Author : Emmanuel Ebong
Every believer in a cause must ask a question related to it. This is exactly what the early disciples did on the day of Pentecost when they asked Peter and the rest of the apostles, “men and brethren, what shall we do?”(Acts 2:37) This is an age long question that pertains to the salvation of man. How I wish people are asking this question today with an open heart as on the day of Pentecost.
If I want to become a student of any institution of learning, there are some conditions I must meet. For instance, if I want to become a pilot, there are some important courses I must take. And in order to succeed as a student, I must be an ardent believer/follower in my area of pursuit. In essence, we are talking about discipleship. This same principle of discipleship will hold true if I am to become a Christian. Becoming a Christian guarantees one the divine access to where Christ (the head of Christianity) is; if one is diligent to the end (see John 14:6). If one is to be where Christ is at the end of time, one must do what He says. Jesus says ” if you love Me, keep My commandments” and His “commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3).
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (KJV)
This command of teaching and making men disciples of Christ started its fulfillment on the day of Pentecost. This is why Acts 2 is pivotal to the establishment of the church. On that day, Peter and the rest of the apostles stood up and addressed that great audience where over three thousand from over seventeen different nations were gathered. At the end of it, over three thousand souls that heard the gospel; believedthe gospel, repented of their sins, confessed Christ and werebaptized for the remission of their sins. Finally ” and the Lord added to the church those who were being saved.” May I point out here that it is God that adds the saved to the church (Acts 2:47). They were not asked to “join” any church of their choice. Later on, the Bible states that the disciples were named “Christian” in Antioch (see Acts 11:26).
“Christianos: Christian, a word formed after the Roman style, signifying an adherent of Jesus, was first applied to such by the Gentiles and is found in Acts 11: 26; 26:28; 1 Pet. 4:16.” (Vines Expository Dictionary Of Old And New Testament Words, p 191).
One very unique aspect of Christianity was (is) that it is so organized and it follows a pattern defined by God Himself. This means that the primitive disciples also known as “Christians” followed the teachings (doctrines) of Christ to the letter; thus the name “Christian.” What this means is that for anyone to become a Christian today (as it was at the inception of the church on the day of Pentecost), such a one must be willing to follow and adhere strictly to the teachings of Christ. One must be willing to pick up the cross and follow Christ. In other words, the religion of Christ is not that of convenience, but sacrifice.
John 3:16 says: ” For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believe in Him should not perish; but have everlasting life.”
1 Tim 2:4-6 says: 4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. (KJV)
Mark 16:15-16 says: 15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.(KJV)
Matt 28:19-20 says: 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (KJV)
From the above Scriptures, we see that this salvation is for “whosoever believe in Him, all mensince He gave Himself a ransom for all, all the world every creature, all nations. No wonder Titus 2:11 says that the “grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men” Indeed, this salvation is for whosoever wills. It is a general invitation of salvation to mankind. Shouldn’t you a part of it? We thank God that we are not coerced to do anything that we are not willing to do. We have absolute freedom to choose. May we use that freedom to the glory of God.
There are many instances in the Scriptures to substantiate that since A.D. 33, God has been faithful to His promise. On the day of Pentecost alone, God added about three thousand (3000) souls to the church from over seventeen nations, which include Islamic nations. Other instances include Phillip and the Ethiopian Eunuch, Peter and the household of Cornelius, Saul of Tarsus, The Philippian jailor etc. All these did not have to go through any special session. The apostles did not have to preach any special sermon. In the case of Saul of Tarsus, no amount of praying could save him until he arose and was baptized for the remission of his sins. Neither did moral purity save Cornelius and his household. He had to send men to Joppa to bring Peter. While the Ethiopian Eunuch did not hesitate when he heard the gospel, but had to render obedience to the word of God even while on transit. The Phillipian jailor did not forbid water baptism when he had the opportunity. These never procrastinated but acted right away. They all arose and acted immediately. These are good examples for us to follow.
Indeed, it is salvation for all nations. People from Africa, Palestine, Arabia, Europe, and indeed the Roman world were present. This religion was not meant for any particular geographic region, but for all.
Acts 2:36-41
36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. 37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? 38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. 40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. 41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.(KJV)
From the above scriptures, we find that the following things were involved in becoming Christians. These conditions are still valid today.
a. Hearing: Hearing of the undiluted WORD of God. We must be careful that it is the word of God that we hear and not that of men. Words of men only produce disciples of men. What God wants are disciples of Christ. Romans 10:17 says that faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
b. Believe: Belief is of great importance with respect to our faith. What we believe goes a long way to shaping the foundation of our faith. There “is no salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts4: 12). They believed Peter and the rest of the apostles because the scripture says that they were pricked in their heart.
c. Repent: This is the turning point in every believer’s life. On Pentecost, they repented of their sins. To repent means making a 180-degree turn from bad to better, from left to right. Not a 360-degree turn that goes back to the same spot. In short, it means making a U-Turn.
d. Confessing Christ: Confessing Christ to be the Son of God. Jesus said “whosoever confesses Me be before men, Him will I confess before My Father who is in heaven; but whosoever denies Me before men, Him will I deny before My Father who is in heaven. So confess Christ now and be accepted before God the Father.
e. Baptism: Finally one must be baptized for the remission of his/her sins in the name (that is, the authority) of Jesus Christ. At the point of baptism, one becomes a “Christian” or “born again.”
Please endeavor to avoid the tautology of “born-again Christian.” It’s either one is a Christian (born-again) or not. Jesus said that unless one is born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God (church). Baptism, as claimed by some, is not important, thus the paraphrase that “it is an inward stuff of an outward whatever”. Please correct me if I am wrong. But this would totally negate the fact that baptism (which is a medium of contact with the blood of the Lamb) is totally not important. Even if the idea of baptism does not make sense to us, let us not forget that it makes a whole lot of sense to God our Creator. Let’s not forget that “we walk by faith and not by sight”(2Cor.5:7). Citing instances from the Old Testament scriptures, we find out that salvation or deliverance only came after men carried out God’s instructions. For example, the case of Noah. He was saved after building the ark as specified by God using gopher wood. While in Egypt, the children of Israel that obeyed God and carried out His instruction concerning the blood of the Passover did not lose their first-born. The children of Israel were only saved after crossing the Red Sea. The children of Israel that beheld the brazen serpent were saved from death. The walls of Jericho crumbled in its place. Even Naaman was cleansed from leprosy. All of these instances had the following in common. There was faith in God without which, no man can see God(Hebrews 6:11). The grace of God was sufficient unto them. And they all were obedient to God. This is the same thing that applies to us today. Baptism is done by faith through the grace of God in obedience to the WILL of God. It is a spiritual rebirth that puts us in contact with Christ. The following passages deal more with the issue of baptism (John 3:5; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16; Romans 6:3-4; Galatians 3:26; Ephesians 5:25-26; Colossians 2:11-13; Titus 3:5; Hebrews 10:22; 1Peter 3:21).
Col.2:11-13
11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: 12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses. (KJV).1 Pet 3:21
21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. (KJV).
So how can one become a Christian? Do what the early Christians did. Hear the Gospel; Believe the gospel; Repent of your sins; Confess Christ and finally be baptized for the remission of your sins. This is what God says on the issue of salvation. God says it; that settles it; I believe it.
