We are so glad that you have clicked onto this page! Whether you have recently just become a Christian or are interested in what Christianity is all about, we hope the information below will be helpful.
“Christian” simply means “little Christ.” To be a Christian is to be a follower of Jesus, seeking to obey and reflect Him in everything you say and do. Christians are those who have repented of their sin and put their faith in Jesus as the sole source for the forgiveness of their sins (believing and trusting in His life, death, and resurrection on their behalf). This is the Gospel Christians have believed and now proclaim to all.
But, the question then becomes, “What is the Gospel?” The answer: “gospel” means “good news” and it is the only hope for a sinfully lost world. There are at least 5 things we must understand if we desire to properly define Christianity, the Gospel, and what it means to be a Jesus follower.
1) There is a Holy and Sovereign Creator
~Genesis 1:1; Isaiah 6:3-5; Psalm 103:19
The pages of the Bible open up assuming the existence of God as the Creator of all, ruling over all. This God, because He is holy and without sin, does not, cannot, condone sin. And as the Sovereign Creator, he rules over all and all things are accountable to Him.
2) Humanity is Sinful
~Genesis 3; Ecclesiastes 7:20; Romans 3:10-18; 1 Timothy 2:13-14
Sin is anything we think, say, or do that breaks God’s commands and desires. Adam and Eve, our first parents, sinned against God by disobeying Him. As a result, they plunged all of humanity into sin, giving us all a sin nature. But each of us, by the choices that we make every day, reveal that not only are we sinners by nature, but also by willing choice.
3) Sin must be Judged
~Ezekiel 18:4; Hebrews 9:27
Sin bears consequences. God is a loving God, this is true, but He is also a just God. This means that He cannot, and will not, simply sweep the consequences of sin under the rug. As a just God, like we would expect a just judge to do, God will fully judge every sinner, punishing them for what they have done.
4) Sin’s punishment is Death
~Matthew 25:31-46; Romans 6:23; Revelation 20:11-15
“The wages of sin is death.” Before Adam and Eve sinned, God told them that if they did, they would die. And when they sinned, death entered the world, both physically and spiritually. We all will die physically one day as a consequence of sin; that is only the beginning. Around the corner of this life into the next, Hell is waiting as a living death of spiritual, conscious, and eternal judgement for sinning against an eternal and Holy God; this is what every individual has earned and deserves.
5) Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior
~John 3:16; Acts 4:12; Romans 10:9; Colossians 1:15-20; 1 John 2:1-2
Though every human justly deserves Hell, God, in His love, sent His Son to die on a cross, paying for the sins of all who put their faith in Him and satisfying the wrath of God against us. Jesus Christ is the only way for a person to be saved from the consequences of their sin. We cannot earn God’s favor and we cannot demand God’s favor; it is freely given solely based on His grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Perhaps you have heard all of this before, and perhaps not. But, if in reading this, you are struck by your own sinfulness and are wondering how you can be forgiven of your sin and go to Heaven, then the simple answer is this: You must confess to God that you are a sinner, repent of (literally “turn away from”) your sin, ask Jesus to save you, trusting in His sacrifice on the cross alone for salvation.
As one of the writers of Scripture said it:
“…confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, [and] you will be saved.” –Romans 10:9
If you would like more information about this topic or would like help in learning how to live the Christian life, please contact us with any questions. Praying for you!
Contact Pastor Christian, cpowers@gracechapelneenach.com