Q. What makes a person a Christian?
Q. How do I know if Christ is in me?
Q. How do I become a Christian?
Q. What do I do next if I prayed for salvation?
Q. How do I grow as a Christian?
Q. Is there anything in the Bible about business?
Q. What makes a person a Christian?
A. Going to church does not make you a Christian; nor does saying a prayer, going down an aisle, passing a catechism, telling yourself that you are, growing up in a Christian home, or trying to be a decent person. You can only be a Christian if Jesus Christ is in you, and you are in Him.
And if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. Romans 8:10
By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. And we have beheld and bear witness that the Father has sent the Son [to be] the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 1 John 4:13-15
Q. How do I know if Christ is in me?
A. The short answer is that a changed life is the irrefutable evidence that Jesus Christ is in a person.
The long answer: It is not a works-based thing, but rather the natural result of Christ living in you, your new life in Christ. A lesson from nature is that all living things grow quite naturally if fed, it is no different in the spiritual life. Another lesson from nature is that living things naturally reproduce after their kind, this is also no different in the spiritual life as you become more like Christ. This change is not something to be judged by others, nor is there a particular timetable, but it is something to examine internally. Over time a Christian will love others more and love himself less, will be more interested in God and less interested in the world, will want to obey more and do his own thing less, will want to give more and take less - the overall direction of his life will become increasingly God-centered.
The corollary to this truth is that if there hasn't been any change in direction, then one of two conditions exist.
- You have resisted the transforming work of the Holy Spirit in your life by ignorance, apathy or rebellion.
- You are not truly a child of God, you have never experienced the miracle of spiritual rebirth.
Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you--unless, of course, you fail the test? 2Cor 13:5
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 1 John 4:7-8
Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 1 John 2:15
And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. The one who says, "I have come to know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked. 1 John 2:4-6
"Many will say to Me on that day, ' Lord , Lord , did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.' Matthew 7:22-23
Q. How do I become a Christian?
A. The short answer is that if you receive Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, you shall be saved.
The long answer: You may have heard the phrase "getting saved" regarding becoming a Christian. Get saved from what? A Christian is saved from facing the consequences of his sin and separation from God. Thus in order to be saved, a person must first recognize their need to be saved and want to be saved.
The first step is to confess that you have sinned against God and man and to realize that because of this you are separated from a personal relationship with God. The second step is to repent - an old fashioned word that means to change direction - to make a willful decision that you want forgiveness, that you want to have a real relationship with God, that you want to live differently, that you want to go to heaven and spend eternity with the Lord. [It is always interesting to me when people say they want to go to heaven and spend eternity worshipping the Lord when they weren't interested in knowing and worshipping Him here on earth.]
Now comes the best part! Once you've reached this point, all you have to do is believe what the Bible says about Jesus and pray to accept God's free of gift of salvation. You must believe in your heart that Jesus is God the Son, that He died on the cross to pay for your sins, and that He rose from the grave in victory over death. Then, through prayer invite Jesus Christ to come into your heart and life as your personal Savior and be willing to follow and obey Jesus as the Lord of your life. That is how the Bible says to become a Christian. Do you want to pray now?
What to pray ...
Dear God,
I know that I am a sinner
and need Your forgiveness.
I believe that Jesus Christ died for my sins.
I am willing to turn from my sins.
I now invite Jesus Christ
to come into my heart and life
as my personal Savior.
I am willing, by God's strength, to follow and
obey Jesus Christ as the Lord of my life.
In Jesus' name I pray,
Amen
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, [it is] the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
If you confess with your mouth Jesus [as] Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved. Romans 10:9
Q. What do I do next if I prayed for salvation?
A. Rejoice and praise Jesus! The Bible says even the angels in heaven rejoice every time a person is saved! Then tell another Christian whom you know and trust. Third, find a Bible-teaching church and start attending regularly. And fourth, let us know via the Contact Us form. (Fourth step is optional - but it would be a great encouragement to us!)
Q. How do I grow as a Christian?
A. Read your Bible daily and do your best to live out what it says. Talk to God in prayer. Worship with other Christians in church. Tell others about Jesus. Give your time, talents and money as you are able. The Holy Spirit will take care of the rest!
Like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the word, that by it you may grow in respect to salvation. 1 Peter 2:2
But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil. Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity ... Hebrews 5:14-6:1
Q. Is there anything in the Bible about business?
A. Yes, the Bible speaks often and clearly about business and money. The Bible is God's instruction book for all matters of faith and life and that certainly includes business. In some areas of business, the Bible gives specific instructions such as how to price your products or services (principle of equal weights and measures taught in several places including Proverbs 20:23 below).
For answers to questions not specifically addressed in the Bible, we turn to principles regarding money, relationships, stewardship, righteousness and holiness and godly living, and the Great Commission and pray to know how to apply them. A key point to remember is that business is not established in the Bible as a separate institution with special rules and commands, thus all of God's Word that relates to people relates to business. For example, God's command to love your neighbor as yourself does not include an exception clause for business competitors, annoying customers, or unhappy employees.
Follow this link to the Bible studies covering virtually every business discipline. These studies are designed for small groups or individual study. Please feel free to send questions via the contact form.
All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 [This means that God's Word contains all the truth we need for every situation - not necessarily all the facts - but all the truth for the proper application of the facts.]
Differing weights are an abomination to the Lord, And a false scale is not good. Proverbs 20:23 [It is wrong to have different prices for different customers based on opportunity for gain instead of objective pricing criteria.]