Sunday, March 31, 2024

CHRISTIANITY

CHRISTIANITY IS A RELATIONSHIP

     Religion will not save you nor gain you access to HEAVEN. Only A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST will SAVE YOU and make you a CHRISTIAN. Some people would tell you that they are a CHRISTIAN. Some claim to be a CHRISTIAN because they were born into a CHRISTIAN family, they joined a church, they were baptized, they do good works, they live in the BIBLE Belt, they belong to some denomination, or they are Catholic. Then there are those who practice other religions. None of these makes a CHRISTIAN.
     A person can be religious and still be spiritually dead, lost and without hope! Nicodemus is a good example. He was a Pharisee and a ruler of the Jews. But JESUS told him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless ONE IS BORN AGAIN, HE (SHE) CANNOT SEE THE KINGDOM OF GOD. Most assuredly, I say to you, unless ONE IS BORN OF WATER AND THE SPIRIT, HE (SHE) CANNOT ENTER THE KINGDOM OF GOD. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN’” (John 3:3, 5, & 7).
     Three times JESUS had told Nicodemus the necessity of the “NEW BIRTH.” But Nicodemus could not comprehend how a person could be “BORN AGAIN” and in John 3:9, he ask JESUS, “How can these things be?” Read Nicodemus’s encounter with JESUS in John 3:1-21.
     This is the same question that many are still asking today. THE “NEW BIRTH” IS BY THE GRACE GOD and we have to accept it BY FAITH because “Without faith it is impossible to please HIM, FOR HE (SHE) WHO COMES TO GOD MUST BELIEVE THAT HE IS, AND THAT HE IS A REWARDER OF THOSE WHO DILIGENTLY SEEK HIM” (Hebrews 11:6).
     JESUS SUMMED UP THE GOSPEL, AND GOD’S PLAN OF SALVATION, for Nicodemus in one verse of SCRIPTURE. HE said, “FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE” (John 3:16).
     Then read the entire GOSPEL of JOHN because “Truly JESUS did many other signs in the presence of HIS disciples, which are not written in this BOOK; but these are written that YOU MAY BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD, AND THAT BELIEVING YOU MAY HAVE LIFE IN HIS NAME” (John 20:30-31). “THERE IS NO OTHER NAME UNDER HEAVEN given among men by which WE MUST BE SAVED” (Acts 4:12).
     “WHOEVER BELIEVES THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST IS BORN OF GOD” (1 John 5:1a). YOU “MUST BE BORN AGAIN” TO BE SAVED AND TO BECOME A CHRISTIAN!
     THEREFORE, “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 TO RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND WITH THE MOUTH CONFESSION IS MADE TO SALVATION” (Romans 10:9-10).
     JESUS said, “I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE. NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH ME” (John 14:6). HE said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears MY voice and opens the door, I will come in to him (her) and dine with him (her), and he (she) with ME” (Revelation 3:20).
     YOU CAN NOT BE SAVED AND BECOME A CHRISTIAN ANY OTHER WAY. CHRISTIANITY IS SO MUCH MORE THAN A RELIGION! IT IS A RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS! HE IS THE CHRIST AND “CHRIST IN YOU, THE HOPE OF GLORY” (Colossians 1:27)!
     THINK ABOUT IT…OK!
     Note...SCRIPTURE references from the NKJV
     IN CHRIST...WRT

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