.
8
Ibid.
9
Ibid.
10
Ibid.
11
Ibid.
12
Packer, Evangelism, p. 65.
13
Packer, Evangelism, pp, 70-73.
14
Packer, Evangelism, p. 65. See also MacArthur, Sufficiency, quoted below.