Updated: February 2025

What are the essentials of the Christian faith? Not so long ago, a friend asked me about the essentials, and I realized I could not fully answer him. After 20+ years in church, too many to number book and devotional studies, and reading through the Bible in a year, I realized I was a toddler Christian. I was still suckling on milk while learning to chew solid food. That really bothered me and caused me to seek the LORD and His word. The Bible should always be our primary resource, along with prayer and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Those are the places to start.

We are also to seek wisdom from godly counsel. So, I turned to my longtime former pastor for advice on resources to help navigate the complexity of systematic theology and doctrines of the Bible. He recommended this book: “Knowing the Doctrines of the Bible” by Myer Pearlman. According to Pearlman, Christian doctrine is simply defined as “the fundamental truths of the Bible arranged in a systematic form”. The book succinctly covers inspiration and verification of scripture, the nature, attributes, and Trinity of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, atonement, salvation (justification, regeneration, and sanctification), the Holy Spirit, and the church. I especially found the section on the Trinity helpful in clarifying my understanding.

In Essentials Unity, In Non-Essentials Liberty, In All Things Charity

Among those doctrines, it’s important to understand that not everything is equally important. There are primary, secondary, and tertiary doctrines. I found the following guide from Women in Apologetics (WIA) helpful in understanding some of the nuances between those areas. Primary doctrines are essential; they are the most fundamental beliefs of the Christian faith. There’s a saying, “In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things charity” attributed to Rupertus Meldenius. It’s meant to promote unity in foundational beliefs and a spirit of brotherly love in all else. Secondary issues can be those issues that really drive a wedge of division among believers, something the Bible warns against. In non-essential, secondary issues, we are to respect each other’s liberty in personal convictions. In tertiary issues, we are to have charity.

Additional Resources

When I have immediate questions while reading through the Bible, I will often go to GotQuestions.org. They answer a plethora of questions on a variety of topics in the Bible. Here’s their page about the Essentials of Christian Faith. I highly encourage you to get into a sound church (if you’re not already), attend Bible Studies that are offered, and ask questions! Surround yourself with sound wisdom and godly counsel, read the Word daily, and again, it’s okay to ask questions!

If you feel further led, consider taking online classes. I consider myself a lifelong learner, so I enjoy taking classes. I’ve taken a few classes on how to study scripture, bibliology, and the Gospels through an online Bible College. You can take the How to Study Scripture mini-course, free. For the serious student, here is the list of recommended resources from the Bible College: The interlinear Hebrew-Greek-English Bible, Parallel Bible, and Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary.

Practical Supplies:

Every student should have essential supplies. Check out this curated selection of useful items! Some of the top choices for Bible study include the ESV Study Bible, Bible Tabs, and Highlighters. If you prefer to write in your Bible, you might consider the highly rated NKJV Notetaking Bible. It’s always a good idea to have these tools on hand to enhance your study experience.

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