Village Schools of the Bible

HOW MUCH MUST I KNOW & BELIEVE
TO BECOME A CHRISTIAN?
by Monty Sholund

"Hi, Mont. Hey, I've been thinking a lot lately about this important question. Just how much does a guy need to know to truly become a believer? It's so easy for people to 'believe', that is to agree with Christian doctrine, but at what point does 'agreement' become 'belief'? Other people are busy in their churches, busy on committees, singing in the choir, running kid's clubs, and seem to think that their involvement in the program would indicate they are surely true believers. Monty, what would you say are the bare essentials, necessary for receiving eternal life?"

It was, as usual, in the midst of a refreshing phone conversation that Chris asked me this. He is a precious son-in-the-faith and I'm thankful that his mind is ever alert to the need for reality in faith. His is not a trite or unimportant question. In fact, the attempt to answer it is healthy and helpful. I suggested to Chris that there are three things needful to being born again, as I read the Scriptures.

1. A true sense of repentance, a need to be forgiven and to be freed from sin.

Nearly everybody wants 'to go to heaven' when they die. Why not? What's there to lose! 'Accepting Christ' is the acceptable and expected thing to do in ones social and religious community. Whether by ritual or by routine, it's the thing to do. But unless this decision is accompanied by a deep sense of personal, spiritual need, the decision may wither in the face of other social alternatives.

The Scriptures are so clear on this point. Some people were condemning Galileans as terrible sinners and he responded, "Unless you repent, you too will all perish". And he repeated this warning, so important was it. (Luke 13:1-5). In Peter's great Pentecost sermon he said, "'Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified both Lord and Christ.' When the people heard this they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, 'Brothers, what shall we do?' Peter replied, 'Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'" (Acts 2:36-38). In other words, their acknowledgment of their need must be an anguish of the heart, a profound acknowledgment of their need to be forgiven.

Repentance is not merely a vague 'feeling sorry' for my sins, for my rejection of God and His Salvation. It is, in effect, changing my mind regarding the authority of God in my life. It is a deep conclusion that there is nothing I can possibly do on my own that will bring me peace and pardon. This may or may not be accompanied by weeping but it must be accompanied by truly wanting Jesus Christ to forgive me, forever!

2. A deep conviction that Jesus Christ is God incarnate, born to die for my sins and, having paid the death-penalty for my sins, was raised from the dead to give me eternal life.

When I am completely convicted that I need God to forgive me, I am prepared to be totally convinced that Jesus Christ is my only hope. As the hymn-writer says, "There was no other good enough to pay the price of sin. He only could unlock the gates of heaven and let me in." When I am convinced of this, by the work of the Holy Spirit, then I am able quietly and confidently to know that I am a new creature in Christ Jesus. There is no need to struggle or to lament or to grieve over the past. I am now a new creature in Christ Jesus. 2 Corinthians 5:16 and 17 tell me so, "From now on we no longer look at people or possessions or life's purpose from a worldly point of view...if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has gone, the new has come." What a marvelous gift this new life is. We are alive, truly alive. We are no longer merely existing, getting up each day to spin through another twenty-four hours but we are alive, in Christ, forever!

3. A commitment to Christ, who as the Lord of my life, the owner, manager, the CEO has logical right to all of my life, having purchased me with His blood.

Many Philogian readers may be painfully aware of the controversy between theologians about the true nature of the new birth. There are some who say that simply saying 'yes' to Jesus, whether at a crusade. in a confirmation class or in the quiet of ones heart is enough for salvation, regardless of the consequences. They would say that any other perspective would be to add 'works' to simple faith. Others would say, and I agree, that we are indeed saved by faith, plus nothing, but once saved there will be inevitable evidences. It is sometimes the failure to emphasize point no. 3 that robs prospective believers of the glory and significance of being born anew.

The Scriptures seem to be clear in this matter. "'The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart' (Deuteronomy 30:14), that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: that if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved." (Romans 10:8-10). Please note, and this is crucial: We believe with our hearts or our spirits, our inner-most convictions, and not merely with our minds. Minds produce decisions, but the spirit produces deliverance. One can be converted without being committed to Jesus as Lord. And mere conversion, an action of the mind, will never give one eternal life. Commitment to Christ, an action of the heart, brings eternal life, God's wonderful gift!

So in response to Chris's question, "How much does one need to know and believe to become a Christian?" one must be convinced of a total spiritual need, one must be convinced that Jesus Christ is both able to forgive, to pardon and to provide all I need for eternal life, and I must be convinced that, having paid for my sins, Christ deserves my life, and my life shall be entirely His, forever. The result will be, obviously, an eagerness to build up my brothers in faith, to reach out to earthlings with the gift of life, to grow in my knowledge and trust, to allow the Word to dwell in my richly, to turn to God from idols to serve Him and to wait for His Son from heaven.

But these things will follow my abandoning my life, my all to the rule of the Lord Jesus. I do not get to heaven by being faithful, I am faithful because I'm on my way to heaven. I do not get to heaven by being good, I long to be good because I'm on my way to heaven. Indeed, I have no reason at all to boast in myself, for it's by grace I've been saved. But I will boast in the cross of my Lord Jesus Christ (Galatians 6:14), for I died there with Christ and I no longer live for me. (2 Corinthians 5:14). My present life is lived by faith with Him, who loves me and who lives in me (Galatians 2:20).

What more, in this whole, wide world, could one want !

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