Being a Christian - Becoming a Christian - but how?

In our broad scope of viewing things, many people profess themselves to Christianity. Even though they do not belong to a church or attend one, they say that they are "Christians". For whatever reason, that is the way it is. Some believe that Jesus once lived and His teachings were good and, therefore, they think that they are Christians. Others believe that their belonging to a "church" automatically makes them to be believers. Nothing is further away from the truth.

In order to "be a Christian", conversion is first of all necessary. This does not take place through a written declaration of membership to a "church", but rather as Jesus says- through a true following and a personal experience of His resurrection.

All the apostles of Jesus taught (Acts 2:38) that whoever wants to be a Christian must firstly believe in the resurrection and the work of Jesus on the cross. You have to carry your cross and separate yourself from the worldly life and sin. You have to "be buried" in the water baptism in Jesus' name (Romans 6:4 "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death..." Colossians 2:12 "Buried with him in baptism..."). There is no such thing as "baby baptism"! On the 3. day, Jesus rose again from the dead, we experience this resurrection with Him when we receive the Holy Spirit, for in Romans 8:9, it says, "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." Everywhere in the book of Acts, we see how this takes place. The conversion, the water baptism, and the baptism of the Holy Spirit is called "being born again", which Jesus speaks about in John 3:1-7. Only then has a person truly become a "baby Christian" (I.Peter 2:2). Christ requires obedience to the gospel and His teachings (Mark 16:16). The apostles teach exactly the same thing. Whoever obeys the gospel will find life (John 14:21)! rw