Our Beliefs

Becoming a Christian?

What is a Christian?
Why should I become a Christian?
How do I become a Christian?
Why baptism?
What then?


What is a Christian?

In its simplest terms, a Christian is a follower of Jesus Christ, the son of the living God. So how do we demonstrate that we are His followers?

Christians…

  • accept Christ as being one with the Father (John 10:30)
  • understand that salvation and eternal life are gifts from God and are ours through Christ, not through a way of our own choosing (Proverbs 16:25, Romans 6:23)
  • accept that we have sinned, but know that His sacrifice provides for the forgiveness of those sins (Ephesians 1:7)
  • know Him as our shepherd, and are known by Him as His sheep (John 10:14)
  • place dedication to the principles of Christ above our own desires. (Matthew 16:24)
  • give Him more than just lip service (Matthew 7:21)
  • love one another as He has loved us (John 13:34)

Why become a Christian?

  • Christ died for us, even though we were sinners (Romans 5:8)
  • Christ alone is the way to God, the Father (John 14:6)
  • Christ is the one true mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5)
  • God has sent Christ to be our savior (1 John 4:14)
  • There is eternal life in Christ (Romans 6:23)

How do I become a Christian?

Why baptism?

What is baptism?

  • A rite that was ordered for believers. (Acts 10:48)
  • An act done in the name of Jesus. (Acts 8:36-38; Acts 10:48)
  • Described in the scriptures as a burial. (Romans 6:3,4)
  • Defined by Bible dictionaries as “plunging, dipping, immersing, submerging.”
  • An action that always involved going to a place where there was enough water, not bringing a small amount of water to the candidate; archeology shows early baptisteries as pools of water.

Who is to be baptized?

Why should I be baptized?


What then? After I become a Christian, what?

Upon your baptism, you are added to Christ’s church — the total of all people who have obeyed Him (Acts 2:37-47). Christ and His church are inseparable. He gave Himself for the church (Acts 20:28) and is the head and Savior of His church (Ephesians 1:22-23; Colossians 1:18). Christ is Lord of everything, including daily work responsibilities and relationships (Ephesians 5:21-6:9).

The church, the body of believers, shares the Lord’s supper (communion) as a memorial to Christ’s death on the first day of each week (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 11:17-32), sings hymns of praise (Ephesians 5:18-20), prays (Acts 2:42; 1 Thessalonians 5:17), receives God’s word in teaching (Acts 2:42), and encourages each other (1 Thessalonians 5:11).

Christ’s followers show the presence of Christ in their lives by both their words and their deeds (Colossians 3:17).


 


Verses Cited
John 10:29,30
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.
Proverbs 16:25 There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.
John 10:14 I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me.
Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”
Matthew 7:21 Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
John 13:34 A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so must you love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
John 14:6 I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.
I John 4:14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 1:16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.
Acts 3:19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.
Acts 17:30 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.
Romans 10:9 That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Mark 16:16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
Acts 22:16 And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.
Romans 6:3-4 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
Acts 10:48 So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.
Acts 8:36-38 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. Why shouldn’t I be baptized?” Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” The eunuch answered, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him.
Romans 6:3-4 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
Mark 16:15,16 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whosoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whosoever does not believe will be condemned.”
Acts 18:8 Crispus, the synagogue ruler, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard him believed and were baptized.
Acts 2:41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
Acts 2:38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Matthew 28:19-20 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.
Acts 22:16 And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.
Galatians 3:27 … for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
1 Corinthians 12:13 For we were all baptized by one spirit into one body – whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free – and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
Acts 2:37-47 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off–for all whom the Lord our God will call.” With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Acts 20:28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.
Ephesians 1:22-23 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
Colossians 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.
Ephesians 5:21-6:9 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church–for we are members of his body. “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery–but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother”–which is the first commandment with a promise–“that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free. And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.
Acts 20:7 On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight.
I Corinthians 11:17-32 In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval. When you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, for as you eat, each of you goes ahead without waiting for anybody else. One remains hungry, another gets drunk. Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you for this? Certainly not! For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen sleep. But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment. When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world.
Ephesians 5:18-20 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Acts 2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
I Thessalonians 5:17 Pray continually.
I Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.