HOW TO BE JUST A CHRISTIAN – Part 3 of 3

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By Samuel Matthews
“36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. 37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:36-37). KJV
Loved ones, are you S. A. V. E. D? Is Jesus your SAVIOUR? Has Christ ATONED for your sins? Do you have the VICTORY in Jesus? Are you assured of ETERNAL life in heaven? Are you DELIVERED from Spiritual death?
In this brief series, we have with love been discussing the Bible’s teaching as to how one becomes just a Christian. The question should now be asked, “What must I do to be added to the ONE faith and ONE body of Christ”; in other words, “What Must I Do To Be Saved?" (Acts 16:30).
Friends, the Bible says there is “ONE BAPTISM" (Eph. 4:5). Jesus commanded His disciples to go and teach all the world the saving Gospel or good news of His death, burial, and resurrection for our sins (1 Cor. 15:1-4; Mark 16:15-16). Jesus said to teach them, baptize them, and keep on teaching them... everything else that He's commanded (Matt. 28:19-20).
The one baptism must then be something man administers! Man cannot baptize you with the Holy Spirit or with fire, both of which were given as a promise, NOT as a command to be obeyed (Matt. 3:11; Luke 24:49). Man can only baptize with water! Therefore, the one baptism spoken of in Eph. 4:5 and Matthew 28:19 is water baptism.
In keeping with the Lord's command, Philip baptized the eunuch with water (Acts 8:35-39), and Peter commanded the household of Cornelius to be baptized with water (Acts 10:46-47). You too as a penitent believer must be immersed in water to be born again… saved from your past sins (John 3:5; 1 Pet. 3:21).
My friends, the blood of Jesus frees us from sin (Matt. 26:28; Rev. 1:5), and Jesus shed His blood in His death (John 19:34). But how do we get into the death of Jesus so that the merits of His shed blood might be ours? The Bible says, “we are buried with him (Christ) by baptism into death” (Rom. 6:3-4).
Therefore, the one baptism is a burial or total immersion in water into the death of Christ (Col. 2:12). You have NOT been baptized if you were only sprinkled with water while an infant, or had a little water poured on your head. A person must be totally immersed (buried) under the water in baptism.
The one baptism puts you into Christ (Gal. 3:27; Rom. 6:3). Notice the powerful thought contained in Rom. 3:24: “Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” In Christ we are: saints (Phil. 4:21), new creatures (2 Cor. 5:17), fellow workers (Rom. 16:3-9), one body... not 300 different denominational bodies (Rom. 12:5). In Christ we have SALVATION (2 Tim. 2:10), all spiritual blessings (Eph. 1:3), and the love of God (Rom. 8:38-39).
The Bible says we get into Christ by grace through faith as we do God's will (Eph. 2:4-8; 1 Cor. 1:30; John 6:65). God's grace teaches us (Tit. 2:11-12). We are taught to believe in the name of Jesus (John 2:23; 3:16; 8:24; Acts 4:12), love and obey Jesus (John 14:15), repent of our sins (Acts 2:38; Luke 13:3), confess Jesus as Lord, the Son of God (Matt. 10:32-33; Rom. 10:9-10), and be immersed (buried, baptized) into Christ (Rom. 6:3-4; Gal. 3:27)... where salvation is found (2 Tim. 2:10).
Baptism into Christ is God's plan for man's new birth (John 3:3-5). Baptism washes away our sins by the blood of Jesus (Acts 22:16; Matt. 26:28). Baptism saves us NOW (1 Pet. 3:21; Mark 16:16). Baptism puts us into the one body, the church (1 Cor. 12:13; Acts 2:47), the kingdom of God’s dear Son (Col. 1:13).
Loved ones, for believers to be one we must teach, believe, and obey only the Bible. We receive the remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit when we are immersed in water (Acts 2:38; 5:32), after having repented of our sins and confessed our belief that Jesus is the Son of God (Acts 17:30; Matt. 10:32-33). We arise from the watery grave of baptism IN CHRIST... a new creature... a Christian... a child of God (Rom. 6:4-7; Gal. 3:26).
In the days of the great flood, God used only one Ark to save the people... all who were saved were inside that one Ark (1 Pet. 3:20; Gen. 6). When the Israelites crossed the Jordan and fought against the walled city of Jericho, God used only one house to save Rahab's family... all who were saved were inside that one house (Joshua 2:12-14; 6:25).
Today, if you desire to have eternal life; to be saved from the wrath of God to come; to escape the burning fires of hell; then you must get inside God's spiritual Ark... the house of the Lord (Heb. 3:1-6)… the church of Christ.
The churches of Christ are a fellowship of Christians who believe the Bible to be God's communication to man (2 Tim. 3:16), and therefore have responded to its teachings (Luke 24:46-47).
We acknowledge Jesus as the only head (ruler, monarch, sovereign) of the church (Eph. 5:23). We are organized according to the biblical example with elders (bishops) and deacons (Phil. 1:1), and we worship God according to biblical instructions (John 4:22-24).
As Christians, we are approved of God and not ashamed to do His work because we study His word diligently (2 Tim. 2:15); grow spiritually (Phil. 1:9); pray always (1 Thess. 5:17; Luke 18:1); assemble with the saints (other Christians) whenever possible (Heb. 10:25), but always on the first day of the week – Sunday (1 Cor. 16:1-2); sing without mechanical instruments, making melody in our hearts (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16); partake of the Lord's Supper every Sunday (Acts 20:7, Matt. 26:26-29); cheerfully give as we purpose in our heart (2 Cor. 9:6-8); become living sacrifices to God (Rom. 12:1-2); continue in good works (Gal. 6:9-10; 2 Tim. 3:17); and are faithful unto death (Rev. 2:10).
Our plea is that all mankind might become, “fellow-heirs, and of the same body” of Christ (Eph. 3:6), according to the eternal purpose of God which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord (Eph. 3:11). We pray that you will choose the truth of God's word as you work out your salvation with fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12).
Please humble yourself and visit a congregation of the churches of Christ at your next opportunity (Rom. 16:16), and remember, you can be JUST A CHRISTIAN (Acts 26:27-29)! To the God of heaven be the Glory as His Will is done (1 Corinthians 10:31). Please pray for wisdom, for me and my wife, Cynthia, and for the Liberty NW church of Christ meeting in Portland, Oregon, USA. We are praying for you, and we love you all so much. Samuel.