The Gospel What It Means to Be a Christian Being a Christian is more than identifying yourself with a particular religion or affirming a certain value system. Being a Christian means you have embraced what the Bible says about God, mankind, and salvation. Consider the following truths found in the Bible. God Is Sovereign Creator Contemporary thinking says man is the product of evolution. But the Bible says we were created by a personal God to love, serve, and enjoy endless fellowship with Him. The New Testament reveals it was Jesus Himself who created everything (John 1:3; Colossians 1:16). Therefore, He also owns and rules everything (Psalm 103:19). That means He has authority over our lives and we owe Him absolute allegiance, obedience, and worship. God Is Holy God is absolutely and perfectly holy (Isaiah 6:3); therefore He cannot commit or approve of evil (James 1:13). God requires holiness of us as well. First Peter 1:16 says, ìYou shall be holy, for I am holy. Mankind Is Sinful According to Scripture, everyone is guilty of sin: ìThere is no man who does not sin (1 Kings 8:46). That doesnt mean were incapable of performing acts of human kindness. But were utterly incapable of understanding, loving, or pleasing God on our own (Romans 3:10-12). Sin Demands a Penalty Gods holiness and justice demand that all sin be punished by death (Ezekiel 18:4). Thats why simply changing our patterns of behavior cant solve our sin problem or eliminate its consequences. Jesus Is Lord and Savior Romans 10:9 says, ìIf you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved. Even though Gods justice demands death for sin, His love has provided a Savior who paid the penalty and died for sinners (1 Peter 3:18). Christs death satisfied the demands of Gods justice, and Christs perfect life satisfied the demands of Gods holiness (2 Corinthians 5:21), thereby enabling Him to forgive and save those who place their faith in Him (Romans 3:26). The Character of Saving Faith True faith is always accompanied by repentance from sin. Repentance is agreeing with God that you are sinful, confessing your sins to Him, and making a conscious choice to turn from sin (Luke 13:3, 5; 1 Thessalonians 1:9), pursue Christ (Matthew 11: 28-30; John 17:3), and obey Him (1 John 2:3). It isnt enough to believe certain facts about Christ. Even Satan and his demons believe in the true God (James 2:19), but they dont love and obey Him. True saving faith always responds in obedience (Ephesians 2:10).
Posted on: Sun, 07 Dec 2014 16:59:31 +0000
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