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Ambassador4Christ
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« Reply #9 on: December 05, 2003, 09:41:05 PM » |
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So what makes you a Christian?
Take the following simple steps made without moving a muscle. We have already seen that believing is the key, so here are some wonderful facts to believe.
1. God loves you.
He has proved it by sending His Son to pay the penalty of sin on your behalf. Remember, He made you in the first place, you are His creation.
"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that,while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Rom. 5:8.
BELIEVE IT. God loves you just as you are, no conditions.
2. We can approach Him freely.
Now when Christ died, the enmity between God & us was abolished. The penalty for sin & sins was met and God was satisfied.
".....God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them;" 2Cor. 5:19.
Can you see that our sin has been dealt with and we have free access to God. He is waiting for us to come to Him.
"And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom." Mark 15:38.
Only one man could enter the inner part of Israel's temple before Christ died, but when He died, the veil was torn from the top to the bottom, signalling that, through Christ alone, we have free access to God. We do not need priests or denominational codes of conduct. We can each approach God on our own and wherever we are.
3. Acknowledge your sin.
Don't try and list your sins. Just admit you are a sinner like everyone else in the world.
There was a man in Christ's day who had the strength to admit as much:
"And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner." Luke 18:13.
King David said:
"For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me." Psalm.51:3.
The Bible is very clear, we have all sinned.
"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" Rom.3:23.
"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:" Rom.5:12.
We all die because of sin, but Christ reversed it all on the cross.
"I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness
...for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world."
John 12:46-47.
".Christ died "FOR" our sins according to the scriptures;" 1Cor.15:3.
Becoming a Christian is not listing the wicked deeds we or others have committed, but recognising our own weakness and inability to save ourselves.
Now if I asked you were you a little angel you would smile and say, "hardly". It is just as easy to face God who loves you and say, "Yes Lord, I am guilty".
Each of us needs to confess to God we are sinners, it is agreeing with Him. Now He declared that death was the penalty for sin, yet because He loved you so much He came as the Son and paid the penalty on your behalf.
"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13.
God has proved He loves you hasn't He? Our sins have been dealt with, have no fear about approaching God our loving Heavenly Father. Those who believe in Him look to the day when He provides His promised gift of eternal life:
"Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also." John 14:19.
Confess you are a sinner, and say I'm sorry to God.
WHY NOT DO IT NOW!
4. Believe and Rejoice.
When Christ died on the cross, He died for you.
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." John 3:16-17.
Tremendous isn't it that God sent His Son, and His Son willingly came. Our eternal life depends on God's actions, not ours. All our Heavenly Father wants us to do is believe.
There was another man in the New Testament times who thought he could do something to save Himself, but he was told that believing was the only way.
"And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep,....called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, ...." Acts 16:27-31.
Believing is the key.
Faith is not the exclusive prerogative of religious people. We are not saved by following any religion, we are saved by faith in the faithful Christ. You have faith that the dentist can fix that sore tooth, that the doctor can recommend a course of medicine to combat the pain. All our Heavenly Father asks is that we have faith in His Son Christ Jesus.
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:" Ephesians.2:8
The trouble with us is that we are so resourceful, we find it difficult to believe that we can have no part in our own salvation, and so we become religious hoping to please God, but this is doomed to failure.
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