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| Finding faith - what it means to be a Christian... |
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| When God created the world, he gave the first man and woman a home in Eden. God had a closer relationship with Adam and Eve than with anything else in creation, but when they disobeyed the rules, God banished them from Eden. By rebelling aginst God, they would lose their right to eternal life, and would die. Despite this, God did not abandon his people, but spoke to them through Abraham and Moses and other prophets. Over the centuries, people started to lose touch with God. When Jesus turned up, a young man in his 20s, and started proclaiming a new way of living, he attracted a lot of interest - and a lot of enemies |
| He picked a team of 12 men and travelled with them for 3 years. He taught that 'sin' was rebellion against God, when people ignored His purpose for their lives, and surrendered to the power of evil. He taught them about God's purpose for all our lives, and explained that he was going to pay the ultimate price for all our sin through his own death - but would prove God's power by rising to new life 3 days later.. In the future, everyone who accepted this new way, and came into a personal relationship with God would never die, but would have eternal life in heaven. |
| Just as he had taught, after being captured and killed by his enemies, Jesus of Nazareth rose again three days later. Compelled by his teaching, his 12 disciples started to travel, telling everyone about Jesus' "New Way". |
| To be a Christian means to be committed to Christ and to believe and follow his teachings. A Christian is one whose daily life and behaviour are like Christ. |