What does it mean to be known as a Christian
A Christian is a person who has established a personal faith relationship with Jesus Christ. One can get a better appreciation for the true meaning of the word "Christian" by understanding the meaning of the Greek word "christianos" which means "belonging to Christ." The paragraphs that follow explain the need of every person to belong to Christ, as well as how this can be accomplished.
Why do I need to become a Christian?
This is a question that many people ask themselves and others, but sadly only a few realize the need to be obedient to the truth that is obtained through God's Word. Christians serve the one and only true God, Who offer His love and mercy to all. However, some day everyone will stand before Him and give an account of their lives. He will judge each of us by His perfect standards that we all have broken, but there is hope for all who obey His commands.
Before God created this world, He gave His angles the freedom of choice. Some choose to serve Him; whereas others were rebellious. Satan, the enemy of God, is one of these fallen angels. We will either serve God or we will serve Satan. We cannot serve two masters!
Adam and Eve were God's first human creations on this earth. The Bible teaches us that God created them for the purpose of having fellowship with Him and to serve Him in the Garden of Eden. However, in exercising their God given right of choice, they made a bad decision. They chose to be disobedient to the commands of God and gave in to the temptations of Satan. As a result of their disobedience to God, sin and its penalty, death, entered the world. Everyone of us has inherited Adam and Eve's sinful nature and have sinned against God. We have all been, at some point in our lives, disobedient to God's commands and have therefore sinned. The Bible tells us that we all are sinners and the wages of sin is death. The Bible also teaches us that we will be judged according to the choices that we make during our lifetime. God's judgment will result in every person either being committed to a place of eternal damnation, or to a place of eternal peace in His presence.
Does God have a plan for our salvation?
The Bible teaches us that it was never God's intention that anyone be separated from Him. This theme is repeated over and over again throughout the Old and New Testaments. God knew before He created us that we would need a Savior to pay the penalty for our sins so that our fellowship with Him could be restored. We are told in Romans 5:28, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (NIV)
God's plan for our salvation, as well as the consequences for rejecting His plan, is recorded in John 3:16-18, which states: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son." (NIV)
How can we apply God's plan to our lives?
God, in his infinite love for us, has provided the means for everyone to obtain forgiveness for their sins. However, there is nothing that anyone can do to earn or pay for God's forgiveness. Our sin debt has already been paid by the only One who was found to be worthy, that being Jesus Christ, the only Son of God. Ephesians 2:8,9 state that: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast." (NIV) Therefore, to claim God's gift of salvation, a person must accept, by faith, Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Jesus tells us in Revelation 3:20: "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." (NIV) Jesus is standing at the door of your heart but you must invite Him in.
How does a person receive God's Gift of Salvation?
In order for us to obtain God's forgiveness for our sins, we must establish a personal relationship with God. This is accomplished by receiving Jesus as our Lord and Savior. We are told in John 1:12,13: "Yet to all who receive him, to those who believed in him name, he gave the right to become children of God - children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God." (NIV) When you receive Jesus into your heart, you become a child of God. You can do this right now by telling God about the burden of sin that in on your heart in a prayer that says something like this: Dear Lord, I admit that I am a sinner and I want to change. I believe, as best as I know how, that Your Son, Jesus, lived, died, and rose again so that I may obtain forgiveness of all my sins. I now claim Jesus as my personal Savior and I ask forgiveness of all my sins. I also pray that You will help me live for Him and obey Him as long as I live. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
If you have sincerely prayed to God as outlined above, you now belong to Christ! You are a Christian! You are a child of God and the Holy Spirit now lives within you! You are assured of eternal life in the presence of God! That fact can never be changed no matter what the circumstances may be.
Now that I am a Christian, what should I do next?
Now that your are a Christian, your next step should be to make your decision public by telling your family, friends, neighbors, etc., and by becoming united with a church of your choice. The act of making your decision for Jesus public knowledge is being obedient to God's Word as found in Matthew 10:32,33 where Jesus says: "Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven." (NIV)
We at First Baptist Church of Meridianville sincerely hope that you will favorably consider uniting with our church through baptism. All you have to do is to tell the pastor of your decision for Christ and that you want to become a member of the church. He will instruct you and make the necessary arrangements.