To Be a Christian

To Be a Christian

A person does not become a Christian when they say a prayer. A person does not become a Christian when they are baptized. Reading the Bible will not make you a Christian. Not smoking, not drinking, and not living an immoral life will not make you a Christian. Loving your neighbor, feeding the poor or going to church will not make you a Christian. To be a Christian you must be born again.

Being born again is something only God can do for us, and he will only do it for those who are in desperate need and cry out to him from that need.

WHAT IS THAT NEED?

The need is not to know that I will go to heaven. The need is not to be successful and have lots of things. The need is to know what life is really about. What was I made for? Why am I here?

When someone has searched for meaning and come up with nothing, and must find the answer; then they will turn to God in that desperate need (Rom 3:10-18). Then, only then, God will hear and plant the seed of life in their heart.(Matt 13:31 & Lk 13:19)

True Kings are absolute rulers. In the Kingdom of God; God rules absolutely by the willing and joyful submission of his people, whom he makes to be his children. He loves for them to call him Father.

To become a Christian a person must die to this world and be born into the Kingdom of God, by an act of God. When anyone comes to God in weakness and need (Heb 4:16), he will always plant the seed of the Kingdom of God their heart.

To develop as a Christian we must nurture that seed so it can grow. but we are all thoroughly corrupt and not able to persevere. (Rom 7:14-25) Do not lose heart, remember there is a throne of grace (Heb 4:16). God will always give grace to the humble. (Js 4:6-10 & I Ptr 5:5). There is work for us to do and it is too great for us. By the desire and strength that Jesus opened to us and God our Father longs to give, we can do what could not be done. Because the strength is not ours but God’s. As we humble ourselves and yield to his will in joyful trust and thanksgiving. He will do exceedingly abundantly more than we could ever ask or think. (Eph 3:20)

Two things must be present to grow as a Christian; humility and thankfulness.