On Becoming A Christian

Ephesians 1:13–14 ESV

In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Introduction

If someone asks you, what does it mean to be a Christian and how to become one, how would you answer? That’s an important question because today, the understanding of being a Christian is so foreign from the Scriptures.

One can say I’m a Christian because I’m not a Buddhist, Muslim, therefore I’m a Christian. Or a Christian can be an umbrella term if you are a Catholic, Lutheran, Episcopalian, Baptist or whatever denomination - you are Christian. The problem with that it’s not what the Scripture says. You can attend a baptist church, or be a member or serve there and not be a Christian. A Christian is way beyond that.

Why is this important? Because becoming a Christian is the most important thing in the whole universe. More important than your marriage, house purchase, insurance, job promotion etc. So it’s the most important to ask, What is a Christian and how do I become?

If we are going to use our passage in Eph1 that we are studying then we will say common phrase repeated by the Apostle Paul “In him..” In Christ, in the Beloved, in fact that’s how our passage begins… “In him”.

And because we are IN HIM.. we are blessed with every spiritual blessings… [chosen, adopted, redeemed, included in his purpose, given inheritance, sealed by the Spirit] - all of these occurs and is possible IN HIM.

The question then is how does one become in Christ? There are three things that I want to look. A Christian is one who...

Listen to the Truth

Believes in Christ

Receives the Seal

[A Christian is one who...]

Learn to Listen to the Truth

Ephesians 1:13 (ESV)

In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation...

The first thing that has to happen is that the message of the truth which is the gospel of your salvation must be heard.

The word “hear” means to listen with the purpose of understanding. If you have read the gospel, the Lord Jesus speaks to those who listen to his parable or difficult saying with these words “He who has ears to hear, let him hear...”

Matthew 11:15 “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Mark 4:9 “And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.””

All of us have ears. But there’s a difference between having an ears and having “ears to hear”. In Jesus listeners, there are those who let the Word of God pass straight through their ears and those who truly listen and seek understanding. Some hears the Word, it peak their interest but it doesn’t really overcomes them. It remains superficial and shallow. Others hear the Word, they are open to understand it and accept it and it transforms them. It bears fruit (result) for everyone to see.

So the point is, it’s up to you to listen and seek understanding (take time to consider/investigate) that you might believe. So we must hear and listen to understand. But to understand what?

Paul says “the word of truth...” What does it mean? He proceed to clarify it as “the gospel of your salvation” Literally the good news of your salvation.

In other words, there’s a body of content, truth, that you need to know and understand and its called the gospel of your salvation. If you want to be saved, if you to be a Christian, if you want to adopted as sons or daughter of God - you got to listen and understand the gospel. This is the most important message in the whole universe.

Paul says in Romans 1:16–17 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes...”

The gospel is a body of truth that contains the power of God for someone to experience his salvation if one believes. That’s the reason God sends messengers & preachers to preach, teach and proclaim the Gospel. And in response we must have the ears to listen, to seek to understand, to know the body of content, the truth so that we understand God and his plan for salvation.

But the question is, what is this gospel?

Because there are many gospel ‘counterfeits’ out there. Jesus warns that many false witnesses will come and preach another gospel. So the call ‘to listen and understand’ is also a call for discernment. It’s a cry out to God to lead us to the truth and away from error. Without God’s mercy and grace we can fall into errors and there are many propagators out there of false gospel.

So let me clarify the gospel, by starting to state the negatives… The Gospel Is NOT

Physical healing is not the gospel. Someone’s physical healing is not the gospel. There are many people who confused the gospel with an experience of healing crusade. I know that many people in our country who cannot afford to pay medical bills are vulnerable on this and they went and they get prayed over, they have some sort of ecstatic experience and someone they think they are ‘saved’. But the gospel is not about physical deliverance but spiritual deliverance from hell. It’s a content - word, truth - that requires you to truly understand it.

Feeding the poor is not the gospel. Some calls this the social gospel. Of course we should help and feed the poor like the Salvation Army and other Christian non profit organization. But that is not the gospel, it’s the result of the gospel. Again the gospel is not an action, it’s a news, good news, a body of content that you need to understand. It’s not something you do. It’s something you need to receive. Feeding the poor can be a bridge to proclaim the gospel but it is not the gospel.

Religious morality is not the gospel. Becoming moral, good and trying to improve yourself is not the gospel. There are people who preach out there that you need to be good, you to turn a new leaf, “magbago” na ka. That’s not the gospel. The gospel is not you trying to change yourself. The gospel is a good news not good advice on how to do life better. Becoming a better person is result of the gospel but it is not the gospel.

Culture confrontation is not the gospel. There are people who are well meaning Christians who are actively engaging the hottest issues of the culture. Issues like SOGIE Bill, abortion, marriage and divorce. That’s not the gospel. We need to address some of these issue with the gospel lens perspective, but it’s not the gospel. The gospel is good news, not good advice on how to be moral. It is not a system of man made rules and rituals that you need to follow like the 5 Pillars of Islam or the five moral code of Buddhism.

