What Does It Mean To Be A Christian?

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The temple is the church. “For we are the temple of the living God” (II Cor. 6:16). The church should measure up to what Jesus intended when He said, “I will build my church.” (Matt. 16:18)

It should measure up to being the church of the great commission. Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surly I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matt. 28:18-20) It should acknowledge Jesus still has this authority and exercises it through scripture. Our goal should be to make disciples, not just members; baptize disciples, …show more content…

A few examples are: Baptism: the emersion in water of a believer to begin a life of discipleship following Jesus, picturing the burial of the old sinful life into the forgiveness offered by Jesus when he died in our place and was buried, so we could live His life. It also pictured the beginning of this new life like a "birth of water" (John 3:5) or resurrection. To the believer who has repented it offers forgiveness of past sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit to help us live this new life. It is not a magical act that works for the unknowing or unbelieving. It can no more be done to an infant than could they be enrolled in a college. Bishop: a leader of a house congregation. Not a leader over many churches. (Titus 1:5-9) Church: a congregation of believers seeking to follow Jesus. Not a building or a denomination. Father: an honorary title reserved for God. (Matt. 21:9) Hell: The name of the Jerusalem dump, where garbage was always burning, worms were always eating the garbage, and criminals were sometimes dumped when none claimed their bodies for burial. Perfect picture of death or destruction of one rejecting the life God offers. Not the place Dante so vividly pictures in "The Inferno." Inspiration: a word used only once in the New Testament. (II Tim. 3:16-17) It should get its full meaning from this beautiful and meaningful text, not the endless speculations of theologians. In context; God's influence on Scripture is making it "useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." This is a practical and working definition of how God provides all we need to help us "mature" in Christ. Sin: something we DO that is wrong and brings a death penalty. "The wages of sin is death." (Rom. 6:23) It is not something we ARE or have inherited.

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