Lakeview Baptist Church, Auburn
Are you a Christian? In a recent survey of Americans, 82 percent answered, “Yes.” Some have had a life-transforming encounter with Jesus Christ. Their lives have been changed by the power of the Spirit of God. Others who answered “yes” have never had a change of lifestyle. Their reasons for saying, “I am a Christian,” vary. Some say, “I prayed a prayer.” Still others see themselves as Christian because they seek to live by the golden rule, help people in need or are law-abiding citizens.
The Bible exposes the false doctrines that mislead people into believing they are true Christians when, in fact, they are not. Since a person’s eternal destiny hangs in the balance, every person should earnestly seek to discover the essence of genuine Christianity. Religion is mankind’s attempt to reach God by its own efforts. Christianity is grounded in a personal, saving relationship with Jesus. Christians are not just nice people. They are new people. The Bible says, “[I]f anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come” (2 Cor. 5:17).
One of the great misconceptions of our time is that Christianity is a matter of human goodness. In other words, God grades my life on the curve and I am better than most people. Jesus said, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matt. 5:48). Even our best efforts to live righteous lives do not measure up. God said,
“[A]ll our righteous acts are like filthy rags” (Isa. 64:6). How then can someone ever hope to be saved? The answer is found in the promise of God: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast” (Eph. 2:8–9).
Many have been led to believe they are true Christians because they had an emotional experience in a religious setting. While Christians experience emotions such as love, joy and peace, such feelings do not constitute the basis of true Christianity. People become Christians, not by what they feel or don’t feel but, by their faith in Jesus’ death on the cross. God’s Word promises, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31).
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