How Does One Become a Christian

How Does One Become a Christian?

by Harley Pinon

It is stated or asked a lot of different ways, but what could be more important than being a Christian? That means two very important things: (1) how do I become a Christian? and (2) How do I remain a Christian?

It's sad that something so important is so confusing to so many people in the world. I can only say, "I think the devil had a hand in this confusion."

Much is said on religious television shows and religious radio about a "sinner's prayer." We are told that if we will just say this prayer, and invite Jesus into our hearts that we will be saved.

It is not the intent of this presentation to pass judgment upon those who have done only this, and feel they have met God's requirements, but I would like to share with you what I believe the Bible teaches on this very important subject.

Nicodemus

(John 3:3-5 NKJV) Jesus answered and said to him, [that is, Nicodemus] "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." {4} Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" {5} Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

Baptism: being born again!

Many religious teachers disagree with me when I say that baptism and the new birth are one and the same. The scriptures describe the act of baptism in at least two ways: (1) being born again, and (2) being buried with Christ.

(1) Being born again: In the scripture above, Jesus speaks of being "born of water and the Spirit." I take the water to be that of baptism. Some like to make it the water of natural birth. I say this is accusing Jesus of speaking nonsense, which He never did. Why would you tell someone the first thing they need to do is to be born physically from their mother. That is utter nonsense. If they haven't been born, you aren't going to be talking to them! But let's go on to the being buried with Christ part.

(2) being buried with Christ: In (Rom 6:3-4 NKJV), Paul says, "Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? {4} Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."

(Gal 3:26-27 NKJV) "For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. {27} For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ." Some stop with verse 26, but how honest are we being with God to do that. Are we going to live our lives refusing to accept baptism as God's way of putting us into Christ because we will not read and accept verse 27?

Look at (Col 2:11-12 NKJV) "In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, {12} buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead."

In these verses, Paul is comparing baptism to circumcision. Jews understood perfectly well the importance of circumcision. No one needed to tell them that if they were not circumcised they were not recognized as the Israel of God. Surely those who read Paul's letter got the point.

After speaking of Noah being saved by God granting him time to build an ark, he goes on to say, "There is also an antitype which now saves us; baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ," (1 Pet 3:21 NKJV)

Sometimes, those of us who believe that baptism is the step which puts us into Christ are accused by others of believing in "water salvation." Again, that is utter nonsense. As the scriptures point out that we have listed, it is baptism that puts us into Christ.

What Saves us? The blood of Christ!

We initially come in contact with the blood of Christ in baptism. Then each week we partake of the Lord's supper which is a weekly reminder of what He did for us.

The blood of Christ is indeed the essential part of our salvation. How do we come in contact with it? Through baptism and the Lord Supper; yet it is these two aspects of the Christian life that divide Christians so deeply, and it saddens me that this is true. Baptism is discounted and the Lord Supper is relegated to once a quarter, or once a year. Considering the Lord's unbelievable sacrifice, why do we argue over something as easy as being baptized or partaking of the Lord's supper each week?

Who Can be Baptized?

That's a good question, but there is a Bible answer. In (Acts 2:38 NKJV) Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Pretty simple. Peter told the Jews on the day of Pentecost that they needed to Repent and be baptized. I liken repentance to our dying to sin. If we are dead to sin, then it is appropriate to bury our old man in baptism, and we rise to walk in newness of life.

In (Acts 8:36-37 NKJV) We find this account, "Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, "See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?" {37} Then Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."

And so the eunuch was told, in effect, that he needed to confess Christ as the Son of God. Notice the response of the eunuch, at the end of verse 37: ""I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." Once again, some in the religious world confuses matter. They make the confession, the confession of sins. Yes, after we are baptized, we are admonished to confess our sins, but from the example of the eunuch as well as the scriptures, the confession we are talking about is that of confession Jesus to be the Son of God.

In writing to the church at Rome, Paul said, "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Rom 10:17 NKJV)

Few would deny that we have to hear the word of God and believe it before we can become a Christian.

I am a member of the Church of Christ. I am, in large part, because I believe the Church of Christ is one of very few churches who really teach the importance of baptism as taught in the Bible. Many in the Church of Christ spell it out as five steps which looks like this:

1. Hear the word of God: the gospel.

2. Believe: that means believing with an obedient faith.

3. Repent of past sins: that means being changed or converted.

4. Confess our faith in Christ,

5. Being baptized into Christ to rise to walk in newness of life.

I like to add a sixth step. These five put us into Christ. That's the easy part. The sixth step is much more involved: Living the Christian life:

(Rev 2:10 NKJV) "Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

Who can be baptized?

We've said a lot about baptism, but have we answered the question, "Who can be baptized?" Maybe we have if we put it all together. Only those who can hear, believe, repent, and confess Jesus can be baptized. That means that babies are not subjects to be baptized. First of all, they are innocent. They are not born in sin as some teach. They are born innocent. Secondly, a baby is not capable of doing what we have just been discussing. They cannot believe in Jesus as the Son of God, because they are not old enough to understand. They cannot speak. Paul said, "For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (Rom 10:10 NKJV) That makes the mouth, and confession vital to our salvation. Since a baby cannot speak intelligent words, it is incapable of confessing Christ, so babies are not to be baptized.

What should one do, if he were baptized as a baby, or misunderstood what baptism is all about? I suggest that the proper thing to do is to be baptized again. In Acts 19:3-5, we find this account: [Paul] said to them, "Into what then were you baptized?" So they said, "Into John's baptism." {4} Then Paul said, "John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus." {5} When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus." So what is the point? The point, as I see it, is that sometimes we need to be baptized again. This was a case where their baptism was very proper at the time, but then Jesus came, and now they needed to be baptized into Christ. In a similar way, there are babies who had no idea of what was happening to them. There are others who thought they were already saved before they were baptized. I would urge anyone who has a question about their baptism to be baptized again. Why take a chance? Why not be baptized again, and remove all doubt.

If I can be of help, please feel free to contact me. Contact Harley

You might also like to read an article by a good friend of mine who is not a member of the Church of Christ, but compare his statements with mine. He is addressing his Unitarian friends, but the statements apply to everyone. You may find his comments at What is So Difficult about Water Baptism?

I live in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. I'm sure any minister of the Church of Christ would be happy to help you, but if I can help please let me know.

A link to another site with more information about baptism

The following is an excellent article. Near the very end, it speaks of the laying on of hands as to how we receive the Holy Spirit. I believe this to be the miraculous measure of the Holy Spirit which required the laying on of the apostles hands, and since they have all been dead for centuries, we no longer have that measure of the laying on of hands. God gives the indwelling measure of the Spirit at our baptism, and this requires no laying on of hands. With that exception, the following article is an excellent article. Church of Christ and Church of God are both found in scripture. This site is by those who refer to themselves as the Church of God.

A link to another great article from a Church of God site.

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