November 8, 2009
Sermon #809
How Does One Become a Christian?
Introduction: There are all kinds of theology and theory as to how, or what, it takes to be a Christian. Actually, the only way one can really know is by following the Scriptures. That’s what I want to do, follow the Scriptures so that you can be sure that you are “in Christ.”
Recognize the need.
Romans 3:21 - 26 (NKJV) 21But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
You are not a Christian because you were born in America
Matthew 3:7 - 12 (NKJV) 7But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, 9and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 10And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 11I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
ILL: A person is not a “Jew” because they were born of Hebrew parents. Jew comes from Judah…
Genesis 29:35 (NKJV) 35And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now I will praise the Lord.”
Therefore she called his name Judah. Then she stopped bearing. This was the last son of Leah and Abraham. Judah, or “Jew” is a religious term which means “Praise”
ILL: Christian is a religious term not a ethic or social term.
You are not a Christian because you were baptized
1 Corinthians 1:10 - 17 (NKJV) 10Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 11For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you. 12Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.” 13Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name. 16Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas. Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other. 17For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.
You are not a Christian because you belong to the “right” church
The Roman Church was the first organized Church. They are Roman Catholic because they believe that they are the universal “Catholic” church with the authority of the Pope. The Roman Catholic Church is a Christian Church because they believe that Jesus is an incarnated Deity, but all Catholics are not Christians!
Martin Luther started the Protestant Reformation but did not form the Lutheran Church. The Lutheran Church is Christian because they believe that Jesus is the incarnated Deity and Savior, but not all Lutherans are Christians.
John Wesley started the Methodist Church. The Methodist Church is a Christian Church because they believe that Jesus Christ is the incarnated Deity who paid the price for their sins on the cross. They also believe that the method is through personal and small group evangelism, but not all Methodists are Christians.
John Knox started the Presbyterian Church. The Presbyterian Church is a Christian Church because they believe that Jesus Christ is the incarnated Deity. They believe the authority of the Church is not in a Pope or a government but in a called Presbytery. However, all Presbyterians are not Christians.
The Baptist Church is a Christian Church. It was not started by John the Baptist, but in Providence Rhode Island. They believe Jesus Christ is the incarnated Deity, that baptism is reserved for those who are already Christians, however, all Baptists are not!
Pentecostals believe in that Jesus Christ is the incarnated Diety, in Salvation through the cross, and a second experience called “The Baptism in the Holy Spirit.” The Pentecostals are a Christian Church, but not all Pentecostals are Christians.
ILL: I know that this is confusing. And that I probably have not mentioned your church or denomination. According to the latest statistics, there are 33,830 Christian denominations.
The Cathedral of His Glory is a Christian Church, we believe that Jesus Christ is the incarnated Deity, and we would be classified as a Pentecostal Church. We may even be classified as a denomination because we have started churches in America, Central and South America. However, all members of the Cathedral of His Glory are not Christians. I wish they were!
Matthew 13:24 - 30 (NKJV) 24Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; 25but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. 26But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. 27So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ 28He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ 29But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. 30Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”
What need?
Romans 3:22 - 23 (NKJV) 22even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…
ILL: “All have sinned.” I was 28 years old, had been baptized when I was 8 years old, attended church, thought I was a “good person,” but was not a Christian. Why? Because I did not know I had the need.
John 3:1 - 18 (NKJV) 1There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” 3Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
5Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
9Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?” 10Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? 11Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. 12If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. 14And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.
16For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Receive Jesus Christ as your personal Savior
Romans 10:5 - 13 (NKJV) 5For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, “The man who does those things shall live by them.” 6But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down from above) 7or, “‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” 12For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
It’s a “heart” and a “head” thing.
How can dirty water make something clean? If “all have sinned,” and
Isaiah 64:6 (NKJV) 6But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags. How can I take a “filthy rag” and clean my soul?
Jesus was without sin.
Hebrews 4:14 - 16 (NKJV) 14Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
See it with your heart
Jesus the perfect sacrifice goes to the cross for you!
Romans 6:20 - 23 (NKJV) 20For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. 23For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
“The wages of sin is death” He paid my wages! Oh my God see it. The cross is what you deserved but He took it for you.
Now thank Him!
Romans 5:12 - 19 (NKJV) 12Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— 13(For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. 15But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. 16And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification.
17For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) 18Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. 19For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.
I’ve said it before, “The greatest tragedy in life is to be given a gift from God and to return it unopened and unappreciated.”
Conclusion: Can you know?
1 Corinthians 2:1 - 12 (NKJV) 1And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. 2For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 3I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. 4And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. 6However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, 8which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” 10But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 11For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. 12Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.
