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Becoming A Christian Introduction:
We hear the term “New Testament Christian” but what does that really mean?
When you get to thinking about it that is the only kind of Christian there is.
There were no Old Testament Christians. We can not go back to the Old Testament
to find out how to become a Christian. In the New Testament is where we find out
how to become and what it means to be a Christian, 2 Peter 1.3. We can not change the conditions of becoming a
Christian any more than we can change what God expects of a Christian. So how
does one become a Christian? I)
All Can Become A Christian A)
John 1.1 establishes the deity of Christ. 1.
The word is God. 2.
The word became flesh, John 1.14 B)
Those that accept the “word” can become a child of God, John 1.12. II)
A Person Is Not A Christian By: A)
Just proclaiming to be a believer in Christ. John 12.42 B)
Feeling as if you are a Christian (have been saved) 1.
Feelings can deceive us. Jacob believed Joseph to be death although his sons
told him that Joseph was alive, Genesis
45.26 2.
The Bible warns us about our feelings (heart), Jeremiah
17.9 C)
By having Christian parents 1.
There are many blessings of having Christian parents but their salvation does
not transfer to you. 2.
Obedience is on an individual basis. D)
By being around Christians. 1.
There are many benefits of having Christian friends and associating with
Christians but salvation is not one of them. 2.
Even having a Christian spouse will not save your soul. 1
Peter 3.1ff E)
By obeying the words of men rather than God, Galatians 1.6-9 1.
The Bible warns us about adding to or taking from the word of God. 2.
What part of salvation can we take away from and still be saved? What part can
we add to and still be saved? III)
Jesus Tells Us What We Must Do To Be Saved A)
Believe that He is the Son of God, John 8.23-24 1.
The Gospels affirm to us the deity of Jesus, Immanuel means God with us, Matthew
1.23 2.
It is by His sacrifice and authority we do all else.
a. Peter’s confession in Matthew
18.
b. The Ethiopian Eunuch in Acts
8.37 B)
Confess Jesus as the Son of God, Matthew 10.32 1.
To confess means to say the same thing as [God says Jesus is His Son and Jesus
says He is the Son of God] 2.
The Ethiopian Eunuch made such a confession, Acts
8.37 C)
Repent of our sins, Luke 13.3 1.
Acts 17.30 God demands all men
everywhere to repent of their sins. 2.
We must be willing to change, to turn away from our sins and toward God. 3.
Repentance is a change in the way we think and the way we live. D)
Be immersed in water for the remission of one’s sins, Mark 16.16; Matthew
28.18ff. 1.
Immersion is not sprinkling or pouring water on a person but immersing that
person into water. 2.
Can we take a baby and immerse them into water to make them a Christian? No,
because they can not believe, repent, or confess Jesus. 3.
What if you take an adult that does not believe, or repent, or is willing to
acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God? No, because it requires all God says. 4.
Romans 6.3-4 speak of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ and
compare it to our baptism. Before baptism we are dead in sin, in burial we are
dead due to sin, and in our resurrection we are dead from sin. IV)
This Requires Us To: A)
Study the Bible for ourselves B)
To put aside all human traditions that teaches other than what the Bible teaches C)
Put the will of God above our own will D)
Put the will of God above that of our parents, spouse, relatives, etc. E)
Do what the Bible says Conclusion:
Interestingly there was no debate in the first century what a person had to do
to become a Christian. The issue Christians had to get across to the Jews was
that Jesus was the Son of God. Once they did that then the debate was over. The
question for the Gentiles was who God is. Once they settled that and Jesus is
the Son of God the debate is over. The reason people argue about what it takes
today is human logic and dogma. The Bible is very plain.
Hear the Gospel of Christ, believe, repent, confess, and be baptized for
the remission of one’s sins. |