Calvary Baptist Church - What is a Christian?

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324 Avon
Burlington, WA 98233
ph: 360-755-0671
calvarybaptist1@clear.net

What is a Christian?

Christians Follow Jesus

The Basics

Simply put, a Christian is one who believes in and follows Jesus Christ. Christians believe that Jesus Christ was not only a historical figure and a great moral teacher, but that He was God come to earth. In Jesus we are not only shown the best and fullest way to live our lives, but through belief in Him we able to be in relationship with God Himself.

Why does it matter?

We believe having a relationship with God is of the greatest importance, not only for our individual lives, but for the whole human race. If we look at the state of our lives and our world, we can all agree that something has gone terribly wrong--there is poverty, pain, war, suffering and death that we not only experience, but inflict upon each other. Christians call this horrible state "sin," and it is the result of a broken relationship with God. The human race has walked away from our Creator and our attempt to run things ourselves has resulted in the "sin" we see and experience.

"Gospel" Truth

It is through Jesus that God reached out to us again; offering love, relationship and hope to the human race. Jesus died a sacrificial death, taking for the human race all the consequences we deserved, then rose to life again, proving He was more than a normal man, but our Savior. Christians call this story "the gospel" and by believing and accepting it, we enter into a new state, a new life where this "sin" is no longer in control.

Not Crazy, but Beautiful

If you're hearing this for the first time, it may sound a little crazy! But stop and consider your own life, the lives of those around you and the state of our world. We are in desperate need of hope, of love... of saving. Doesn't it fill your heart to think of a God who has shared in our pain? Who knows what we face and suffer every day--even to the point of death? This same God is every moment calling out to you, and to all the human race, wanting to love you, heal your life and bring peace to our world. This is the Jesus Christ that we believe in.

The Bible

To learn more about the nature of God, the ministry of Jesus and the history of our world, Christians study the Bible. The Bible isn't one book written by one author, but a collection of histories, letters, poetry and stories passed from generation to generation. It chronicles the story of the Jewish people, their special relationship with God, tells the story of Jesus and the first Christians. Christians today believe in the Bible because we believe it to be inspired by God, meaning that it is more than a dry old collection of ancient history, but that it has something real and true to say to us now.

"Church"

Church is just another name for a gathering of Christians. Sometimes we refer to church as a service held on Sundays, or the building that we meet in, but the true meaning of church is people.

Christians meet together to learn more about God, to pray and worship together and to be encouraged in our faith.

Your Homework...

Hopefully some of this has sparked some questions and ideas! If so, don't push those sparks to the back of your mind... find out for yourself who Jesus is and what He means to you. The first place to go for answers is the Bible: the book of John tells the whole story of Jesus in a poetic style. If you're a more structured thinker, the book of Romans is a highly organized letter that explains Christianity. If you're the intellectual type who's not sure about the Bible yet, try "Mere Christianity" by CS Lewis, a British professor and Christian writer from the 1930's. Finally, if reading just isn't your thing at all, go talk to someone! Visit a local pastor and ask him or her your questions... call up a Christian friend or family member. Whatever you do, don't let your interest in God die out. Pursue Him just as He has sought you.

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324 Avon
Burlington, WA 98233
ph: 360-755-0671
calvarybaptist1@clear.net