Why are you a Christian?

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Permalink Reply by Leonard T on April 20, 2010 at 1:30pm

Carla,

God loves me (John 3:16)
Jesus died for me (Rom. 5:8)
The Father called me to Jesus (John 6:44)
The Holy Spirit convicted me (John 16:8-11)
God forgave me and changed me (Rom. 10:9-13 & 2 Cor. 5:17)
The Holy Spirit sealed, marked and indells me (2 Cor. 1:22)
I now carry the family name. (1 John 3:1-3)

Lord Bless,
LT

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Permalink Reply by Stacey Osana Arquines on April 21, 2010 at 4:41am

Hi Brother LT,

coming to help

God loves me (John 3:16)

Yes indeed, he loves all his children in Christ

Jesus died for me (Rom. 5:8)

so loved that he sent his son so that you may live and be forgiven to love GOD FOREVER AND OTHERS NO MATTER THE WRONG hence unconditional love

The Father called me to Jesus (John 6:44)

You are in him and he is in you so he sees you as perfect because his son is in you so you are are dearly loved therefore try not to inflict anymore pain to God when you do wrong or commit to evil for GOD IS GOOD

The Holy Spirit convicted me (John 16:8-11)

the Holy spirit will teach you how to be like Jesus Christ and to live in him as Christ himself crucial to obey God.

God forgave me and changed me (Rom. 10:9-13 & 2 Cor. 5:17)

You become a new creature not of this world and can do things beyond human capabilities as Granted by GOD through Jesus Christ our Lord Savior living in Holiness and in truth abiding by Gods word

The Holy Spirit sealed, marked and indells me (2 Cor. 1:22)

You live forever holy and have everlasting life, but you must follow Gods will after submission of your life if you are chosen he has many all around everywhere

I now carry the family name. (1 John 3:1-3)

Your family is therefore blessed all must be good and following Gods commands Amen.


I hope this helps,

Lots of love to you in Christ

In his Honor,

Stacey A.

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Permalink Reply by Carla on April 20, 2010 at 2:51pm

Hi Everyone,

Thank you for your thoughtful responses. I have been noticing that there are many people who are 'seeking' on this website. I started this discussion because I want them to see Jesus how we see Him. My desire is that they will open their hearts to receive the Holy Spirit and know that Jesus lives, and He will rescue them from all their distress, fear and save them from their sin. You are all such a blessing here to witness for Christ, to show others who do not yet know Him, that He truly does save us and change us from the inside out. He fills the emptiness that was in us prior to knowing Him. His love is compelling and enduring and intense and all encompassing...who can truly describe it?

If you are reading this and you do not yet know Jesus, please know that He wants everyone to come to the life saving knowledge of His forgiveness and grace. Please don't feel condemned or badly about your sin, but do repent from it. To feel 'badly' about it is simply a human response, and it will only serve to bring you to a depressive state of being. To repent from it means to change your mind about it and turn away from it and turn towards Christ....and allow for Christ to heal you from the inside out.

Rather then feeling condemned, The Holy Spirit convicts us...He shows us our sin so that we see it as God sees it..... Trust Him that He has the power and the authority to cleanse you.. Sin is disease... Jesus heals the disease of sin, and lifts the punishment off of us and onto Himself. Jesus took the punishment for our sin. He stood in your place..and also in mine.

You can be free to know that none of us will ever be 'good enough' to get to heaven. But Jesus makes the way clear for us by being our sacrificial lamb who takes away all of our sin...yours and mine. Jesus wants you to come to Him just as you are...He wants to make you perfect by the cleansing of His Blood. Our blood is tarnished, Jesus's blood is pure.

