Questions you need to consider

Pastor Jon Beck

Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ?  Would you consider yourself a born-again Christian? How would you consider your standing before God? Do you know what true saving faith really is?

These are very important questions and each one of us needs to be able to answer them correctly and honestly.  The good news is that we can go to the Bible, God’s Word, and find the answer to these and the following questions to help us understand what it means to have TRUE SAVING FAITH.

Question #1

Do we understand who God is?

God is the creator of all things – Gen. 1:1 – In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (He is our creator, so therefore all creation is accountable to Him.)

God is holy and just and deserves our praise and obedience – Rev. 4:8 – And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!”

God gives eternal life as a gift to those who truly believe – John 3:16 – For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

This new life is for now. – John 10:10 – The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (Living life abundantly… new, purposefully, and joyfully)

This new life is for all eternity – John 14:3 – And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

Question #2

Do we understand what man’s problem is?

Have you noticed that no matter how hard we try to live in this world that there is this void that is never fulfilled? As hard as we try, we just cannot seem to live this life where we have real purpose, direction, and joy. The reason is that we are dead in our transgressions and separated from God because of sin.

We are all sinners by nature and by choice. – Romans 3:23 – For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

We cannot save ourselves. – Ephesians 2:8 – For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that is not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.

We deserve God’s judgment. – Romans 6:23 – For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

We must remember that this rebellion is not against man or the church, but rather this rebellion is against God.  We are rebelling against the Creator God of the universe.  There is nothing on our own that can be done to make right this relationship.  That is why God sent His Son Jesus Christ.

Question #3

Do we understand what Jesus Christ came to accomplish?

God is holy and just and must punish sin. Yet He loves us and provides forgiveness for our sin.  Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no one comes to the Father except through Me” John 14:6.

Jesus is God and became man – John 1:1 – In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:14 – And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Jesus died for us on the cross – 1 Peter 3:18 – For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,

Jesus was resurrected (arose) from the dead and is alive today – Romans 4:25 – who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. – Romans 6:9–10 – We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. [10] For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God.

God, through His Holy Spirit, calls us to Himself – John 6:44 – No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.

Question #4

Do you understand what you need to do?

The only way Jesus can affect your life is for you to receive Him. – John 1:12 – But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.

You must turn from your sin. – Acts 3:19 – Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.

• Repentance is realizing that a change needs to take place.
• Repentance is realizing your sin before a holy God is the problem.
• Repentance is realizing only God can change us.
• Repentance is turning away from your sin and turning to God through Jesus.

You must place your faith in Jesus Christ. – Ephesians 2:8 – For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that is not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.

• Faith is not just believing facts about Jesus.
• Faith is trusting in Jesus.

You must give Christ control of your life.  You must surrender to His Lordship and begin to daily live for Him. – Romans 10:9-10 – That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

• Living for Jesus is more than just saying you believe in Him. – Matthew 7:21–23 – [21] “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. [22] On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ [23] And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
• Living for Jesus is truly loving Him and following after Him.
• This involves the daily giving of yourself to the Lord and His will for your life. You must stop trusting in yourself and start living in total dependence upon Him.
• This involves striving to be more like Christ each and every day of your life. A life of growing and changing.

You must receive Jesus Christ into your life by personal invitation.

Becoming a Christian is something you must do for yourself.  No one else can make this decision for you.  It is not something you do after you get your life in order.  It is something you do because you realize only God can change your life.

Are you ready to accept the gift of eternal life that Jesus is offering right now?  Are you ready to follow Jesus as your Savior and Lord?  Are you ready to confess and forsake your sin and receive the forgiveness that is found in Christ? If you are ready to receive the gift of eternal life, then trust in Jesus right now.

Go to God in prayer.  Admit to Him that you are sinner and in need of a Savior.  Thank Him for sending His Son, Jesus Christ.  Tell Him that you repent of your sins and receive Jesus as your Savior and Lord.  Ask Him to fill you with His Holy Spirit.  Ask Him to empower you, to change you, and to help you live an obedient and Godly life.  Ask Him to save you and come into your life.

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If you have become a new believer, you can immediately begin to grow as a Christian.

You can do this by redirecting your focus in life.  Begin to live for God rather than yourself.

• Begin living a life that is pleasing to God – 2 Corinthians 5:9 – So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.
• Begin to develop a growing love for God and for others. – Matthew 22:37–39 – [37] And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. [38] This is the great and first commandment. [39] And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
• Begin to make decisions based on your obedience to and respect for God’s Word – John 14:21 – Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.
• Begin to place the needs of others before your own. – John 13:14–17 – [14] If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. [15] For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. [16] Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. [17] If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

God knows that we will not be perfect, but He does expect us to be growing.

As a new believer in Christ you must begin to grow daily in your knowledge and understanding of the Lord.  You can start with understanding that the Bible is the Word of God.  It is absolutely true and has all the means to help you grow in your understanding of Him and how it is you can live an obedient and joyful Christian life.  As you read, study, and meditate on the Word, you must develop Godly disciplines in your life that will allow you to put off the old life and put on the new life in Christ.  You can experience this new life as you begin to live out these disciplines:

Prayer:  Pray daily.  Speak to God in a real and personal way throughout the day.

Worship:  Give God the praise that He deserves.  Love the Lord you God with all your heart, soul, and mind.

Bible Study:  The Bible is the Word of God. Read it daily.  The book of Luke (in the New Testament) is a great place to start.

Fellowship:  Meet regularly with other Christians who will help you grow in your new life.  Our church is a faithful church that believes the Bible and glorifies Jesus in all it does.  Join us and begin to develop Christian relationships and worship as the body of Christ.

Service:  Serve Christ and serve one another.  We Christians do not serve out of mere duty, but out of love for our Savior, seeking to be obedient in every aspect of life for the sake of Jesus, our Lord.

Witnessing: Tell others about what Christ has done in your life.  Share the good news of God’s saving grace with all who will listen.

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Come join us and let us help you grow in your relationship with Christ.  True Faith is the basis of all that we have in Christ.  True faith is not only the key for our eternal life, but also the key to living our daily life.

My prayer is that you will receive the life changing message of Christ and embrace true saving FAITH.

For His Glory,

Pastor Jon Beck

Scripture Quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway