Many Christians say they believe in God, but in reality they don't believe many things about Him.

Some Christians say God is true, but doubt the authenticity of the creation account in Genesis 1.

Some Christians believe that prophets existed before the time Jesus Christ came to earth for His earthly ministry, but say that the prophetic ministry ended with John the Baptist.

Some Christians believe that God is righteous, holy and just, but refuse to believe that He hates sin and will punish it in hell. After all, "God is love," they argue (see 1 John 4:8).

Friends, we can be Christians if we don't believe in Christ. We can't be Christ-followers if we don't believe and obey what He says. We can't be Godly if we refuse to recognize God's holiness, righteousness, and justice.

We can't be Christians if we don't believe God's Word. It's the final authority on everything about life and beyond.

In this article we'll take a look at three of the most important beliefs a Christian should have. I hope we all have these settled in our lives.

1) That there is one God in three distinct persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. (see Genesis 1:1-2; John 1:4, 3:34-35; Luke 1:35; Matthew 3:16-17, 28:19; 1 Peter 1:1-2)

The Bible may not explicitly mention the word "trinity" in its pages, but it does mention the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit -- three distinct persons comprising one complete God.

2) That salvation is by grace through faith alone: God's grace poured out through His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, and unless we believe in Him we can't be saved. (see John 3:16-18; Ephesians 2:8-9)

The Bible is clear in this matter: our salvation is only by the finished work of the only begotten Son of God, the God-man named Jesus Christ.

We can never atone for our sins and pay the price for our forgiveness. Because we have sinned we were all destined to receive eternal punishment in hell, but because Christ took upon Himself our sins and iniquities and received the just punishment for them through the shedding of His blood, He has purchased our forgiveness and redemption.

Unless we believe in Him and put our faith in Him, we can never receive that.

3) That the Holy Spirit continues to work in every person today, for sanctification and the spread of the Gospel of Christ. (see John 14:16-17; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22; 1 Corinthians 3:16, 12:4-11)

Because Christ went to the Father, the Holy Spirit is now sent to all who believe. He dwells in every believer as a seal of our salvation and to work for our sanctification.

He empowers every Christian to live a life of Godliness and to become effective witnesses of Christ. He gives gifts to all men, gifts that include the speaking of tongues, the gift of prophecy, words of knowledge, and words of wisdom, among others.