What are the most basic things a person needs to believe in order to be saved? The apostle Paul says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.” He says, “If you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead you will be saved.”

So we take texts like that and begin at the core – the death of Jesus. He died for our sins, which means I must believe I am a sinner. A person that doesn’t believe he is a sinner can’t be saved. If there is nothing to forgive, Jesus didn’t do anything for me. If he didn’t do anything for me, I’m not believing him for salvation. If I’m not believing him for salvation, then I’m not saved. So you must believe you are a sinner.

You must believe that there is a God who has created the possibility for sin. That is, sin by definition is the falling short of the expectations of your Creator. So there has to be a Creator God out there who has expectations of humans. God expects humans to trust him, love him and live for him. And we fail. Which leads us to the third thing we must believe. Because we fail to trust, love and live for God we are under his holy judgment—his wrath. You’ve got to believe that.

If you are a sinner and there is a holy God, and if you are defining sin as a falling short of that God, then in order to understand what he is doing to make things right you must understand that God is angry about sin. He is a good and just judge.

So, what has he done to solve the problem of our alienation from him? He has sent his Son into the world. You’ve got to believe in the deity of Jesus. Psalm 49 says that no man can pay a ransom for another man. A few verses later, in verse 15 it says God will pay the ransom.

He couldn’t have used John, or Peter or Paul to die for us. He had to have the God-man die for us. So the deity of Jesus is essential.

You also must acknowledge what Jesus did. He lived the perfect life. I don’t think you can believe that Jesus sinned and still be saved. Because then the sacrifice made for you was not what God required, and you aren’t believing in what God did for you. So Jesus is the sinless Son of God and he gives himself up to die in my place

This substitutionary dimension of the death of Christ for my sins is necessary. There are lots of ways the Bible talks about this and I think you can be very confused about some of them while still being saved. I don’t want to start listing off all the ways the Bible talks about the atonement and how confused you can be about them while still being saved. Let’s just say that what is required is the core of the gospel – that the remedy is that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who never sinned got in my place and took the wrath of God for me. He died in my place.

If he had stayed dead, we would still be in our sins. So you must believe he rose from the dead. So now he has risen from the dead. We could stop there. This is the cluster of essentials for salvation. You might be able to bring to mind some things that are so theologically attached to this cluster that I would say, “OK that has to be included as well.” But if someone asks, “What do I have to believe to be saved?” My answer is, you must believe this cluster of things about yourself, about God, and about the cross.

One more thing. I am assuming something because the question was, “What do I have to believe?” But I should make clear that you have to believe something about belief. Meaning, you must believe that belief is required. If you say, “I get all of what was said, but now I’m going to work so that God can make all of this count for me. I’m going to keep the law 85% so that all this redemptive work will count for me,” then you’ve missed it. You’re not saved.

For salvation you must believe that instead of working for this salvation, Jesus has already done what needs to be done. We receive it. “As many as received him, who believed in his name, he gave them the right to become the children of God.” So I think sin, God, cross and faith. That is the summary, the core of truth surrounding those four things.

Who We Are: We are a simple church in fellowship with the many other Calvary Chapel churches throughout the world. Calvary Chapels are known for simply teaching the Bible simply.

While we believe God is moving in a variety of different groups and organizations, we are glad to be part of what He is doing through Calvary Chapel.

To learn more, visit one of these websites:
calvarychapel.com
calvarycca.org
calvarychurchplanting.org

Our Mission: We exist to love, serve and share Jesus.

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. Matthew 28:19-20

Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’This is the first and great commandment.the second is like it: And ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Matthew 22:37-39

Our Vision: We will be a church where the lost are found, disciples are made and Christian leaders grow.

And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. …praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:42, 47

Our Culture: We love God and love others.

1. We do all for the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31 – “…Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”)

2. We live for Jesus. (2 Corinthians 5:15 – “And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.”)

3. We are led by the Holy Spirit. – “‘Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord…” (Zechariah 4:6)

4. The Bible is our instruction manual for everything. – “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul and spirit, joints and marrow, as it judges the thoughts and purposes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)

5. We will never stop praying. – “One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.” (Luke 18:1)

6. However we can, we will tell everyone about Jesus. – “…you shall be witnesses to Me…to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

7. Following Jesus is not complicated, therefore, we will keep things simple. – ““For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God…” (2 Corinthians 1:12)

8. The next generation is the current generation.“We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the LORD, about his power and his mighty wonders.” (Psalm 78:4)

9. Everything we do is about creating a community of disciples. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you…” (Matthew 28:19–20)

10. We live in the light of eternity, knowing Jesus is coming back soon. – “…’Surely I am coming quickly.’ Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20)