A Christian is one who has realized that they are a sinner and can only be
saved by God's grace. It is a person who honestly admits to themselves, and God, that they
have not lived according to God's Law. It is someone who has accepted Christ's
sacrifice on the cross as the FULL payment for their sins and who realizes
that they cannot work their way to heaven. A Christian believes these things and
is compelled to live life accordingly.
Here is some text that lays out these ideas in more detail. Text quoted is from the Holy Bible, New International Version (NIV).
Romans 3:10 "As it is written, there is no one righteous, not even one"
Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal
life in Jesus Christ our Lord."
Hebrews 9:27,28 "Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face
judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people;
and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those
who are waiting for him."
"Death" refers to spiritual death; the separation of man from God for all eternity.
But God gives us a gift: eternal life, through Jesus Christ. He does not force it on
us; we must choose to accept it. But once we accept it, it is ours. We do not have
to pay for it or work for it; it belongs to us forever.
Nobody is perfect. All of us have done something wrong in our lives. We
cannot earn heaven by our own effort. Many people try to be good, moral, religious,
generous, or even have a "good philosophy", but God's Word says:
Ephesians 2:8,9 "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not
from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast."
Romans 5:8 "But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we
were still sinners, Christ died for us."
John 14:6 "Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father
except through me."
John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever
believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. "
1 Peter 3:18 "For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous,
to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit,"
Romans 10:13 "for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
Revelation 3:20 "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice
and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me."
Romans 10:9,10 "That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in
your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart
that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved."
1 John 5:10-12 "Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart.
Anyone who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because he has not
believed the testimony God has given about his Son. And this is the testimony: God
has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he
who does not have the Son of God does not have life."
That is what makes a Christian a Christian. There is nothing you can do
yourself; the work has already been done. What you must do is accept it.
The Lord wants you to come to Him; won't you do so today?
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