What Is A Christian?

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What Is A Christian?

• What does it mean to BE a Christian?

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By Way of Reminder

• Reminders are important.
• The Lords Supper (1 Cor. 1126).
• 2 Pet. 115 31 Stir up your minds by way of
  reminder
• Why?
• That you may be mindful
• We need to be mindful of our roles and
  responsibilities as Christians.

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Several Words are Needed toDefine What a
Christian Is
Disciple
Believer
Servant of God
Saint
Child of God
Templeof the Lord
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Several Words are Needed toDefine What a
Christian Is
Christian
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Believer

• But without faith it is impossible to please
  Him (Heb. 116).
• He who believes and is baptized will be saved
  (Mark 1616).
• Therefore they are called believers in Acts
  514.
• You have been saved through faith (Eph. 28).

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Believer

• A true believer is not one who walk around
  saying, I believes in Jesus.
• But rather, by works faith is made perfect (James
  222 214-26).
• Though many people wish to stop here in the
  definition of a Christian, God shows us that
  there is much more involved. For a Christians is
  also a

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Disciple

Mark 1616Believe and be Baptized
Matthew 2819Make Disciples

• Learner Matt. 1129, learn from Me
• Being a disciple of Christ requires knowledge of
  who He was, what He did, and what He taught.
• Follower Luke 923, follow Me
• Being a disciple requires that we put our
  knowledge to use in our actions.

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Disciple
He who says he abides in Him ought himself also
to walk just as He walked. 1 John 26
Since discipleship requires obedience, it may
also be said that a Christian is a
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Servant of God

• We were purchased with His blood (Acts 2028).
• We were bought at a price (1 Cor. 620).
• Therefore we have been freed from sin.
• However, we are now servants to the One who
  purchased us.

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Servant of God
And He died for all, that those who live should
live no longer for themselves, but for Him who
died for them and rose again. 2 Cor. 515
Outside of Christ
In Christ
In Sin Judgment Servants of Sin Our reward,
eternal condemnation
In Righteousness Salvation Servants of God Our
reward, everlasting life
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Servant of God
Do you not know that to whom you present
yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's
slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to
death, or of obedience leading to
righteousness? Romans 616
Though we are called Christians, if we want
eternal life we must stop serving sin and start
serving God with our lives.
But now having been set free from sin, and
having become slaves of God, you have your fruit
to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. For
the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is
eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans
622-23
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Child of God

• When we were purchased as servants, we were also
  born again (John 33, 7).
• Sins forgiven, made pure and holy, made a new
  creation (2 Cor. 517).
• But who begat us when we were born?

For you are all sons of God through faith in
Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized
into Christ have put on Christ. Galatians 326-27
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Child of God

• That God was willing to send His Son to die so
  that He may adopt us and call us His children
  shows His great love for us (1 John 31).
• But with this blessing comes great responsibility.

Therefore be imitators of God as dear
children. Ephesians 51
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Child of God

• If Christians, as Gods children, continue to act
  like people in the world, then they cannot be
  called His children.
• Just as the one we serve becomes our master, so
  the one we imitate becomes our father.

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Child of God
Little children, let no one deceive you. He who
practices righteousness is righteous, just as He
is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for
the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this
purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He
might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever
has been born of God does not sin, for His seed
remains in him and he cannot sin, because he has
been born of God 1 John 37-9
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Temple of the Lord

• In the Old Testament the temple was where God
  made His presence known on the earth.
• But there is no temple today. Why?
• Do you not know that you (the church) are the
  temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells
  in you? (1 Cor. 316).

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Temple of the Lord

• Both collectively and individually we are said to
  be Gods temple because He dwells in us (1 Cor.
  619).
• He is not a second entity inside our bodies.
• But as we imitate Him, learn from His word, and
  fill hearts and lives with things from above, He
  is in us.
• Through our works His presence is made known to
  the world!
• But if we are not glorifying Him in our bodies,
  how can we be called His temple? (1 Cor. 620)

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SaintFaithful One

• This word summarizes all that we have discussed.
• For it describes a person who is faithful in all
  things to God.
• Saints are not people who have done miracles.
• Saints are not people of legend.
• Saints are all of Gods peopleAll who lives by
  faith as disciples, servants, and children and
  who keep themselves pure.

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SaintFaithful One

• Col. 112 They are the ones that will receive an
  inheritance in heaven.
• There will be many who believe in Christ and
  claim to do many works in His name.
• But only those who are faithful to do the will of
  the Father will enter the kingdom (Matt. 721).

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SaintFaithful One

• Christians, as saints, must be faithful in all
  things.
• Hebrews 11 shows us the kind of faithfulness we
  need as saints.
• Heb. 121 tells us to run with endurance as they
  did!
• Jesus said to be faithful until death (Rev.
  210).

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Conclusion

• Are you striving to be the kind of Christian God
  wants us to be?
• Though you believe, are you
• Walking in the footsteps of Jesus?
• Serving God in righteousness?
• Imitating God as His children?
• Keeping yourself pure as the temple of God?
• Being faithful in all things as the Lords saint?