I am a Christian for many of the reasons stated here by my brothers and sisters in Christ. I am also a Christian because all of my striving to try to be 'good enough' will never be good enough. I have realized my need for a Savior. I can trust by faith that Jesus has this God given Power and authority to cleanse me from my sin. Psalm 46:10 says 'Cease striving and know that I AM God'.. NASB. Jesus came to earth to die, for you and for me. I'm not perfect...I am a work in progress. But I can tell you that I love the Lord, and He has done a work in me, and He will do a work in you as well. The miracle is this....that though once you were far away from Him, and lived a life according to your own agenda, once He gets your attention, He will give you new desires...This miracle begins slowly, and it is a life-long transformation, but soon you will find yourself wanting to please God and wanting to live for Him. This cannot be done by our human efforts, because people are naturally quite selfish... (you and me both). But, when the Holy Spirit lives inside you, your desires will slowly change, and rather than selfish...a person is transformed to being selfless. So you see, it has nothing to do with Religion. All other 'religions' are man-made..they are based upon human effort trying to achieve a certain level of perfection to be 'good enough'. Christianity tells us another story. Jesus (God Himself) came down to earth to live a life as an example of what God intended for us when He created us...then He suffered and died because it was foretold (prophesied) that would happen...also, the religious leaders did not like what Jesus had to say about all of their rituals and rules,, so they killed Him. The story does not end here! God used this evil for His purposes... To bring about Salvation ..reconciliation for all people, Jew and Gentile to Himself. Jesus rose back to life. He lives in Heaven, and one day He will come again to live in Israel as King of kings and Lord of lords. He is God's chosen one, and He is the only way to God. All of your individual efforts will never be enough...Jesus has already done it for you..and He wants to offer you the free gift of Eternal life....you just need to say 'Yes'.

When I saw Jesus (spiritually not physically).. In an instant I had a sense of what my sin looked like to God, and how I was separated from Him...Because He is Holy. In that same instant.. I also knew I was loved..so dearly loved...i can't give you the words to express His overwhelming conviction, Love and forgiveness all at the same time. I repented and I wept...because the God of all Creation, who had created me with His purposes in mind, forgave me and accepted me into His family as one of His own. ....even after all that I had done against Him...He did this for me.

You may wonder why a born again believer comes across as opinionated, or 'preachy'... we don't mean any harm, please forgive us.. In our brokenness, we simply want you to see as we see, and know God as we are only beginning to know Him. This is our Awesome God... HE includes us this way in His story....just as a loving father includes their own children...with all of their bumbles and mishaps...He brings us in and says 'I Love you, now go and tell others about Me, I will be with you always...'

These are the reasons I am a Christian.
Love in Christ, Carla

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Permalink Reply by Carla on April 20, 2010 at 4:46pm

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Permalink Reply by Theresa on April 21, 2010 at 12:08am

Carla, all your questions are beautifuly asked, love every single one of them.

Why are you a Christian?
Because this is the only thing in this world that truly make sense to me. We were born to love God and be loved by Him, blessed to be a blessing.
What makes a Christian a Christian?
If the person confess that the Only Way to be saved from hell is through Jesus Christ, if their minds, hearts, soul and strength, their words and their actions too agree and match their beliefs that Jesus is the Only way, that there is not one is saved through their human efforts, they are totally dependent on the grace of God and what God says in His Word about their salvation. John14:6

If they can not sleep or rest till they forgive others for things they have done to them or to others because they take Jesus words seriously in Matthew 6:14...Just like you believe that the Blood of Jesus is not just for your sins but the sins of your worse enemies too if they put their trust in Jesus sacrifice on the cross, if you forgive >as Christ forgave you, ( This means forgetting as far as the east from the west, when remembering their sins, it has to be mixed with compassion on them for their welfare) Psalm 103
If they rise above their own short comings and take it seriously that it is not their own human effort or the effort of any other human beings, it is totally Jesus, the grace of God, it is a gift, Jesus loved us when we were yet sinners.

Is it because of the church you go to?
Galations 6:7 Be not deceived, God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that shall he also reap.

Maybe you are a Christian because your parents raised you to be one!
Lamentations 3:22 It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.
23They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

Perhaps it is that you do your best to copy the life of Jesus....?
Romans 8:29 For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers.

Is it because you are a good person?
Romans 8:30 And those he predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.

Maybe the fact that you know scripture really well makes you a Christian...
Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path.

Why do you profess the faith that you profess?
2 Corinthians 3:17,18 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

Love and blessings,
Theresa,

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Permalink Reply by David Velasquez on April 21, 2010 at 3:47am

Great responses here so I will be extremely brief.

Why am I a Christian? Because God's effectual calling drew me to Himself and by Grace through faith I believed and repented. God is the author and the finisher of my faith.

It is definitely not because of the church I go to though it is my Christian responsibility to learn the truth and fellowship among those that practice sound doctrine.

