What is/are the basic, simple principles, single premise, that we can all agree on?

[Neogaia777]

I wrote this in a forum titled "different views in Christianity" But I posted this thread to ask "what is /are the basic, simple principles, perhaps a single premise, a base/foundation that all Christian denominations can all agree on?

And I'm going to need to ask for help with this, so please help and add to it if you can, anyways here's what I posted in the other forum about "different views in Christianity" and I'm looking to concentrate on the same views, views/aspects that we can all agree on, anyways...

But no one person, (a man, or a human being) can not get it all, have it all, "right", I can't do it, you can't do it, so why should we expect anyone else to, likewise I don't believe any one church is 100% right all the time on everything either.

And there are many Good things basic, simple principles that most of can and do agree on, but I think that there were meant to be different churches, with varying advanced, complicated ideas, but all built on basic, simple principles, a single premise that we can all agree on, (and maybe we should be working on figuring out exactly what that single premise is) perhaps this would better refocus our efforts, but I do not have that/those answers, (because one single man doesn't know/have everything, with the exception of Jesus Christ himself)

But anyways, there were seven different churches in Jesus Christ and the apostles day, that were each different culturally, which influenced their various views and caused them to have, some could call major, but I would call minor, different point's of view/perspectives on things, yet they were described as being different parts, with different functions, of Christ's body, (the eyes to see, the ears to hear, the hands to shape things the feet to walk, ect.) yet while each part was different, and served a different function, (function, and not purpose) the whole body could come together and be unified to move operate and function, under one unified purpose, one single (elusive to me right now) premise...

Perhaps I should make a post asking Christians to debate/decide what that one unifying premise in Christianity is or could be, I don't know, I'll think about it.

So could can we come up with/make one unifying premise(s) that all Christians can agree on, again I am asking for help with these, please... Thank you, and God bless!

 

[2win]

How about Jesus Christ, Him crucified, placed in a tomb, and on the third day risen from the dead?

 

[BryanW92]

I use the Apostles Creed as the one thing we must agree on.

 

[GraceC]

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8, 9 NASB)

 

[Neogaia777]

Great!, anyone got anymore?

 

[pescador]

Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

 

[Norah63]

Paul said, I'm determined to nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

 

[Neogaia777]

I will try and add to the conversation and add one...

Can we all agree that Jesus literally is the Word (mouth) of God, and can we all agree that all things were "spoken" into existence by the power of his words, by the Father through his word (mouthpiece), Jesus Christ, and all things were created by him and through him and for him, or not?

And can we all agree that Jesus Christ was/is the firstborn of all creation, or not?

 

[Neogaia777]

I will try and add to the conversation and add one...

Can we all agree that Jesus literally is the Word (mouth) of God, and can we all agree that all things were "spoken" into existence by the power of his words, by the Father through his word (mouthpiece), Jesus Christ, and all things were created by him and through him and for him, or not?

And can we all agree that Jesus Christ was/is the firstborn of all creation, or not?

 

[BryanW92]

I will try and add to the conversation and add one...

Can we all agree that Jesus literally is the Word (mouth) of God, and can we all agree that all things were "spoken" into existence by the power of his words, by the Father through his word (mouthpiece), Jesus Christ, and all things were created by him and through him and for him, or not?

And can we all agree that Jesus Christ was/is the firstborn of all creation, or not?

We can start agreeing on lots of details like this and pretty soon, we'll have a complicated dogma.

You wanted simple. Stick with the Apostles Creed

I believe in God,
the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ,
God's only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended into hell.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Amen.

That's simple and beautiful. Anytime someone asks a Christian, "In a nutshell, what do you believe?", we should all give them that.

 

[Norah63]

I'll stick with what Paul said in my earlier post.

The more you add, the more you lose.

Why does man want to complicate what is simple and pure? We should all ask ourselves that.
Is it fear?
Perfect love casts out ALL fear.
Men's creeds divide, God's love unites.

 

[Neogaia777]

We can start agreeing on lots of details like this and pretty soon, we'll have a complicated dogma.

You wanted simple. Stick with the Apostles Creed

I believe in God,
the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ,
God's only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended into hell.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Amen.

That's simple and beautiful. Anytime someone asks a Christian, "In a nutshell, what do you believe?", we should all give them that.

Most of it is very beautiful... I just have two problems with it though, one not everyone believes in the (holy) catholic, church because not everyone (every Christian) is a catholic, and the Catholic church's hands are very, very dirty in the past and even today. She fornicates with political systems in very dirty ways, (for just only one example, and I'm not going to get into all the others here)

And secondly "suffered under the Pontious Pilate" was it Pontious Pilate, or the Jewish Pharisees, or the crowd, or was it could have been (and this is what I think "Satan)

I'm looking for things that all Christians from all demoninations can agree/with about, not just Catholics, and not only all people, but not even all Christians believe the Catholic church is necessarily "Holy" either, due to it's past and present relations with other "factions" who are all trying to dominate and put under oppression, not release and subdue the world through power and influence.

