THE SIGNIFICANCE OF BEING A CHRISTIAN

Our subject:

What it means to be a Christian as revealed in scripture.

Sometimes even Christians fail to appreciate all that it means to be a Christian.

In Christ, one has become:

I. A PERSON REBORN

a. A new creation

II Corinthians 5:17

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”

b. A new birth produced by the working of the Spirit of God.

John 3:3-5

In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again. [4] "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born! [5] Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.”

James 1:18

“He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.”

c. Once dead in sin, we are now made alive to God.

Colossians 2:12,13

having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. [13] When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,

d. As a new creation, we are renewed daily.

II Corinthians 4:16-18

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. [17] For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. [18] So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

e. Conversion to Christ inherently involves change, particularly change of loyalties.

- From serving sin and self, to serving the Lord.

In Christ, one now is:

II. A PERSON BELONGING TO THE LORD

a. I Corinthians 6:19, 20

“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; [20] you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.”

Paul challenged the Corinthians’ thinking by asking, “Do you not know…you are not your own?”

As Christians, each one is to understand that he or she has been “bought at a price” and consequently is a person belonging to the Lord.

b. Christians are now God’s own special people.

I Peter 2:9-10

- “A Chosen Generation”

- “A Royal Priesthood”

- “A Holy Nation”

- “His Own Special People”

Galatians 3:26, 27

You are all the sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, [27] for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

Those in Christ are now:

III. LIVING BY FAITH

a. A vital aspect of being a Christian is the element of faith.

II Corinthians 5:7

“We live by faith, not by sight.”

b. Faith is central in the life of a Christian.

Galatians 2:20

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

c. Living by faith involves:

1. Belief

2. Confidence – the willingness to place

one’s trust and confidence in God.

3. Fidelity – Loyalty and commitment to the Lord.

A Christian has confidence in being:

IV. GUARDED BY THE POWER OF GOD

a. The world in which we live does not encourage Godly living, but the child of God has help and resources that others do not have.

b. We have a “Living Hope,” continual access to God’s mercy, and we are shielded by God’s power.

I Peter 1:3-5

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, [4] and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade--kept in heaven for you, [5] who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

Christians are:

V. SAVED TO SERVE

a. With such great blessings, come responsibilities.

1. To serve faithfully.

Hebrews 9:14

“How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God.”

2. Offer our very lives in service to Him.

Romans 12:1

“ Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.”

b. Paul in one of his final greetings, to a brother at Colosse, “…see to it that you complete the work you have received in the Lord.”

In Christ:

VI. WE BECOME A PART OF A GREAT FELLOWSHIP

a. We not only have the Lord’s presence in our lives, but we have a great spiritual family of Christians.

b. We share together in the blessings, the work and the rewards of this new fellowship.

Christians are “Fellows.”

1. Fellow citizens (Ephesians 2:19)

2. Fellow heirs (Ephesians 3:6)

3. Fellow servants (Colossians 1:7)

4. Fellow soldiers (Philippians 2:25)

c. In Christ, we enjoy a family relationship.

Ephesians 2:19

“Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household.”

If you are not a Christian today, how much more would be necessary for you to want to be?

Jesus is Lord, but each one must surrender to that Lordship.

Acts 2:36-38

"Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” [37] When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?“ “[38] Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”