ARE YOU A
BIBLICAL
CHRISTIAN
???
WHAT IS A BIBLICAL CHRISTIAN ?
One of the Most Important Questions that many people need to answer for themselves in this life is that of "What IS a Biblical Christian ?" . Instead of answering that question, though, many people are more focussed on What Denomination they belong to or that their parents belonged to and etcetera. The Problem with this, however, is that Many Denominations are No Longer Truly Biblical in their Belief Systems !!!
Jesus said : " Not Every One that Saith Unto Me, Lord, Lord, Shall Enter Into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he that Doeth the Will of My Father which is In Heaven." Matthew 7:21
Jesus said : " But the Hour Cometh, and Now Is, when True Worshippers Shall Worship the Father In Spirit and In Truth : for the Father Seeketh Such to Worship Him. God is a Spirit : and They that Worship Him MUST Worship Him In Spirit and In Truth." John 4:23-24
Jesus said : " Sanctify them Through Thy Truth : Thy WORD IS TRUTH." John 17:17
Jesus said : " Ye Hypocrites, Well Did Esaias Prophecy of You, Saying, This People Draweth Nigh Unto Me with their Mouth, and Honoureth Me with their Lips; but their Heart is Far From Me. But IN VAIN THEY DO WORSHIP ME, Teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of Men." Matthew 15:7-9
Jesus said : " ... Full Well YE REJECT THE COMMANDMENT OF GOD, THAT YE MAY KEEP YOUR OWN TRADITION ." Mark 7:9
THE SIMPLE TRUTH
The Simple Truth Is that Not Every Person who Professes to be a Christian and Not Every Denomination and Church which Professes to be Christian is WORSHIPPING GOD IN SPIRIT & TRUTH , because Many Have Embraced the Commandments & Traditions of Men ABOVE THE DOCTRINES OF THE WORD OF GOD .
THE BASIS FOR GOD'S APPROVAL
The Basis for God's Approval According to the Bible is Given Very Clearly in II Timothy 2:15. The Scripture says: " Study to Show Thyself APPROVED UNTO GOD , a Workman that Needeth Not to Be Ashamed, RIGHTLY DIVIDING THE WORD OF TRUTH ."
IF WE BELIEVE THE BIBLE
If We Believe the Bible, We Must Accept it's Own Definition of What the Basis for Divine Approval Is ! We Have No Right to Re-define the Basis of God's Approval in a Manner which is Inconsistent with His Word of Truth. The Apostle Paul stated in Romans 3:4 : " ... Let God be True, but Every Man a Liar." Further, If Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth is the Basis for Divine Approval, then, the Majority of Ministers, Churches, & Denominations DO NOT QUALIFY for God's Approval , because they have Made the Word of God Void by their Traditions. IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME, THAT'S FINE, BUT CHECK IT OUT FOR YOURSELF. FIND OUT WHAT THE BIBLE DOES SAY. FIND OUT WHAT THE OFFICIAL TEACHINGS OF YOUR CHURCH ARE AND SEE IF THEY ARE TRULY "RIGHTLY DIVIDING THE WORD OF TRUTH."
SO WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ?
Let's Take a Look at Some of the Important Areas that are Discussed in the Bible and Find Out Just What God DOES Say.
THE BIBLE BASIS OF SALVATION
The Importance of this Issue Can NOT be Overemphasized. It Really Doesn't Matter What Any Man, Church, or Denomination Teaches !!! It Only Matters What the Word of God Says.
Jesus said : " He that Rejecteth Me, and Receiveth Not My Words, Hath One that Judgeth Him : the Word that I Have Spoken, the Same Shall Judge Him in the Last Day. For I Have Not Spoken of Myself ; but the Father which Sent Me, HE GAVE ME A COMMANDMENT, WHAT I SHOULD SAY, AND WHAT I SHOULD SPEAK ." John 12:48-49
THE BIBLE SAYS:
"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."
Ephesians 2:8-9
But, WHAT KIND OF FAITH IS IT that SAVES a Human Soul ?
The Kind of Faith that God is talking about in Ephesians 2:8-9 is Defined in the Bible by Comparing the various verses of Scripture which speak about that topic.
James 2:14-26 Teaches that:
A man may Profess to be Saved who is Not saved at all. God teaches us that there are Three Kinds of Faith: Dead faith, Demonic faith, and Saving Faith. He says that Dead faith is the kind of faith that people have who Profess to Believe in the Salvation of God, but they Do Not Demonstrate their faith to be Genuine by the Appropriate Works. Demonic faith is in it's essence a faith that is moved to fear & trembling at the thought of God's Judgment but Lacks the Element of Repentance (which we will discuss later on), and, therefore, it Will Not Bow it's Heart in Submission to God. Saving faith is a faith that Demonstrates itself by the Appropriate Works of Obedience & Surrender or Submission to God.