 

[BryanW92]

Most of it is very beautiful... I just have two problems with it though, one not everyone believes in the (holy) catholic, church because not everyone (every Christian) is a catholic, and the Catholic church's hands are very, very dirty in the past and even today. She fornicates with political systems in very dirty ways, (for just only one example, and I'm not going to get into all the others here)

And secondly "suffered under the Pontious Pilate" was it Pontious Pilate, or the Jewish Pharisees, or the crowd, or was it could have been (and this is what I think "Satan)

I'm looking for things that all Christians from all demoninations can agree/with about, not just Catholics, and not only all people, but not even all Christians believe the Catholic church is necessarily "Holy" either, due to it's past and present relations with other "factions" who are all trying to dominate and put under oppression, not release and subdue the world through power and influence.

That's small-c "catholic". Catholic means "universal" (from the Greek katholikos). We are all part of the "catholic (universal) church". This is a creed (along with the similar Nicene Creed) spoken by just about every Christian church. Are you so new to the faith that you've never heard it before? Please take a moment to read up on the Apostles Creed and Nicene Creed before you pass judgement based on limited knowledge.

Jesus did suffer under Pontius Pilate, at the request of the Pharisees. The Pharisees were forbidden by Roman law to execute a man, so they had to defer to Roman authority. The law required Romans to carry out the sentence.

 

[David Waffen]

Most of it is very beautiful... I just have two problems with it though, one not everyone believes in the (holy) catholic, church because not everyone (every Christian) is a catholic, and the Catholic church's hands are very, very dirty in the past and even today. She fornicates with political systems in very dirty ways, (for just only one example, and I'm not going to get into all the others here)

And secondly "suffered under the Pontious Pilate" was it Pontious Pilate, or the Jewish Pharisees, or the crowd, or was it could have been (and this is what I think "Satan)

I'm looking for things that all Christians from all demoninations can agree/with about, not just Catholics, and not only all people, but not even all Christians believe the Catholic church is necessarily "Holy" either, due to it's past and present relations with other "factions" who are all trying to dominate and put under oppression, not release and subdue the world through power and influence.

Fortunately the reformers redefined the word so we could continue to believe the creed.

 

[BryanW92]

Fortunately the reformers redefined the word so we could continue to believe the creed.

They didn't redefine the Greek word katholikos. But, unfortunately, they did take the insulting term given by the Roman Church to describe the reformers, Protestant, and made that into the name of a branch of Christianity. They should have stuck with Reformed Catholic, as the Roman Church and the Orthodox Church did when they split. Letting go of the name that means "universal" was a mistake.

 

[David Waffen]

They didn't redefine the Greek word katholikos. But, unfortunately, they did take the insulting term given by the Roman Church to describe the reformers, Protestant, and made that into the name of a branch of Christianity. They should have stuck with Reformed Catholic, as the Roman Church and the Orthodox Church did when they split. Letting go of the name that means "universal" was a mistake.

Until that time it referred exclusively to one group. It was during the reformation that it became 'all believers'. Do you have documentation otherwise? I would be interested.

 

[SuperLuey]

Hmm that apostles creed sums it quite nicely.
That's the core. If Jesus death,burial & resurrection aint in it then... No deal.

 

[Norah63]

Taking a set of mens words, (creed) over the simplicity of the gospel, a simple verse that any new believer could understand.
Whatever.

 

[seeingeyes]

Until that time it referred exclusively to one group. It was during the reformation that it became 'all believers'. Do you have documentation otherwise? I would be interested.

Oriental Orthodox splits off in 451:
Oriental Orthodoxy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Catholic" church splits from "Orthodox church in 1054:
East–West Schism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The "Anglican" split in the 1530's:
History of the Anglican Communion - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

These are the big ones. There have been many many splits over the centuries.

All of these churches use the Apostle's creed (with the word "catholic") and none of them are in communion with the others.

 

[BryanW92]

Until that time it referred exclusively to one group. It was during the reformation that it became 'all believers'. Do you have documentation otherwise? I would be interested.

Do I have documentation that a Greek word DID NOT change its meaning 500 years ago?

But this is a good article: CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Catholic

Even Roman Catholics say that the word means "universal" and it always has. If you can get past being called a heretic about a thousand times in the article, they admit that it was good that Protestants kept that in the Creed.

Do you have documentation that it did change?