Basically, ALL FALSE RELIGION OUT THERE - is man trying to approach God with their system of works righteousness, their human effort trying their best to reach God. But Christianity is GOD TRYING TO REACH MEN and he does that through the person of Jesus Christ 2000 years ago.

The work for our salvation is not something you do, it is already done because Jesus the Messiah has already work for it. It’s a GOOD NEWS.

1 Corinthians 15:1–8 “Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.” {Paul’s gospel - death, burial and resurrection}

The gospel is about the person and the work of Jesus Christ regarding his death, burial and resurrection. Why is that a good news? Because by his death, burial and resurrection he eventually conquered sin, death and Satan. He conquered sin by shedding his blood on the cross (that’s our redemption) so that sin’s condemnation and punishment are disarmed against us. He conquered death by rising from it showing us that death has no final say in God’s universe. Death is our greatest enemy, it’s the root of our fears and stress problem. But Jesus conquered death so we who believe in him is no longer in grip of the fear of death. And lastly, he conquered Satan, when Jesus rose from the dead and exalted at the right hand of God, he is disarmed and he has no longer hold on us. We are transferred from his kingdom of darkness into his marvelous light. That’s the good news that Jesus conquers and He is Lord over all.

If there’s a phrase that summarize the good news, it’s this - JESUS IS LORD. He reigns and He rules. It’s a good news because He is good Lord. Good Master. He is a SAVING LORD. HE IS A REDEEMING LORD. HE IS A FORGIVING LORD. HE IS COMPASSIONATE LORD. HE IS A GRACIOUS AND EVER MERCIFUL LORD.

That’s the gospel of your salvation, the word of truth that you need to understand. It’s a body of content. It’s declaration of the truth.

Transition: But hearing and understanding it is not enough… (Listening to someone proclaim the gospel is not enough, you must believe…)

[A Christian is someone who...]

Choose to Believe in Christ

Ephesians 1:13 (ESV)

In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,

It’s not enough to be presented by the contents or the facts of the gospel. One must make a choice to believe “in him” - In the Messiah.

What does it mean to believe (pisteuo)?

Faith is not just an intellectual nod in your head. Rather it’s a risk it all decision to put your whole life into something. One Bible dictionary says “It means a complete trust and reliance.”

This faith is generated not in a vacuum. But it’s a result of being exposed to the word of truth. Romans 10:17 “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”

So faith is not a leap in the dark, that you just believe blindly even though you don’t understand. Faith needs a hearing of the word, specifically the word of Christ. Real faith considers the person of Christ, the teaching of Christ and the work of Christ. It seeks to understand Christ who is the real object of saving faith.

Christianity is a reasoned faith. It has historical evidences to consider. It is open to investigation to anyone who wants understanding.

Faith is generated and is aided by the Spirit when one person is exposed by the word of truth.

“Saving faith is trust in Jesus Christ as a living person for forgiveness of sins and for eternal life with God. This definition emphasizes that saving faith is not just a belief in facts but personal trust in Christ, not just belief in facts about Christ. Because saving faith in Scripture involves this personal trust, the word “trust” is a better word than the word “faith” or “belief”. The reason is that we can “believe” something to be true with no personal commitment or dependence involved in it.” (Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology)

“Dili pwede ‘sabay’ ‘sabay’ - do you trust him personally for your life? For your salvation? Do you trust his mercy to you? Do you look to him and him alone? Is there a time in your life do you cry, “Lord save me, a wretched man/woman that I am?”

Swindoll on Faith “This word denotes confidence in the reliability of a person or thing and can describe one’s trust in a person’s word, a compact or treaty, or a deity (or deities). The term implies both knowledge and action. One may receive knowledge of a certain truth and may even offer verbal agreement, but “trust” or “confidence” is not said to be present until one’s behavior reflects that truth." (Swindoll, Insights on Luke)

Illus: You walk up to a bridge in the woods and you consider whether or not it will hold you up. You investigate the piers anchored to the ground. You look underneath it to see if you notice any damage. Finally, you are convinced the bridge will hold you up. But saving faith isn’t just looking at the bridge and believing it will hold you up. Saving faith is crossing the bridge. The bridge is Christ. He alone is the object of saving faith. You must not merely study Christ and have a sound theology of who He is and what He has done. You must put all your trust in Him.

Someone says “Christ die for our sins. Believers die to sin. Non-Christian die in sins” If you haven’t put your faith in Jesus, you will die in your sins. Why would you, when he calls you to trust in Him? Stop looking to yourself to save you? Stop saying “ok raman ko...” sincere man ko… religious man ko… buotan man ko… naka disciple naman ko 12.. stop looking at yourself and start at the Savior’s face. Gaze on him, consider him until faith warms your heart and declare “I trust him...”

Hymn - Nothing in my hands I bring, Simply to Thy cross I cling;

[A Christian is one who...]

Received the Seal of the Spirit

Ephesians 1:13–14 (ESV)

In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

So here’s what we understand about becoming a Christian. One must seek to understand the truth - the gospel. Then put our whole trust (ALONE) in the Messiah Jesus. When we do that, what happens immediately is that we are sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.

In the Scripture and in ancient times, there are two basic ideas that the word “seal” signifies.

