| In
order to find the answers to what life is really all about, we must turn
to the only book which accurately describes the beginning of human history
and tells us of man's final destiny.
The Bible is the only reliable source in which we can get answers to the many questions which otherwise elude us. To understand what Christianity is all about, we need to find the answers in this amazing book, the Bible.... |
A Christian is simply 'a follower of Christ'. A Christian is someone who has
realised their sinful position before the Almighty God, and accepted God's
Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, into their life, to become their own personal
Saviour.
Why do we need God's salvation?
Because the Bible
tells us so! We all have a sinful nature, and none of us are sinless before
God. The Bible tells us that "All have sinned
and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3v23). It also says
that "There is none righteous, no, not one"
(Romans 3v10).
God is Holy, and He must punish sin.
This does not mean He doesn't love us; in fact, He loved us so much that
he gave His only Son as a sacrifice for our sins!
"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"
(John 3v16)
Sin came into the world through Adam
and Eve - we read of their disobedience in Genesis chapter 3 - and because
of this, we are all born with a sinful nature.
"as by one man
sin entered the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men,
for that all have sinned" (Romans 5v12).
Sin separates us from God, but the
Lord Jesus' death on the cross for us brings us back to God. The Bible
tells us: "your iniquities have separated between
you and God, and your sins have hid His face from you" (Isaiah 59v2)
How
does someone become a Christian?
In order for someone to become a Christian,
they must first realise their need of God's salvation, their guilt before
God, and their doomed future without Christ. The Bible tells us that
unless we are born again into God's family, repenting and turning from
our sins, realising that we need His forgiveness, we can never enter heaven
and will be destined for eternal judgment, never enjoy the true fellowship
with God which He desires for us:
"Except a man
be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3v3)
"The wages of
sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ
out Lord" (Romans 6v23)
"The Lord is.....not
willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance"
(2 Peter 3v9)
We must realise too that we can do nothing
to save ourselves - and that the Lord Jesus is the only one
who can save us, though His death on the cross:
"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" (Ephesians 2v8&9)
"Neither is there
salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given
among men whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4v12)
"I am the way,
the truth and the life, no man cometh unto the Father but by me"
(John 14v6)
Once we have realised that we need salvation,
that there is nothing we can do to save ourselves, and that God sent His
son to save us, we must trust in the Lord Jesus - ask Him to forgive us
and come into our lives.
"If we confess
our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse
us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1v9)
What happens after someone becomes a Christian?
When someone accepts
the Lord Jesus as their Saviour, they become members of God's family and
are assured of a place in heaven forever. They will never experience the
judgement of God, and will escape eternal punishment in hell.
"But
as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God,
even to them that believe on His name" (John
1v12)
EVERYONE can be
saved. God does not make any difference between race, gender, age or colour.
Salvation is for all, and God tells us so in His Word:
"the
Gospel of Christ.....is the power of God unto salvation to everyone
that believeth" (Romans 1v16)
The Bible speaks
of "the righteousness of God, which is by
faith of Jesus Christ, unto all and upon all them that believe"
(Romans 3v22)
Just as everyone
can
be saved, everyone needs to be saved. The Bible tells us that there is
no other way to escape God's judgement, and the result of not taking heed
of God's offer of salvation is clear:
"he
that believeth not shall be damned" (Mark
16v16)
"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 3v36)
The Bible tells
us simply: "Now is the accepted time; behold
now is the day of salvation" (2 Corinthians
6v2). We also are warned:
"boast
not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth"
(Proverbs 27v1)
The Lord Jesus
is coming back again to this earth, to take back to heaven with Him all
those who have trusted in Him. We do not know when He will return, but
current world events show that it could be very soon.
What
current events imply that the Lord is coming soon?
How do we know that God will save us?
The Lord Jesus
said, in John 6v37: "him that cometh to me
I will in no wise cast out" We know He will
save us because He has promised so.
"Thou,
Lord, art good, and ready to forgive, and plenteous in mercy unto
all them that call upon Thee" (Psalm 86v5)
"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"
(Romans 10v9)
He will not only
save us, but keep us and is with us throughout the Christian life - "The
Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you and keep you from evil"
(2 Thessalonians
3v3). The believer in Christ has endless promises from his Master - Moses
said to the people of Israel, "For the Lord
thy God, He it is that doth go with thee; He will not fail thee nor forsake
thee" (Deuteronomy 31v6)
Jude v24 describes
God as being "able to keep you from falling
and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding
joy"
What
a Saviour we have, if only we only put our trust in Him!
If you would like to know more about salvation,
please don't hesitate to E-mail me: phil@botswanawildlife.co.uk
Click here to read this page in Setswana...