Are You A Christian
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Are You A Christian?
Are You A Christian?
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Wait: is not that important?
John 3.
Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Introduction -
Are you a Christian ?
Are you a Christian ?
Some say yes - But cant definitively say why
Some say I think so
Some say No.
Some say yes and without arrogance or pride explain what God has done for them and why they are a Christian
Last week we went on to prove that the Bible is God’s Word
Today we are going to show how you can know you are a Christian and have assurance of salvation.
Why would anyone go through life knowing for sure if they are saved?
Are you an American - explain
Are you an Engineer
Are you a pastor
Definition - A Christian is someone that has followed the Bible instruction to have their sins forgiven,the Holy Spirit and taken up residence in their lives and they have a changed life to prove it. They will ultimately reside in heaven after they die a physical death.
I What the Bible Does Not say about Salvation
I What the Bible Does Not say about Salvation
I am a Christian because I go to church and was baptized.
There is no verse in the Bible OT or NT that requires church attendance or baptism to be saved
And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
I do more good works than bad. I do my part and God does His part.
John
But we are all as an unclean thing,
And all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags;
And we all do fade as a leaf;
And our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
col 2.20
Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, (Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?
The Bible never states or remotely suggest that you can receive forgiveness of sins by church attendance, good works or baptism it’s not there!
Churches and affiliated groups that teach this have gone outside the Bible to create this way of salvation.
II What Does the Bibel Say About Salvation
II What Does the Bibel Say About Salvation
We all Have a Sin Problem
We all Have a Sin Problem
And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
We all Have a sin problem
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
I We all Have a sin problem
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
There is a payment required for our sin.
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
How can I be saved? Why do I need to be saved? We are all infected with sin (). We are born with sin (), and we all personally choose to sin (; ).
Sin condemns us to an eternal punishment
Sin is what makes us unsaved. Sin is what separates us from God.
Sin is what has us on the path to eternal destruction and hell.
Because of that, the just penalty for our sin is also eternal and infinite. What we need to be saved from is eternal destruction (; ).
Because of that, the just penalty for our sin is also eternal and infinite. What we need to be saved from is eternal destruction (; ).
And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
God has prepared a way for forgiveness
God has prepared a way for forgiveness
God took on human flesh, lived among us, and taught us.
When the people rejected Him and His message, and sought to kill Him, He willingly sacrificed Himself for us, allowing Himself to be crucified ().
Because Jesus Christ was human, He could die; and because Jesus Christ was God, His death had an eternal and infinite value. Jesus’ death on the cross was the perfect and complete payment for our sin (). He took the consequences we deserved. Jesus’ resurrection from the dead demonstrated that His death was indeed the perfectly sufficient sacrifice for sin.
Have you, in faith, received Jesus Christ as your Savior because of what you have read here? If so, please let us know by clicking on the "I have accepted Christ today" button below.
God has prepared a way for forgiveness
God has prepared a way for forgiveness
In the OT God would pardon the sins of the people on the day of atonement when the High Priest would go into the holy of holies to sprinkle blood from a sacrifice to atone of forgive sins. This was a shadow of things to come.
And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel.
And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
Just Christ came as the perfect sacrifice the God Man to pay the price for our sins.
But he was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities:
The chastisement of our peace was upon him;
And with his stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
We have turned every one to his own way;
And the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
How can I be saved? What do I need to do? “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (). God has already done all of the work.
I am the Lord, and there is none else,
There is no God beside me:
I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:
That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west,
That there is none beside me.
I am the Lord, and there is none else.
And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.
luke 23 .43-46
isaiah 45.5
Isaiah
How can I be saved? What do I need to do? “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (). God has already done all of the work.
And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
All you must do is receive, in faith, the salvation God offers ().
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.
Eph 2.
Lets Stop here Salvation is not a formula , reciting verses or following some plan!
Believe
And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
acts
How can I be saved? Saved from what?
Because of our sin, we all deserve death (). While the physical consequence of sin is physical death, that is not the only kind of death that results from sin. All sin is ultimately committed against an eternal and infinite God ().
lev 17.17
It’s a Work of God
It’s a Work of God
But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?
That is why salvation rests in God alone by grace through faith ().
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.
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.
It’s is the Holy Spirit who convicts the sinner of sin
And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me;
john
The Way of Salvation is the New Birth
The Way of Salvation is the New Birth
There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
john 3.15-16
John
Do you agree with God you are a sinner?
ohn 3.15-16
Do you believe what it says in his word
Are you convicted
That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Call on Him
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Romans 1
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Imagine being convicted of a crime you deeply regretted – intentional or unintentional – and being offered a pardon to absolve you of any penalty. Would you accept it? Let me tell you about a man who did not.
In 1829 two men, George Wilson and James Porter, robbed a United States mail carrier. Both were subsequently captured and tried in a court of law. In May 1830 both men were found guilty of six charges, including robbery of the mail “and putting the life of the driver in jeopardy.” Both Wilson and Porter received their sentences: Execution by hanging, to be carried out on July 2.
George Wilson committed a crime, was tried and found guilty. He was sentenced for execution, but a presidential decree granted him a full pardon. When he chose to refuse that pardon, he chose to die. Reading this amazing story, we might wonder, “How could anyone refuse a pardon for the death sentence? The man was a fool!” But what if you also are refusing a pardon, one enabling you to spend eternity in the presence of God rather than eternal separation from Him in a place the Bible calls hell?
George Wilson committed a crime, was tried and found guilty. He was sentenced for execution, but a presidential decree granted him a full pardon. When he chose to refuse that pardon, he chose to die. Reading this amazing story, we might wonder, “How could anyone refuse a pardon for the death sentence? The man was a fool!” But what if you also are refusing a pardon, one enabling you to spend eternity in the presence of God rather than eternal separation from Him in a place the Bible calls hell?
My Testimony
My Testimony
1) Hearing God’s word
1) Hearing God’s word
Hearing God’s word
Hearing God’s word
He that is of God heareth God’s words… ()
We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us… ()
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: ()
A story is told of a young lady who began reading a novel. After a chapter or two she decided the book was rather boring so placed it on a shelf and in a short time forgot about it. Sometime later, she began an acquaintance with a young man. As their relationship developed and deepened, she learned he was an author. One of the names of his books sounded familiar. During an evening at home she searched her bookshelf and discovered the book she had discarded some months before had been written by her new friend. She immediately sat down and now read the entire book, unable to stop until she had finished it.
What made the difference in this young lady’s attitude towards the same book? Obviously, she was now fascinated by the book because she had an affection for the author. There is a parallel between this story and the experience of a child of God.
A new outlook or perspective on life
A new outlook or perspective on life
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. ()
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. ()
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. ()
When a person becomes a child of God his horizon is changed. He now has an eternal destiny. Life therefore takes on new meaning. He is no longer bound by the cares of this life. It is not that the Christian no longer experiences pain, fears and heartaches, but rather that now he knows it is only for a short time. He now knows he has One who cares for him, and that One is Almighty and able to rescue him according to His will. The Christian now lives for his eternal hope rather than just obtaining all he can here.
The chastening of God
The chastening of God
For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? ()
Although no child likes to be chastened, it is an evidence of both love and parenthood. As much as the child next door may aggravate us with his disobedience, we do not chasten him. He is not our child. The same holds true with children of God.
Obeys His commandments
y One way
y One way
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
John 3.36
Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk?
John
III The way of Salvation is through a Person
We are to repent of our sins and believe in Christ forgiving grace.
And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.
IV We can Know we are Christians
MARKS OF A BELIEVER