LIKE CHRIST OR CHRISTLIKE?

When asked, ‘what does it mean to be a Christian?’ The quick answer is typically, ‘to be Christlike.’

Simple, right? Yes and no.

All too often people reverse the order of the words so they read LIKE CHRIST. In doing so, the meaning of the words is changed and therefore behavior becomes the primary focus. People think the goal is to act like Christ; imitate his example as a great man, teacher and spiritual leader. They think doing things that please God will make him love them more.

This is NOT the way it works. Rather, when people put their faith in Jesus Christ, they are born again. In short, they are born of the Holy Spirit just like Christ himself (virgin birth). Christians actually become children of God – members of the Father’s family. Wow!

Do you see the difference between acting LIKE CHRIST and being CHRISTLIKE?

When Christians understand who they are in Christ, they are motivated by the Spirit to act accordingly. Behavior does not dictate their status or position in the family of God. Rather, their understanding of this son- or daughter-ship in his family empowers and motivates them to follow the Holy Spirit’s leading. This sets the course for new behavior which helps them act LIKE CHRIST.

BAPTISM DOESNʼT MAKE ANYONE A CHRISTIAN

A person becomes a Christian by accepting God’s offer. The Bible says this is the only way.

Baptism doesn’t make a person a Christian; but baptism is the outward sign – a public declaration – that he is a Christian.

THE BIBLE SAYS CHRISTIANS SHOULD BE BAPTIZED

Scripture clearly states that everyone who accepts God’s offer of new life – everyone who becomes a Christian – should be baptized with water.

Baptism was practiced by religious people long before Jesus Christ came. For example, Jews baptized Gentiles who wanted to join the Jewish faith.

There is little detail given in the Bible about how baptism should be performed. The Bible was written at a time when ceremonialism and magic were very prevalent; any strong emphasis upon baptism would have been taken in a magical sense and called too much attention to an outward physical act.

Baptism was demonstrated by Jesus when, as an adult, he and others were baptized in the Jordan River by John the Baptist in a public display. There are other baptisms reported in the Bible, but with different circumstances and even less detail. However, all appear to have occurred promptly after the new Christians accepted God’s offer of new life through faith in Jesus Christ.

BAPTISM OF HOLY SPIRIT IS ANOTHER KIND OF BAPTISM

The Bible also speaks of the ‘baptism of the Holy Spirit,’ which means God’s spirit entering a person when he receives new life (see Mark 1:8, Acts 1:5 and Topic 44). In a narrower sense, that term is used by some people to refer to the experience of ‘speaking in tongues’ (see Topic 65).

BAPTISM IS DECLARATION OF NEW LIFE IN CHRIST

When a person is baptized, he publicly declares that:

1. He has died to the old life. Water portrays the washing away of sin. Going into the water symbolizes death to the sins of the past. Coming out of the water symbolizes the beginning of new life.
2. He has a new power for living. He testifies that his spirit is connected with God’s spirit (Holy Spirit).
3. He is joining the Christian community. He becomes a part of the world-wide fellowship of people who have found new life in Christ and love one another.
4. He is sealing a new agreement. It’s like a hand-shake in a deal or giving a ring in a marriage ceremony. This new agreement, initiated by God, is that Christ’s righteousness is imputed to him and therefore he doesn’t have to pay the penalty for his own sins.

Baptism is especially significant in non-Christian cultures because it boldly plants the flag of faith for all to see. In environments hostile to Christianity, baptism is often followed by persecution.

SOME PEOPLE CHOOSE TO BE BAPTIZED TWICE

Some people who were baptized as infants – before personally accepting Jesus Christ as savior – choose to be baptized again as adults with full understanding and testimony of what baptism means to them, as distinguished from, or complimentary to, what it meant to their parents.

DEFINITION OF A CHRISTIAN

The word ʻChristianʼ has different meanings to different people (see Topic 11). The common cultural meaning of the term is a baptized church member who works hard to live a good life. According to the Bible, however, many people who think they are Christians by that criteria are really not Christians at all; they are not qualified for heaven.

The Bible provides a very specific test for who is, and who is not, a Christian. By Godʼs definition, a Christian is a person who believes and acts upon this statement of faith:

Salvation is by grace alone through personal faith in Jesus Christ.

This statement is the succinct summary of Godʼs message in the Bible. The central message is not about being good, but about the need for a savior. God offers a savior (see Topics 54-59) and everyone who accepts his offer is a Christian.

Acceptance of Godʼs offer is a very specific act of faith (expressed as a prayer) made by the individual in a personal encounter with him.

Becoming a Christian is NOT something received from an organization as a privilege of membership or as an award for compliance or sacrifice. It is NOT a reward for good works. It is NOT the result of baptism. It is NOT bestowed by someone elseʼs prayer. It is an individualʼs own decision to accept Jesus Christ as personal Savior (see Topic 45).

The decision to become a Christian is a specific, conscious act of the will, usually at a memorable time and place. Just as a marriage is consummated with a solemn ʻI do,ʼ a personal relationship with God is consummated with a solemn prayer to receive Jesus Christ as personal Savior and acknowledge Him as Lord. This is spiritual birth – the way one becomes a Christian – and the beginning of a new and better life; including Godʼs promise of heaven after death.

HOW TO BECOME A CHRISTIAN

When a person becomes a Christian, he doesnʼt just take a label to identify with a philosophy or group (like joining a political party)… he doesnʼt just determine to live a better life (like making a New Yearʼs resolution)… he doesnʼt just get help (like going to a counselor)… he doesnʼt just embrace a new religion (like becoming a New Ager). The decision to become a Christian is more profound and more important than any other kind of decision.

