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Home » Site Index » Commentary
Commentary
33356
“How to Become a Christian”
by Art Sadlier   
June 28th, 2020

QUESTIONS

1. Do you mind talking about spiritual things?

2.  If you were to die tonight, do you know for certain that you would go to heaven?

3.   If you were to die tonight and stand before God, and He were to ask you: “Why should I let you into my heaven?” What would your answer be?   

There are five facts from God’s Word about salvation that you need to understand.

FACT - 1   SALVATION

A -  SALVATION IS A FREE GIFT

EPHESIANS 2:8 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God." ROMANS 6:23B ......The gift of God is Eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

B - SALVATION IS NOT EARNED.

EPHESIANS 2:9 "Not by works, lest any man should boast."  TITUS 3:5a "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us....."  GALATIONS 2:16 "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.”

FACT - 2   MAN

A -   MAN IS A SINNER

ROMANS 3:23  "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God."  ISAIAH 59:2 "But your iniquities have separated between you and your God." ECCLESIASTES 7:20 "For there is not a just man upon the earth, that doeth good and sinneth not."

B -   MAN CANNOT SAVE HIMSELF

ROMANS 3:12  "They are all gone out of the way, they are become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no not one." ROMANS 3:20 "Therefore, by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight; for by the law is the knowledge of sin."

FACT 3 -  GOD

A -  GOD IS LOVE AND MERCY

JOHN 3:16 - "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.” ROMANS5:8   "But God (commended) proved His love toward us, in that, while were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

B -   GOD IS HOLY AND JUST

HEBREWS 9:27 - "And it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this, the judgement."  ROMANS 1:8 "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness, and unrighteousness of men, who suppress (hold) the truth in unrighteousness."

These contrasting attributes of God present a seeming problem. God’s love and His justice are in conflict. God’s love can never ignore His holiness and justice. God’s problem is solved in the fact that Christ bore the penalty God’s holiness and justice demanded of us for our sin.

FACT 4 -   CHRIST

 A -   WHO IS HE?

JOHN 1:1 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."  JOHN 1:3 "All things were made by Him: and without Him was not anything made that was made." 

B -   WHAT DID HE DO?

1 PETER 2:24 "Who by His own self bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto (in) righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed." 1 PETER 3:18 "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit."

CHRIST CRUCIFIED FOR OUR SIN IS THE SOLUTION TO GOD'S PROBLEM OF HIS LOVE AND MERCY AND HIS HOLINESS AND JUSTICE BEING IN COLLISION.

FACT - 5   FAITH

A -  FAITH IS NOT MENTAL ASSENT

JOHN 2:19 "Thou believest there is one God: Thou doest well. The demons also believe and tremble." The clear implication that they are not saved.

NOTE:  HEAD KNOWLEDGE AND MENTAL ASSENT ARE NOT SAVING FAITH

B - FAITH IS TRANSFERRING ALL

JOHN 3:36 "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; but the wrath of God abideth on him."

 SAVING FAITH INVOLVES TRANSFERRING YOUR HOPE OF SALVATION FROM ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING YOU HAVE OR MIGHT TRUST IN FOR SALVATION AND TRANSFERRING IT TO CHRIST AND CHRIST ALONE.

ILLUSTRATION:

Back in the 1890’s a man named Blondin came to Canada from England. He set up a tight rope over the Niagara Falls and proceeded to walk across it and back. When he arrived back safely he challenged the crowd. Is there anyone here who believes I can carry them safely over the falls on my shoulders ?

One man said I believe you can do that. Blondin challenged him to step forward and get on his back. The man said “no way”.

Blondin repeated the challenge and another man came forward and climbed up on the tight rope walkers back. Blondin proceeded to carry the man safely over and back.

Let me ask you question. “Which of two men had faith in Blondin? The answer is, the man who demonstrated his faith by his actions was the man who had faith in Blondin. He put his trust and his life completely in Blondin’s hands.

Faith in Christ involves placing your soul in the hands of Christ and trusting Him and Him alone for salvation.

QUESTIONS

DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE FIVE FACTS OF THE GOSPEL?

WOULD YOU LIKE TO RECEIVE CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOUR?

