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Following Jesus: What it means to be a Christian

Who is Jesus? While no serious scholars doubt he was a real person who existed some 2000 years ago, and while many still refer to his teachings as revolutionary,  Jesus is so much more than a radical teacher. Jesus is the Messiah, or Christ, loaded terms that translate to 'the anointed one', which itself is a title filled with meaning. Throughout history, God promised to send humanity a saviour to rule in peace and justice. Jesus is that saviour and ruler, sent from God to conquer evil and reunite humanity with God. Simply put, to be a 'Christian' is to put your faith in the claim that Jesus is who the scriptures say he is, and did what the scriptures said he did. Further, to be a Christian is to pledge your personal allegiance to his way of life, and his purposes for mankind. 


Starting the Journey of Faith

The Bible says that we all need to be saved from the consequences of a life-style that stands in direct opposition to God, which the Bible calls ‘sin’. All humans, even the “good” ones, are born with sin. Sin separates us from God, and that separation breaks God’s heart and leaves us feeling lost. The Bible says in Romans 3:23, “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.”

 Jesus announced his intentions to us pretty clearly: 'The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.' (John 10:10)

Although sin separates us from God and the life we were created to have, it can be overcome. There is hope, but we can’t find it in ourselves: we are not saved by keeping rules or by being good. Rather, our salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ.

Romans 3:22 says, “We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.” Later in the same book of the Bible it says that, “God demonstrated His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners. Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

Jesus came to earth, died on a cross, and was raised to life to save us from the consequences of a sin-filled existence that stands in direct opposition to God. His sacrifice gives us new life and brings us into a relationship with God through the Holy Spirit. When we accept God’s invitation to follow Jesus we’re acknowledging that our way isn’t working anymore: that we’re done flying solo and we’re giving Jesus control of our life. There is nothing we can do or exchange that qualifies us for salvation, it is all initiated by God, accomplished through Jesus, and given through the Spirit, and everyone is invited to receive it.

Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

What will your response be?

The Bible says that accepting God’s invitation to forgiveness and new life begins when you “openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead … For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved … Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” (Romans 10:9-11).

If you are not sure whether you are right with God, or if you know that you need Jesus in your life, you can choose to follow Him right now by speaking to him in your own words, or praying something like the following:“Jesus, I admit that I’ve sinned and need your forgiveness. I believe that You lived, died, and rose again so that I could be forgiven, find new life, and have a relationship with God. I now confess you as my Lord and commit my life to You. I give you my past, my present, and my future. Take my whole life and use it for your purposes: I give it to You. Thank you Jesus."

If you've been moved to make a decision to follow Jesus, or perhaps you have some further questions, we'd love to hear from you! We encourage you to consider a few next steps:

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For god so loved that world , that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life

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