Dearly Beloved, WHEN DID YOU BECOME A CHRISTIAN? “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God - children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God” (John 1:12-13, NIV). “He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5, NASU). I know that many may likely be surprised or even be annoyed by this simple but profound question. I found it necessary to ask you the question and discuss what it really means to be a Christian. The necessity came out of the notion/belief of many people, and even some denominations, that a person can be a Christian from birth, probably because one’s parents are professed Christians. Such people/denominations believe in what I call “biological regeneration.” Christian lineage may be a means of becoming a Christian, but it is not an end. One cannot inherit salvation by birth. There is no biological salvation. The fact that parents are saved does not guarantee the salvation of their children. No! The children also have to believe in, and accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord. The spiritual birth is the means of entering the kingdom of God (Titus 3:5). John the Baptist warned the Israelites whose patriarchs were God-fearing: “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham” (Luke 3:8, NIV). The Bible says children of God are “children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God” (John 1:12-13, NIV). Many other people base their being a Christian on church membership. Church membership is good, but it cannot be substituted for salvation. Your name may be in a church’s register, but it may not be in the eternal Register - the book of life! Being committed member of a “living” church is another means of getting you saved, but not an end. Moreover, the work of salvation is not through activities. No! The work of salvation is DONE. It is not what TO DO. Good work cannot make us attain salvation. The Bible teaches: “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” (Ephesians 2:8-9, NIV. See also Titus 3:5 quoted above). You may want to protest about what James said in James 2:14-26, but verse 10 of Ephesians 2 clarifies that for us: “For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (NIV). So, we are saved to do good work, not that we are working in order to be saved. This is in line with Paul’s injunction to the Philippians to continuously work OUT, not work FOR, their salvation (see Philippians 2:12). If you want to be saved, accept what Jesus Christ has DONE for you, then, you can work for God. There are many other false hopes of salvation and many other notions/beliefs that people base their being a Christian on. However, a person must believe in Jesus Christ in his heart as his personal Savior and Lord, and confess with his mouth before he can be saved (John 1:12, 13; Romans 10:9-11). In other words, one must be born again (John 3:3-7; 1 Peter 1:3, 23). This experience is a personal one that one should have a definite testimony about. That is when one becomes a Christian. When did you have this life-changing personal experience? When did you become a Christian? In His service, Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor). _________________________________________________ FindLaw - Free Case Law, Jobs, Library, Community http://www.FindLaw.com Get your FREE @JUSTICE.COM email! http://mail.Justice.com