Ownership - In Paul’s day, merchants would travel to Ephesus to choose their goods, and then have the goods boxed in crates. Then they would melt some wax on the crate and the push their signet ring into the wax as a way of identifying this crate as belonging to them. Then the crates would be shipped from the port at Ephesus to Puteoli, the port of Rome. There the merchant’s servants would identify their master’s shipments by the wax seal. It’s a little like our luggage tags we use to identify our luggage as it arrives at the airport luggage claim area… (the presence of the Spirit in the believers heart signifies that you are owned by God - you are God’s precious possession)

[Heidelberg Catechism] Q. What is your only comfort in life and in death?

A. That I am not my own, but belong—body and soul, in life and in death—to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ.

He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil. He also watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in heaven; in fact, all things must work together for my salvation.

Because I belong to him, Christ, by his Holy Spirit, assures me of eternal life and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him.

b. Authenticity - A signature or a wax seal on a letter indicates that the letter is genuinely from the sender. It authenticates genuineness, not fake, not counterfeit.

Romans 8:9 “You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.”

The presence of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life shows that person is a genuine and authentic believer of Christ.

The Holy Spirit is described as “promised” because this is part of the blessing of the new covenant as prophesied by Ezekiel. Ezekiel 36:27 “And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.”

Why is this important? Because the HS is the “guarantee” (pledge) KJV (earnest) - deposit/down payment of our inheritance.

Last time, we learn that our inheritance is the fullness of God’s salvation in the future. Yes we are already saved, but we are still being saved and then we will be saved fully in the future. Theologians call this the three tenses of our salvation.

Justification - we are saved from the penalty of sin.

Sanctification - we are being saved from the power of sin.

Glorification - we will be saved from the presence of sin.

But the guarantee that you will experience the fullness of God’s salvation which is “glorification” of being in His presence in his kingdom in the new heavens and the new earth is the presence of the HS in your life. The presence of the HS is the preview of the future. It guarantees and gives you security that He will complete what He has started in you. It guarantees our inheritance unto the redemption of God’s possession [hope of the future].

[APPLICATION] The presence of the Spirit guarantees that we continue and persevere to believe (until the end). (The perseverance of the saints) One time I share the gospel with a guy and we come to the point of making a decision to trust Christ, he says to me, I don’t want to make that decision, I asked why? I’m not sure if I can sustain that commitment to trust and continue to trust. Sadly at that point, he never make that decision.

A real believer holds on to Christ. But it’s not our holding on to Christ that sustain us, it’s his holding on to us. God holds you and sustains you to make sure that you will make it until the end.

ILLUS: The Christian life is a “zig zag” not a curve bell diagram. But despite the setbacks and the ‘drops’ - a believer will continue to believe and follow Jesus.

Philippians 1:6 (ESV)

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

Proverbs 24:16 (ESV)

for the righteous falls seven times and rises again...

This faithfulness of God is the foundation and cornerstone of our hope of final perseverance. The saints shall persevere in holiness because God perseveres in grace. He perseveres to bless, and there believers persevere in being blessed. He continues to keep His people, and there they continue to keep His commandments. All Of Grace, Page 122

Charles Spurgeon

How do you know that one is sealed by the Spirit? That one is a genuine believer in Christ? That person continues to believe and trust in Christ until his last breath. That person seeks to continue to grow in obedience and holiness for the Lord. He may stumble, get discouraged, or down sometimes, but he will get up for the sustaining grace of God through the Spirit is upon Him.

My beloved, it’s not enough to believe one time in the past, do you continue to believe now? You persevere in faith, repentance, holiness and service for Christ and his kingdom.

So if you find yourselves ‘continuing’ to follow Jesus Christ, that’s the clear evidence of the work of God in your life. There is really salvation in your hearts. You are indeed sealed by the Holy Spirit. Professing believers come and go but you remain in Jesus Christ.

Praise God - it’s not you that holds on to God, it’s God that holds on to you. Realize the seal.

Paul ends with refrain that he always repeats “to the praise of His glory” - that’s should be our chorus, that should be our default posture.

Application: “Let’s Praise God”

Praise God, that when someone preaches the Gospel to you, the Lord is so merciful to you to give you the heart to receive his revelation, his truth. “Ang daming tao...”

Praise God for His grace for sending people to proclaim the Good News faithfully, so that you and I can understand the Good News respond in faith and be born again through His Spirit.

Praise God for enabling faith to awaken in our hearts. On my own I have a heart of stone, I hate God, I don't’ want God. But because his mercy I now see Christ and his sufficient work of salvation.

Praise God for the presence of the Spirit in your life. What glorious and humbling reality, He is willing to dwell within my heart and my body even though it’s still broken and sometimes there’s remaining sin there. It counteract the notion that “I need to be clean before I come to God, come to God, he does the cleansing...”

Your body is the temple of God - worship him with that body! (Temple - avenue of praise, sacrifice, worship - day and night - incense arise!)

Invitation

Perhaps you are here and you realized that you are not a Christian at all. You have not personally trust your life in Him. Today is the day of salvation for you my friend, If you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts. Respond to him. [Lot’s questions? Doubts? We will help you along the way...]