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Permalink Reply by Hope on April 21, 2010 at 8:24am

Im a christian because life without Jesus was too hard. I could not do it on my own and no one on earth was willing or available to be there for me but Christ. Jesus was there for me and had my back and held me in His hands. Im a Christian because He made Himself real to me through His Holy Sprite and the Living Word(the Bible) and when i die im promised eternal life with Christ if i stay faithful till the end like apostle Paul of fighting the good faith till the end which resulted in his death because of his belief in Christ!

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Permalink Reply by Imperator on April 22, 2010 at 2:28am

My dear sister Carla,

I thought the answer would be quite obvious. One is a christians because one accepts and follows Christ as the Lord and Saviour of humanity.

I'm sure there are so many millions of people out there who were born a christian but did not live a christian life and was influenced by you know who. One realises that life without Christ is meaningless and empty sometime in their life. Unfortunately, some people realise this on their deathbed, and fortunately, it may not be too late for them as Jesus accepts anyone who repents and accept Jesus.

When you are living in the world with other people who are not christian and there is noone to influence you then you will go down a very different path inspired by the devil. In some cases, one is converted by a good christian or a missionary who dedicates their life to bringing people closer to God.

You can shout from the rooftops but people will not hear you. I feel there is a time for everyone.

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Permalink Reply by Carla on April 22, 2010 at 9:05pm

Dear Imperator,

When I was a new believer I felt the answer to this would be quite obvious also... As I look back it amazes me how quickly I had forgotten how blind I was...and the answer was not obvious as a non-believer. I posted this forum for the people who are seeking...not for those of us who already believe.. However, it is the personal testimonies of those who believe which will speak volumes to those who do not....

God has reminded me how blind I was, and how I rejected Him for a long long time..all for the purpose to never give up on people who don't know Him...and to also realize that the answer is not obvious after all, but rather, those who cannot see have been blinded, but the Holy Spirit can and will reveal Jesus to them if only they will ask.

Much Love in Christ...

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Permalink Reply by delores kay napier on April 22, 2010 at 6:31am

Because he first loved me in ways I will never be worthy to live up to, until the day comes when we will all be made perfect .he sent his son who suffered & died for my sins.they lifted me up out of darkness with loving arms, wrapped me up in everlasting love.
Welcomed me into his family by touching my heart & strenghtening my belief in knowing his love. HE fulfilled my thrist & hunger with the power of his indwelling spirit(HOLY Spirit).
GOD is truly my father,& CHRIST my savior king.
forever will i strive to obey their will & commandments praying always for their guideness.

i dont always agree with every persons view on this site ( as many know) but my love for my LORD & SAVIOR is faithful & true.

may GOD bless us all with wisdom ,understanding , & mostly with love.

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Permalink Reply by Imperator on May 1, 2010 at 9:48am

My dear friends,

If a person is born into the christian faith but is not either practising or seeking the Lord, can they still be called chrisitians?

If not, then there are so few christians in the world today.

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Permalink Reply by Carla on May 1, 2010 at 10:33am

Hi Imperator,

Ultimately, we cannot decide who is or who is not a Christian. Only God is the Judge.. However, we can go by what scripture tells us.

Mat 7:21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.

We know that a Christian is someone who submits to Jesus Christ as Lord....A 'Christ Follower'. It is one who follows the teachings of Jesus...this is not to preach a 'Works' salvation.... But rather, when we examine the 'fruit' in a persons life, it is evidence that the inward Salvation that has occurred is being worked out in their everyday living... The Fruit of the Spirit is this:

Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
Gal 5:23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Gal 5:24 Now those who [fn] belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Gal 5:25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also [fn] walk by the Spirit.
Gal 5:26 Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.

Mat 7:13 "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.
Mat 7:14 "For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Luk 13:23 And someone said to Him, "Lord, are there just a few who are being saved?" And He said to them,
Luk 13:24 "Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.
Luk 13:25 "Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, 'Lord, open up to us!' then He will answer and say to you, 'I do not know where you are from.'
Luk 13:26 "Then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets';
Luk 13:27 and He will say, 'I tell you, I do not know where you are from; DEPART FROM ME, ALL YOU EVILDOERS.'
Luk 13:28 "In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves being thrown out.

We are told to examine ourselves:
check out this blog:
http://www.allaboutgod.net/profiles/blogs/how-do-you-know-you-are-s...

We know from earlier scriptures posted that we must be Born Again...from above.

Blessings, Carla

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