Basic Beliefs

The following is the epilogue by Dr. Jack Lewis to his book, Basic Beliefs, published shortly before his death. The thirty-nine chapters of this book range from “Belief in God” to “Heaven.” His words speak to us and to all generations until the Lord Jesus comes. I recommend it for our study. “WARNING: This book will pull you into God’s Word and challenge you to think.”

Almost every religious revival that has taken place in the history of the church (and in Israel’s history too) has been sparked by a return to the basic fundamentals of God’s word. We must never lose sight of the fact that the power behind significant religious change is the living, active word of God (Heb. 4:12). Not dynamic preachers, not charismatic leaders, not cleverly written books, not new evangelistic gimmicks, not community changing service projects. The power in the word of God resets wandering priorities, puts to death consumer-driven passions, and recalibrates our values to God’s eternal standards.

Just as a struggling sports team determines to return to the fundamentals of the game for its improvement, the church must also take care not to drift away from the fundamental truths of God’s word. Every generation will either be driven by cultural pressures or directed by God’s word. It does us no good to be admired by our culture only to be rejected by God.

Therefore, we must teach the basic beliefs of our faith to every generation. We must often remind ourselves and fellow believers of these truths. We must understand the difference between things “of first importance” (1 Cor. 15:3) and the myriad of peripheral issues that cry out for our attention.

God’s people are to build their lives “upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone” (Eph. 2:20). How can we build successfully if we overlook the basic beliefs of this foundation? We must study; we must teach; we must remind – now and for generations to come.