If You're Not A Christian, Consider A Few Things…
Jesus Christ will return and judge all of humanity at an unknown time (Matthew 24:35-36, John 5:28-29, and II Corinthians 5:10). At that time, many who think they will be saved will sadly be in for a huge disappointment (Matthew 7:21-23). Are you SURE that you are ready for the return of Jesus Christ?
To think about "being saved", you have first be someone who is actually lost. A person that is lost must be a sinner to begin with. Infants, children, and mentally incapable people cannot possibly sin. You must be capable of knowing right from wrong to err, to sin (Deuteronomy 1:21-39 and James 4:17). If an individual has transgressed the law of Christ (I John 3:4) and is capable of knowing right from wrong, he or she has to do many things. God has done His part (Acts 15:11 and I John 4:14). It is up to the sinner to do his or her part in being converted (Acts 3:19). Consider what is written below as an introduction of sorts to what a lost person must do to be saved.
You have to be seeking the Lord, His truth, etc. (Deuteronomy 4:29, Jeremiah 29:13, and Hebrews 11:6). You have to do so with a good and honest heart (Luke 8:1-15).
He or she has to have been taught the truth (John 8:31-32, Romans 1:14-16, and Romans 10:14-17).
He or she has to have understood, believed, and openly received the truth he or she has been taught (Matthew 13:19, Mark 16:15-16, and I Thessalonians 2:13).
That person then must evaluate and count the cost of being a disciple of the Lord (Luke 9:57-62 and Luke 14:25-33). Are you ready to live a life wherein God's will is first in your life and your guide to live by (Colossians 3:1-17 and I Thessalonians 4:1-2)?
If that person wants to proceed to obeying the Gospel and being converted to Christ, he or she has to repent of his or her sins (Luke 13:1-5 and Acts 26:18-20). Repentance can look very different for each individual. For example, a person in a marriage that is not acceptable to God has much more to consider than someone who is not so entangled in such a sinful situation (Romans 7:1-3).
He or she then has to confess Christ (Acts 8:25-39). Again, this is complex. You have to have been taught enough about Him to understand who He truly is. For example, one must understand the nature of Christ. He was/is not just a man who died on the cross (i.e. John 8:23-24 and Romans 9:1-5).
Then comes water baptism (Acts 2:38-41, Acts 8:12-13, Acts 10:44-48, Acts 16:13-15, Acts 16:22-33, Acts 18:8, Acts 19:1-7, Romans 6:3-6, Galatians 3:26-29, Colossians 2:12, and I Peter 3:20-21). Each of the verses you just read were written to those who had already obeyed the Gospel call. So, the explanations therein might not help you understand baptism fully. Those texts were not written to convince someone that they needed to be baptized. Those addressed had already been baptized.
The Lord then adds this person to His body, the church (Acts 2:47).
This person then must live faithfully, in accordance with all of the will of God, for the rest of his or her natural life (Colossians 1:23 and Revelation 2:10). This in itself involves growing (Matthew 28:20, Titus 2:11-14, and II Peter 3:18) and continuing faithful in all things (John 8:31). Being part of a faithful congregation is necessary too for purposes of assembling with saints (Hebrews 10:22-25) and necessary support (I Thessalonians 5:11-14). There is much to the life of a Christian. Let me help you start and continue the faithful journey to Heaven.
Be like Paul and understand that even after you have initially obeyed the Gospel and have even done many faithful works, you still are not in Heaven (Philippians 3:4-21). Salvation is not until the end (I Peter 1:3-9).
The commandments of our Lord are not a burden (I John 5:2-3). Being a faithful Christian is not as complex as many think. Let me help you with these things.
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- Brian A. Yeager
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