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Rogers Christian Church believes that salvation is:
Faith
Repentance
Confession
Baptism
are all important for each is a part of God's plan.
How do I join God's family?
We hope this page will offer some Biblical insight that proves helpful in answering this question. Allow us to make this observation:
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Joining God's Family
Adapted from Mark E. Jones
The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior. He alone can offer forgiveness of sins and eternal life. We are adopted in to god's family through Him. Those are wonderful promises. However, we are concerned that we in the church have often been unclear about the Bible's instructions concerning salvation and how we are to receive those promises. What does the Bible say about accepting Christ and being saved? How do we join God's family? We will answer these questions. You may have learned this differently, you may come from a denomination that interprets Scripture differently, we simply ask that you read this with an open mind.
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Repentance
Acts 3:19 says, "Repent, then and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord." Acts 17:30 continues, "God commands all people everywhere to repent." Still further, the Apostle Peter told the people in Acts 2:38, "Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."
To repent means to change direction. It doesn't just mean to be sorry for sin, it means to change from a lifestyle of sin to a lifestyle of obedience. It literally signifies making a U-turn. Now this doesn't suggest we will never get off track again after changing direction as a Christian. It means we will be headed in the right direction. If we get off course occasionally, we should repent again and get back on course.
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People have been heard arguing about when a person is actually saved. Some say it happens as soon as he or she offers a prayer of faith. Others suggest that genuine repentance is the key factor. Still others contend that nothing is 'official' until the person is baptized.
Let us consider this question: When is a couple actually married?
- Is it when they say, 'I do'?
- Is it when they repeat their vow?
- Is it when the minister pronounces them husband and wife?
- Is it when they have signed the marriage license?
I would say, the answer is "Yes, it is
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Faith
Hebrews 11:6 says, "Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. "Ephesians 2:8 adds, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -- and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God."
Salvation begins with faith in God; God as Father, God as Creator, God as Sustainer of the universe; it is also founded upon faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and the Savior of the world.
However, it is important that we understand exactly what faith really means. Faith is more that belief. The book of James tells us that even the demons believe in God, and they shudder at the thought of Him! We must move from belief to faith. Faith is literally belief in action. It is obedient belief. It is belief which leads to trust. Salvation begins with an honest, obedient, confident faith in God. |
Confession
Romans 10:9-10 says, "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." Jesus said in Matthew 10:32, "
Anyone who comes forward at Rogers Christian Church, either to become a Christian or to transfer membership, is asked to repeat a confession ~ a very simple and Biblical statement of faith: "I believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, my Lord and Savior." That is certainly not all there is to confessing Christ before men. Confession of Christ is a way of life, not a one-time declaration.
Repeating a confession of faith is like repeating wedding vows. It is a public and formal statement of intent. Nobody would suggest that the bride and groom are finished with their expressions of love once the vows have been said. Those public promises are only the beginning. They prove their vows later with love and faithfulness and support and verbal affirmation. Likewise, when it comes to our confessions of Christ, we make a public declaration first, but then we live our lives faithfully, making sure that our words and actions verify what we believe. |
when they have done all these things." Not one of them, by itself, is the magic moment. Each step is a crucial part of the marriage ceremony.
Rogers Christian Church believes that salvation is the same. Faith -- Repentance -- Confession -- Baptism
are all important for each is a part of God's plan.
Forgiveness of Sins
New Life in Christ
The Gift of the Holy Spirit
Eternal Life in Heaven
How can I receive those promises?
What does it mean to be a child of God?
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Baptism
Again, in Acts 2:38, "Peter replied, 'Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Mark 16:16 says further, "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned." There are several question that are often asked about baptism and they are answered and clarified.
Question: Why does Rogers Christian Church baptize by immersion?
Primarily for three reasons:
First, the New Testament was originally written in Greek and the Greek word for baptism is baptidzo which means to dip, to bathe, to submerge. There are other Greek words for sprinkling and pouring. Immersion is simply part of the definition of baptism.
Second, baptism is to symbolize a washing, and immersion and demonstrates a complete 'head-to-toe' washing. In Acts 22, the Apostle Paul recounted his conversion experience. He explained in verse 16 that Ananias said to him, "And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on (Jesus') name." Immersion symbolizes a cleansing.
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(Baptism) Third, immersion symbolizes a burial. Romans 6:3-4 says, "Don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life." Baptism represents a death, burial and resurrection. Jesus told Nicodemus in John, chapter 3, that a man must be born again to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Figuratively speaking, we have to die before we can be reborn, so baptism is logically, that symbol of the death, the burial and the resurrection.
Beauford Brant said that the baptistry is both a tomb and a womb. It is a tomb where we die to our old selves. It is a womb where we are reborn unto eternal life. That brings us to another commonly asked question.
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