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We Want You to Become A Christian

1/1/2016

 
We know you are out there. I’m talking about people who want to find the truth (John 8:31-32). But the truth won’t be found coming from a “smack-talking preacher” or in big church buildings along with all kinds of man-made programs and hundreds of members. Instead the truth will be found in that which is simple and plain (1 Corinthians 2:1-5; Matthew 7:13-14).

In order to find the truth a person must be looking for it (Acts 16:30). The person must come to realize that not all that is said in the religious world makes truth (1 John 4:1). One must search the Bible and not the sermons of men in order to know if what is taught is indeed correct (Acts 17:11; John 17:17). We want you to obey the gospel because that is the only way you can find peace after death (Hebrews 5:9). Because if a person dies in sin; all hope is lost and that person has no chance of escaping the fires of Hell (Ecclesiastes 9:4; John 8:21; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-8). Now, let’s talk about what the word of God has to say about becoming a Christian.

The first thing you must do is allow time for teaching. In every new testament example of salvation, people set aside time to look into what God expects from those hoping for salvation. Men must be taught of God and all who believe will come unto the Lord (John 6:45; Acts 15:7, 18:8). What about you? Are you willing to set aside time in order to be taught? (Acts 8:30-35, 16:13-14).

The next step toward salvation is having faith in the message as the truth. In Acts 18:8, we read of Crispus who heard the gospel being taught and he believed it. In Acts 15:7, Peter said that the Gentiles did the same thing. The message of the gospel is the information which leads men from darkness into the Kingdom of Jesus (Colossians 1:13; Romans 10:13-17).

Next is repentance, so think about that for a moment. What good does it profit anyone to hear the wonderful news of salvation and do nothing? The Bible teaches we shouldn’t hear the word only; but we should also obey it (James 1:19-27). If the gospel teaches us to start going to church, we must start going. If the gospel teaches us to quit using profane speech, we must quit doing it. If the gospel teaches us to stop shacking up with the opposite sex, we must quit shacking up. Repentance is essential because it is though this act that man becomes like God, man sheds the life of sin and adapts to the life that God expects (1 Peter 1:14-16; Titus 2:11-12).

The next thing one must do is, confess the name of Jesus Christ (Matt. 10:32-33; Rom. 10:9-10). The reason is to acknowledge that there is no other name given among men, by which they can be saved (Acts 4:10-12). What one would say in the confession is very simple, there is an example in Acts 8:37, which has the Eunuch saying, “I believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” That is all you have to say and then we will go to the next step in your walk toward Christ.

That step is baptism. I’m going to ask you to consider what the scriptures reveal about the act of baptism and how it plays a part in the salvation of man. Baptism is commanded by the Lord, taught by the apostles and the Christians of the New Testament (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16; Acts 8:12-13, 9:17-18). Since the Bible reveals that the early christians believed those who consented to follow Christ, did so by baptism and we must believe and teach the same. Apostles Peter and Paul, taught that baptism is for the forgiveness of sins because baptism washes away the sin of man (Acts 2:38, 22:16; Hebrews 10:22; Ephesians 5:25-27; Romans 6:1-18; Titus 3:3-6). Sin is what keeps a person from God and until one is baptized, they are still in their sins. Imagine, Naaman in 2 Kings 5:14, he became clean after he dipped 7 times in the river Jordan and not before. Baptism works in the same manner; God gives His orders and when obeyed, one reaps the benefits of obedience (1 Corinthians 15:1-2; Heb. 5:9).

Think serious about these baptism facts. The action of baptism places one into the church (1 Cor. 12:12-14). The bottom line is, a person who hasn’t been baptized, isn’t in the church. And men must be in the church to be saved; because God places the saved inside the church and He doesn’t leave them outside of it (Acts 2:47).

By being baptized a person enters into a life with Christ, which means those who haven’t been baptized cannot share a life with Christ (Galatians 3:27). And if one has no life of Christ, then that person must have the life of Satan (1 John 2:3-6).

After your baptism you are saved, a new creature, ready to go to heaven. But this is just the beginning, here comes the most challenging part; hanging onto God till death (Revelation 2:10).
Do you think you can do that? Living for the Lord will not always be easy for at some point in life, one will have to bleed, sweat and suffer (1 Peter 4:12-19). But if you are up for the challenge; which I surely hope that you are. You will take up the yoke of Christ and get out there and represent Him (Matt. 11:28-30).

We want you to become a Christian. We want you to be saved. Do you want to be saved? Do you want to stand before God on Judgment Day with no fear? If so, obey the gospel and do so today. Contact us for we will glad to help you get started. Save yourself from this evil generation! (Acts 2:40-41).

~James Baker

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Mt. Airy church of Christ
7222 Germantown Avenue
Philadelphia PA 19119
Phone 215.248.2026

James Baker, Preacher
Website by Darin Kennedy
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