The Fundament

Is God, Christianity or religion being forced down your throat? Or are you a happy Christian or a happy atheist?

 

Whatever your situation, I hope this book can be useful to you. This book’s intention is to provide a basic explanation of the Bible's message, and to help the reader find the common thread throughout the Bible. Bible stories, teachings, and prophecies, from beginning to end, together provide a coherent and complete message. There are many details and depths that will not be covered in this book, so you will still greatly benefit from reading the Bible. But perhaps this book can give you a good start, making the Bible easier to understand.    

 

I grew up in a Christian home where I felt good, and I was protected from a lot of difficulties. In my childhood, I did not experience my faith as a stress or something I had to do to be good enough, faith just felt natural. In my youth and into my adulthood, I began to understand more and more, that even though I believed in God and had a personal relationship with Him, there was a lot of «Christian politics» or rather «religion» in what I was a part of. I have experienced more of this since my family, and I moved to France and started missionary work there in 2014.

 

To put it simply; I think Religion and Christian politics are strenuous!

I have embarked on writing this book because I understand that so many have had bad experiences with the Christian faith, Christianity, or religion. At the same time, I know that the vast majority of us humans search for answers about where we come from, the meaning of life or whether there is something after this life. Maybe you have thoughts and attitudes towards the Bible, God, or the Christians, which are based on an incorrect foundation, based on your own life experiences with religion or Christians. 

I experience that religion and we, Christians, can often stand in the way so that people don't get to experience the message of the Bible in a correct way and as a result, don't get to know God personally. Later in the book, I will talk about religion versus what biblical faith is, but this will be after we have gone through what the basic truth is.

 

With this book, I want to give you an easy-to-understand summary of the Christian faith based on the message of the Bible. If you are new to the faith and need an explanation to gain understanding of the most important basic truths in God's word, the Bible, or you have been a Christian for a long time but have not fully understood what the sum of God's word is, then I hope this book can be of use for you!

 

Again, I would like to say, this book can in no way replace the Bible, but I hope it can make the most important biblical truths easier to understand. Whether you have read the Bible or not, I hope you can make new discoveries about who God is. I also hope that your understanding of the Bible and your faith in God will be strengthened. 

 

Religion, culture, and faith practices have made it difficult for us to understand who God really is. The Bible has often been portrayed as difficult for ordinary people to understand. It has been said that one must be educated to be able to understand it. This has led many to be reluctant or have refused to read the book God has given us, and many have therefore never read it, even though they call themselves Christians.  

 

Many people describe themselves as Christians. Later in this book, I will reflect on what the word Christian means and what is means to be a Christian. I also want to reflect on what a church is and what God expects of us. Are you a Christian if you go to church on Christmas Eve?   

 

No matter what your beliefs are today, I hope and believe that this book will give you answers to things you are wondering about and will give you more to think about. 

The book will not give you answers to all things, but I hope it will lead you in a good direction so that God's word to you can be easier to understand. I believe that The Holy Spirit has led and reminded me to write this book. I know that there are many who seek to find answers to life's many questions and find the meaning of life. I take the time to write because I have experienced that the Bible has given me the answers I have sought in life.

 

The first chapter gives a summary of the Bible from beginning to end. The following chapters are a little more detailed on the most important basic truths. Later in the book, it will be more about practical Christian life, prayer, spirituality and about repentance and sin. I also want to address a little about prejudice against the Bible, but perhaps most importantly, look at us Christians, our practices, ways of doing things and "top-down attitudes" and arrogance. I don't do to be proud and say that I have understood it, but so that we, as followers of Jesus together, can wake up a little and understand our place in the society we live in.

 

Jesus said after all:

«as I have loved you, that you also love one another» 

John 13:34

 

The most important thing after we have secured our life with God in eternity, is that we understand in what way we can be good, loving, and compassionate with each other. There will always be different opinions, attitudes, and ways of behaving, that is how we are created. But even in the darkest and most difficult situations, a small smile, a pleasant attitude and behavior, or a helping hand can change everything. We all have a lot to learn when it comes to this, me too, so therefore we will go through this as well. Ok?         

 

 

Happy reading!

 

 

Arvid