Galatians 5:6 Teaches that:
The Kind of Faith that Avails with (or is accepted by) God is a Faith which works by Love. Love is the Motivation. The Works of a person with Saving Faith are the Fruit of that person's faith. They are the Natural Outgrowth of the Kind of Faith that Saves a Soul.
I John 4:19 Teaches that:
Our Love for God is the Fruit of His Love for Us. He is the Initiator; we are the Responders. Faith in God's Love Gift of His Son to be the Sacrifice for Our Sins is what Causes Us to Love Him in Return. That Love is the Fountain of All the Good Works that we may Do For Him.
NOTICE
We Do NOT Work IN ORDER TO BE ACCEPTED INTO HEAVEN & FORGIVEN for Our Sins. RATHER, We Serve the Will of God BECAUSE we LOVE HIM. We Love Him because He Loved Us & Died to Purchase Our Forgiveness On the Cross. The Importance of this Distinction Can NOT be Overemphasized !!! The Reason I say this is Because Most Churches Teach that FAITH + WORKS = SALVATION , which isn't True. JESUS Finished the Work Necessary for Our Salvation.
Romans 10:9-10 Teaches that:
Salvation is the Product of a Heart Faith in the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ whereby God Declares the Believing Sinner to be Righteous in His Sight.
Romans 6:17 Teaches that:
This Heart Faith that Saves a Soul is a Heart Obedience to the Doctrine of Salvation. This Obedience from the Heart Changes a person's Relationship to Sin in such a way so that he no longer Serves Sin as a Slave but instead Serves as a Willing Slave to Righteousness. *** That is what Repentance is all about !!! ***
THE DOCTRINE OF SALVATION
Is it Possible to be 100% SURE that we'll Go to Heaven when we Die ?
John the Apostle wrote in I John 5:11-13 : " And This is the Record, that God hath Given to Us Eternal Life, and This Life is IN His Son. He that Hath the Son Hath Life ; and he that Hath Not the Son of God Hath Not Life. These Things Have I Written Unto You that Believe On the Name of the Son of God THAT YE MAY KNOW THAT YE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE , and that Ye May Believe On the Name of the Son of God. "
FOUR THINGS WE MUST KNOW IN ORDER TO BE SAVED:
1. God Declares that All are Sinners Going Astray.
Romans 3:10 & 23 c/f Isaiah 53:6
2. There is a Penalty for Sin which is Death ( Physical & Spiritual ) . *** Ultimately it is Separation from God in the Lake of Fire. Romans 6:23 ; Revelation 20:14-15 ; Isaiah 59:1-2 3. Jesus Christ Died to Pay the Penalty for Our Sins as a Sacrifice for Us.
Romans 6:23; Romans 5:8; I Peter 3:18; I Peter 2:24-25; Hebrews 10:10-14
3. Jesus Christ Died to Pay the Penalty for Our Sins as a Sacrifice for Us.
Romans 6:23; Romans 5:8; I Peter 3:18; I Peter 2:24-25; Hebrews 10:10-14
4. Man Must Repent of his Rebellion Toward God & His Ways, & he Must Receive Jesus Christ as his Savior (as his Only Hope of Heaven) by Faith in the Gospel Message.
Mark 1:15 ; I Peter 2:24-25 ; I Corinthians 15:1-4 ; Romans 6:23 ; John 1:11-12 ;
John 14:6 ; Acts 4:12 ; Acts 20:21 ; Acts 26:20 ; John 10:27-30 ; Romans 10:9-13
THE RELATIONSHIP OF REPENTANCE & FAITH IN SALVATION:
The Relationship of Repentance & Faith in the Salvation of a Human Soul is both Simple and Complex. The Simplicity of their Relationship is that they are Both Necessary for Salvation to be Received and that they are Both Gifts of God which are the Result of the Ministry of THE TRUTH, the Word of God, in an individual's life. The Complexity of their Relationship is that it is Not Always Easy to Distinguish them Apart from Each Other.
Mark 1:15 ; Acts 20:21 ; Ephesians 2:8 ; II Timothy 2:24-26 ; Isaiah 55:1-9
REPENTANCE DEFINED:
Repentance may be Defined as the Changing of a Man's Mind by the Working of God whereby he Acknowledges the Truth and is Enabled thereby to Recover himself from Satan's Trap and Follow After the Shepherd & Bishop of his Soul, the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a Fundamental Change in his Thinking Process whereby he Acknowledges that his Own Way Leads to Death & Destruction but that God's Way Leads to Life & that More Abundant & Chooses GOD'S Way OVER His Own.