When a person becomes a Christian, he receives an amazing free gift from God which consists of three components: (1) pardon from all sin, (2) Holy Spirit within, and (3) eternal life. This gift causes such a positive transformation that the person is literally ʻborn againʼ (Godʼs words) and enters a new realm of spiritual life unknown to those who havenʼt experienced it.

PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE: GOD SEEMS UNFAIR TO OTHERS

People usually don’t have trouble acknowledging God’s power, but they often have trouble accepting his justice. Common hang-ups about his justice are summarized in the following five objections:

OBJECTION 1 – God brings us into this world as frail beings with a sinful nature, a condition beyond our control, and then he blames us for not being perfect, and condemns us to hell for it. That’s not fair!

OBJECTION 2 – God offers salvation through Jesus Christ, but most people throughout the world and throughout history have been denied adequate information about him, and presumably they’ll go to hell for rejecting someone they haven’t heard about. That’s not fair!

OBJECTION 3 – God allows bad things to happen to good people and good things to happen to bad people. That’s not fair!

OBJECTION 4 – Someone can live a vile life but at the last minute, before death, accept Jesus Christ as savior and then have the same eternal benefits as others who have led good lives the whole time. That’s not fair!

OBJECTION 5 – If salvation is a free gift and there’s nothing we can do to earn or enhance it, God has humiliated us and reduced us to helpless beggars. That’s not fair!

In the minds of many people, these objections prove that God is unfair in his dealings with us and this perception makes it very difficult for them to respond to his offer.

However, these objections are only hypothetical arguments because we don’t know how God is dealing with every individual. For all we know, he may be dealing fairly with everyone on a personal basis just as he’s dealing fairly with you (see below).

IMPERSONAL PERSPECTIVE: GOD IS FAIR TO YOU

The preceding objections are valid ones, and they need answers. But answers make sense only when we understand that God is a personal God:

God has power and purposes beyond our comprehension and therefore there are many things we’ll never understand. However, God is not a force or principle, but rather a divine person, with mind, will and emotion (see Topic 39). Everyone is made in his image (see Topic 7), and everyone is connected to him by a relationship, or disconnected for lack of one. A person doesn’t know about everyone else’s relationship with God, but he does know about his own; to him that’s all that matters.

Therefore, because we lack facts and mental capacity, the real question is not Is God fair? but rather Is God fair to YOU?

Here’s how the objections look when you move from an impersonal perspective to a personal perspective:

With regard to OBJECTION 1, it’s true that you were born with a sin nature and destined for hell (see Topic 60), but there’s nothing unfair about it for YOU because others are in the same condition and because YOU can easily, instantly and freely accept Jesus Christ as your personal savior and thus be pardoned from all YOUR sin. Never mind what God may do for others, or how he may do it, this is what he will do for YOU!

With regard to OBJECTION 2, the concern about people who have been denied information doesn’t pertain to YOU because YOU have essential information about Jesus Christ. In ways you may not understand, God will deal fairly with people who haven’t had an opportunity to hear about Jesus.

With regard to OBJECTION 3, is it not fair that God gives YOU (and everyone) free will? When we live in community and everyone has free will, is it not inevitable that we will often get hurt? The things that happen in this earthly life are temporary and random, in a sin-scarred world (see Topics 47-49). That’s why God offers YOU a savior and heaven.

With regard to OBJECTION 4, God’s justice is based more on love than on fairness, and thus his justice is more than fair (see Topic 51, where Jesus explains this principle in his own words). Regardless of the way God may express his love to others, he’s fair in his offer to YOU.

With regard to OBJECTION 5, YOU are a helpless beggar before Almighty God. That’s hard on the ego, but it’s the key point. Is it not fair for the creator to expect you to acknowledge him for his supreme majesty and holiness? Stubborn self-pride can be the deal-breaker for you and send you to hell. God is fair because he offers to adopt you into his own family, but it’s YOUR choice.

UNFAIRNESS ISSUES ARE USUALLY SMOKE SCREENS

People who have adequate knowledge of Jesus Christ but don’t accept him as personal savior because they say they’re hung-up on fairness issues are usually just putting up smoke screens for their real reasons, such as: (1) too much pride to submit to God, (2) too busy pursuing personal ambitions, or (3) unwillingness to let God make lifestyle changes. The smoke screens may fool other people, but they don’t fool God.

WEʼRE ACCOUNTABLE FOR ACTING ON WHAT WE KNOW

Some people are privileged at this point in time to know more about God than others. God is just and he takes this into account. ‘Progressive revelation’ is his method (see Topic 27).

God doesn’t ask us to accept him (Jesus Christ) as a world, as a nation, as a church or as a family, but as an INDIVIDUAL when we receive knowledge of his offer. It’s a personal thing.

It doesn’t matter what other people know or don’t know. What’s important is what we know and how we respond to our own personal knowledge.

Even if a person – like someone scanning this site – doesn’t have much information about the Bible and God’s offer, he’s at least been put on notice that an offer exists and should be investigated. God will hold him responsible for taking the next reasonable step in acting on the spiritual information he’s received so far.

WE MUST NOT JUDGE OTHER PEOPLEʼS SPIRITUALITY

In the Bible, God says that we must not judge other people with respect to the amount or quality of spiritual information they have received or with respect to what they are doing with that information. God alone is the judge and it’s a personal matter.