WHAT IS A CHRISTIAN?

Part two of three parts

In part one we laid out some words and phrases, that when understood by scripture will shed revealing light upon what is a Christian, disciple, or saint as defined by the Word of God.

We will continue the study by examining some scripture that will define the words and phrases.

IN ORDER TO BE SAVED, A PERSON MUST COME TO JESUS CHRIST AND JESUS CHRIST ALONE BY FAITH ALONE. Acts 4:12 “ Neither is there salvation in any other: For there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

Ephesians 2:8 “For by grace are you saved through faith.”

THE CHRIST MUST BE THE CHRIST OUTLINED IN THE SCRIPTURES, NOT SOME OTHER CHRIST DEFINED BY DOCTRINE OF MAN.

Jesus stated in Luke 24:44 “That all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the Prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning me.”

JESUS IS DIETY. HE IS GOD. John 1:1,14 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word (which is Jesus) was God. And the Word (which is Jesus) was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth.

Jesus is God. It is by him that all things were created.

HE IS THE MIDDLE PERSON OF THE GODHEAD--GOD THE FATHER, GOD THE SON, AND GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT. 1 John 5:7 “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word (which is Jesus) and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.”

A PERSON MUST BE CONVERTED TO CHRIST, NOT TO A CHURCH OR DENOMINATIONAL TEACHING An inner change must take place.

1Corinthians 3:3-4 “Or are you yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are you not carnal, and walk as men? For while one says, I am of Paul, and another says I am of Apollos; are you not yet carnal?”

If you make the claim of being a Presbyterian, Catholic, Baptist , Pentecostal, Evangelical, A of G, C of C, or even Non Denominational, it is carnality.

Matthew 18:3 “Verily I say unto you, except you be converted (the conversion must be to Christ, not to a denomination, theology, church, or charismatic leader).

Acts 3:19 “Therefore repent, and be converted.”

A PERSON NEEDS TO BE CHILDLIKE TOWARD CORRECTION FROM GODS WORD.

Matthew 18:3 “And become as little children (if this conversion and attitude does not occur, the verse is very clear) ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.”

A PERSON MUST REPENT Luke 13:3 “I tell you , nay: but, except ye repent , ye shall all likewise perish.” To be blunt, most people have never repented of their sins. Most do not even understand what repentance is. Some even deny that they sin at all. The sad fact is that many will perish because of their rebellion in this matter.

A PERSON NEEDS TO HUMBLE THEMSELVES. PRIDE NEEDS TO BE REPENTED OF

James 4:6 “ God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”

Mark 7:21-22 “For from within , out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.” Note that evil thoughts include pride, murders, wickedness.

ONLY BY GODS GRACE CAN A PERSON BE SAVED

Ephesians 2:8-10 “For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

ONLY AFTER REPENTING AND COMING TO CHRIST BY FAITH is a person under command to be baptized by full immersion in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

Sprinkling and infant baptism is not scriptural baptism. It is doctrine established by man, which is contrary to Gods directive.

Romans 6:4 “ Therefore we are buried (covered by water) with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in the newness of life.”

Mark 16:6 “He that believeth (first) and is baptized (second) shall be saved; but he that beleiveth not shall be damned.”

A person cannot be baptized into one in whom they do not believe.

WHEN A PERSON IS TRULY BORN-AGAIN, THE HOLY SPIRIT DWELLS INSIDE THAT PERSON. IF A PERSON DOES NOT HAVE THE HOLY GHOST, THEY CANNOT BE SAVED

Romans 8:9-11 “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His. (Plainly, if any man does not have the Spirit of God, he is not saved and will not enter heaven.) And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwells in you.”

EVIDENCE OF THE INDEWELLING OF THE HOLY GHOST

If a person does have the Holy Ghost, there will be evidence. One evidence is a desire to read and study Gods Word. 1 Peter 2:2-3 “As newborn babes (a person that is newly re-born) desire the sincere milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby.” [A person that has the Spirit of God, a person that is truly born-again has a desire for the Word of God so that they can grow in wisdom, knowledge of God, and faith. Faith only comes from Gods Word. It is impossible to have more correct faith than knowledge and understanding.

If a newly re-born Christian does not receive nourishment from Gods Word, he will die.] “If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.”

ANOTHER EVIDENCE IS ATTITUDE

As a person learns from Gods Word a new attitude begins to emerge, and the old worldly attitude begins to fade away. Depending upon a persons heart, this can happen faster in some than in others. It can also happen quicker in a person that spends much time in Gods Word, learning and growing. On the other hand a person that spends little time in the Word, may make many excuses about their not hearing His voice or growing in faith or may even wither and fall away from the faith that was born in them.

Galatians 5:22-24 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.”

A person needs to believe correctly.

JESUS CHRIST IS GODS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, BORN OF A VIRGIN, DIED ON CALVARYS CROSS, ROSE FROM THE DEAD, ASCENDED UP TO HEAVEN AND NOW SITS ON THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD THE FATHER IN HEAVEN, MAKING INTERCESSION FOR THE SAINTS.

DO WHAT GODS WORD SAYS

James 1:22 “But be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”

OBEY GODS WORD

Hebrews 5:9 “And being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him.”

KEEP GODS COMMANDMENTS

John 5:10 “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Fathers commandments, and abide in His love.”

GOD WANTS US TO KNOW HIM, WE ARE TO HAVE A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM

Philippians 3:8-13 “ Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith; that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death; if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended; but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before……”

End of part two

WHAT IS A CHRISTIAN?