FAQs and Faith

Frequently asked questions.

This page will try to deal with tough questions which you or your friends may have. We promise to be as honest and open as we can, but we also want to honour God. To this end our answers will always attempt to be true to the Bible’s teaching.

What Do Christians Believe?

The Bible is one book, with one basic message. It is a book that teaches us about God. It tells us what He is like and how He acts.

It is also a book about humankind. It tells us what God thinks about us: our acts, our words, our thoughts.

The message of the Bible can be summarised as follows:

God is the loving ruler of this world and has created us to live in a special relationship with him. This relationship though, has been ruined because people everywhere have rebelled against God. They have rejected his rule and attempted to rule in his place. The problems in the world are a result of our failure. The Bible calls this rebellion sin. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)

God is just, and will judge this rebellion. But He is also loving and has sent Jesus, his Son, into the world so that we might not suffer the consequences of our rebellion. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

Jesus, the eternal Son of God, died to take the punishment of our rebellion. God the Father raised him from the dead and made him the ruler of the world.

God offers us a fresh start when we accept Jesus as both the one who has rescued us and as ruler of our lives. “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree... For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” (1 Peter 2:24,25)

We now have a choice. We can continue to reject Jesus, but it will mean that we will face God’s judgement. Or we can let Jesus run our lives, receiving from him both forgiveness for the things we do wrong, and a new relationship with God. “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.” (John 3:36)

Our new relationship with God can begin now. A simple, sincere prayer acknowledging our rebellion and asking Jesus to take over our lives is the place to start.

Dear God,
I recognise that I have not lived my life in the right way. I have rebelled against you.
I am sorry.
Thank you for sending your Son Jesus to die for my sins. I want him now to take over the running of my life.
Please help me to rely on Jesus for forgiveness and eternal life.
Amen.

Further reading:
Vaughan Roberts, "God's big picture."
John Chapman: "Making the most of the rest of your life."
Both vailable from The Good Book Company.