REVELATION 3:20 "Behold I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come into him and sup (fellowship) with him, and he with Me."

IF SOMEONE KNOCKS ON YOUR DOOR, HOW DO YOU GET THEM FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE HOUSE TO THE INSIDE OF THE HOUSE?

YOU SIMPLY OPEN THE DOOR AND INVITE THEM IN. IF YOU DO THAT, IN FAITH, CHRIST WILL COME INTO YOUR HEART AND SAVE YOU.

A PRAYER OF COMMITMENT

Please understand that a prayer will not save you. The confession of your sin and your faith in Christ as you call upon Him to save you will move the hand of God to save your soul.

Your calling upon God to save you should include the following sincere expression. You can do that in your own words. Here is an illustration of what your call upon God should contain.

DEAR GOD: "I KNOW I'VE SINNED, I'M SORRY! I KNOW THAT I OUGHT TO SUFFER ETERNALLY IN HELL FOR WHAT I HAVE DONE. BUT LORD, I BELIEVE JESUS SUFFERED AND DIED FOR ME ON THE CROSS AND ROSE AGAIN FROM THE DEAD.  I BELIECVE JESUS PAID FOR ALL MY SINS. I NOW ACCEPT YOU AS MY LORD AND SAVIOUR!"

QUESTIONS

1.  DID YOU REALLY ASK IN FAITH?

2. WHAT DOES GOD'S WORD SAY?

JOHN 5:24 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me hath everlasting life, and shall not come into judgement, and is passed from death unto life."

3. ARE YOU SAVED?

OTHER VERSES FOR ASSURANCE

JOHN 6:47 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on Me hath everlasting life."

JOHN 1:12 "But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the children of God even to them that believe on His name." ACTS 10:43 "To Him give all the prophets witness, that through His name, whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins."

Your new life in Christ is an exciting relationship with the Lord. You have taken a very important step by your decision to receive Christ as your Saviour. Now as you go on to walk with Him there some things from God’s Word you must know and do. Luke 6:46 "And why call ye me Lord, Lord and do not the things which I say?” Read your Bible every day and obey what the Lord says to you.

MARKS OF A GENUINE CHRISTIAN

These things do not help you to obtain salvation but are the evidence that salvation has taken place. (With the exception of numbers 1 and 2)

1 - A TRUE UNDERSTANDING OF WHO CHRIST IS AND WHAT HE HAS DONE. (We have dealt with this in the above, as a Christian you have already come to understand these facts)

2 - A RECOGNITION OF OUR SIN AND REBELLION AGAINST GOD WHICH IS ACCOMPANIED REPENTANCE AND FAITH IN CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOUR.                                                                              If you are saved you have experienced this in your commitment to Christ.

3 - AN OBEDIENCE TO THE WORDS AND COMMANDS OF CHRIST WHICH IS ACCOMPANIED BY A HUNGER TO KNOW GOD'S WORD.                                                                                                                       1John 2:3, 4 - 1John 3:24 -  John 14:21 -  Jeremiah 15:16.

4 - LOVE FOR YOUR BROTHERS IN CHRIST                                                                                                     1 John 3:14 - 1John 2:9-11 - John 13:35.                                                                                      

5 -  FELLOWSHIP WITH OTHER CHRISTIANS                                                                                                    1 John 1:3 God saves us to bring us into a fellowship with Himself and with other believers.  Hebrews 10:25, That involves membership in a Bible-believing church.  Acts 2:42, 46, 47.

6 – PRAYER   A genuine relationship with Christ will involve communication with Him.                                   John 15:7    John 16:24.

7–WITNESSING                                                                                                                                                      The seventh mark of genuine salvation  is a readiness to witness to others as to what Christ has done for you.  Mark 16:15   Acts 1:8.

8 - BAPTISM                                                                                                                                                  Baptism by immersion, is not an option for a true believer. Though it has no part in salvation, it is a command of Christ.  Matthew 28:19 - Acts 2:37, 38.

These are eight marks of true salvation. If your faith in Christ is genuine saving faith, these marks will be found in your life in the coming days. 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

Understand, not everyone who professes faith in Christ has exercised genuine saving faith.                         Matthew 7:20-23 -  I John 2: 9-10.

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