Isaiah 55:1-9 ; Isaiah 53:6 ; I Peter 2:24-25 ; Proverbs 16:25 ; John 10:10, & John 10:27-30 ; II Timothy 2:24-26 ; Ezekiel 14:1-8 & 18:30-32
THE FRUITS OF REPENTANCE:
God's Word Clearly Teaches that True Repentance Will Produce Fruit and that God Expects this Fruit in the Believer's Life. A Life that Does Not Produce this Fruit is One which is Inconsistent with the Biblical Pattern or what we may Describe as the Normal Christian Life.
Acts 26:20 ; Matthew 21:28-29 ; Matthew 3:1-10 ; Luke 13:1-9
THE BOTTOM LINE ON REPENTANCE
The Bottom Line on Repentance is that If a Man has a Change of Mind About the Direction he Has Been Going in Life, then his Future Conduct will Reflect that Change with Appropriately Different Actions.
IF A MAN HAS CHANGED HIS MIND ABOUT HIS REBELLION TOWARD GOD'S WILL
If he has Changed his Mind About Living a Life of Rebellion Against the Will of God, he Will Begin a New Life of Surrender & Submission to the Will of God. If he Won't Obey Jesus Christ, he is Just Talking !!!
Luke 6:46 ; John 10:27 ; I Peter 2:25
IF A MAN LOVES JESUS
If a Man Loves Jesus ( because Jesus First Loved Him ), He Will Be Motivated to Work For the Lord because of that Love. If a Man is Not Motivated to Serve the Lord, he is Just Talking. I John 4:19 ; John 14:15 ; & Galatians 5:6
SO THE QUESTION ARISES :
*** WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH JESUS ***
???
WILL YOU TRUST HIM AS SAVIOR & OBEY HIM AS LORD, OR WILL YOU SAY NO TO HIM ???
Jesus said : " Search the Scriptures ; for In Them Ye Think Ye Have Eternal Life ; and They are They which Testify of Me." John 5:39
BE LIKE THE BEREANS
The Bereans are Described in Acts17:10-12 as Being Noble because they " Received the Word with All Readiness of Mind, and SEARCHED THE SCRIPTURES DAILY, WHETHER THESE THINGS WERE SO. Therefore Many of them Believed."
ARE YOU READY & OPEN TO RECEIVE THE WORD
???
WILL YOU LET THE SCRIPTURES BE YOUR FINAL AUTHORITY
???
REPENT TODAY, TRUST CHRIST, & CHOOSE TO SERVE HIM.
If You Mean it, Pray this Prayer :
Dear God, I Confess I'm a Sinner, and I Deserve to Go to Hell. But the Bible Says that Jesus Died to Wash Away my Sins in His Blood and Give me Forgiveness & Salvation. I Want to Be Saved God, & I Believe that Jesus Died for Me & Rose Again from the Grave. I ask for Your Forgiveness God because Jesus Paid for My Sins, and I Open my Heart to Ask Jesus to Come Into my Life & be My Savior. I Repent of Going My Way God, and I Surrender my Life to Live For You. Save Me Today God. In Jesus' Name I Pray , AMEN .
IF YOU HAVE RECEIVED CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR
If these things we have Shared with You have Helped You to Understand the Gospel of Jesus Christ More Clearly than Before, and You Have Chosen to Repent of Going Your Own Way & Trust Christ as Savior in Accordance with the Bible Plan for the First Time in Your Life, Let Us Know, so We Can Rejoice with You & with the Lord !!!
WE ARE COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH YOU
We are Committed to Working with You and Helping You to Grow in Your New-found Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and Your Walk with Him. Jesus has some Very Specific Things that He Wants His Followers to Do with their Lives, and We are Committed to Helping You Along those Lines.
THERE WILL BE STRUGGLES
You Will have Struggles in Your New Life, but Jesus Will be With You, and So Will We. One of the Reasons that Jesus Set Up His Church was to Provide Us with a Support Group. In Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 God Says : "Two are Better than One : because they have a Good Reward for their Labour. For if they Fall, the One will Lift Up his Fellow : but Woe to him that is Alone when he Falleth : for he hath Not Another to Help him Up. Again, if Two Lie Together, then they have Heat : but How Can One Be Warm Alone ? And if One Prevail Against him, Two Shall Withstand him ; and a Threefold Cord is Not Quickly Broken."
NEW LIFE BAPTIST CHURCH
Just Past Super S in Yorktown
Take 2980 North for 2.6 Miles, & Look Right.
Dr. Gary D. Hall - Pastor / Phone : (361) 564-3845
SCHEDULE OF SERVICES
Sunday Morning Worship -- 10:30AM
Sunday Evening -- 7:00PM
Wednesday Evening -- 7:00PM
Come & Let Us Worship the Lord Together According to His Word.