Christians – Believe, Repent, Confess, be Baptized

Christians are not just people who go to church. Being a Christian that is going to Heaven is a life commitment. It requires you to make a decision to follow God’s word. The Bible is the word of God. The Bible provides information on what God requires of you and how to live a life that is pleasing to Him.

Benjamin Franklin once said “Being ignorant is not so much a shame, as being unwilling to learn.” There is no question that God places a high value on knowledge and particularly of His word. Hosea recorded the words of God when he wrote “My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge, because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for me; because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.” Hosea 4:6.

Christians Keep God’s Commands

The Lord Jesus remarks that those who would be true disciples should continue in His word. In John 8:31 Jesus said “You are my disciples indeed, if you keep my commands.” Jesus considers people wise when they hear His words and do them.

Matthew 7:24-25 Therefore anyone who hears these sayings of mine and do them, they are like a man who builds his house upon a rock and when the rains come and floods come, and the winds blow the house did not fall, because it was built upon the rock. Then Jesus said in Matthew 7:26-27 “And every one that hears these sayings of mine, and does not do them, shall be like a man that builds their house on the sand, and when the rain descended, and the floods came and the wind blew, and beat upon the house and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

Follow His Requirements to be Saved

Do we understand the meaning of these scriptures? So what does Jesus want us to do? Jesus came into this world that people might BELIEVE that He Is the Son of God. Do you believe that He is? John 8:24 so says that we must. 

Jesus also teaches that we must REPENT of our sins. Luke 13:3. Have we done that? Jesus also said that we must CONFESS His name before men, and He will confess our name before the Father in heaven. Matthew 10:32,33. 

Jesus also said that we must be BAPTIZED before we could be saved. Mark 16:15,16. Baptism is the act that puts one into Christ where salvation is. Baptism is to be done in the name of Christ and for the remission of sins, it is not and never will be “because we are already saved.”

That doctrine is taught, but that is not what Jesus said, remember, “Whosoever hears these sayings of mine and do them…” We must do as Jesus taught in His word.

These scriptures also apply to our assembly, to our being faithful in teaching the lost, helping the poor and widows. We must not be ignorant of His word. Just read it and follow the instructions and you will be just Christians and Christians only.

See also:  Baptized | Gospel | Christian Responsibility 

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In Christian Love,
Bill Arnold, Minister
Ridgeway Church of Christ
Harrison Arkansas