Who was Jesus?
Jesus was a
man born in the year 1 in Israel. His birth was a miracle in that
his mother was a virgin. Actually, this was a fulfillment of an
ancient Hebrew prophecy. See Isaiah 7:14, "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."
The prophecy was written over 700 years before Jesus was born.
Jesus
claimed to be the son of God. He lived a pure and sinless
life. He preached that by accepting the fact that he was the son
of God and claiming to be a "sold-out" follower of him, one
could receive a full and eternal life.
Jesus
was executed by crucifixion by the Roman officials when he was about 33
years old. He returned to life after three days and was later taken
directly into heaven. Thus proving he has power over death.
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Why are
Christians always trying to get others to become Christians?
Christians truly believe that belief in Jesus
Christ is the only way one can live eternally in heaven. Jesus said,
"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
John 14:6
Therefore they feel a deep sense of urgency to
help other to know this "salvation" they have experienced.
They are motivated by a concern for their fellow humans.
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What does it mean
to be a Christian?
To be a
Christian literally means to be Christ-like. It means to be a
believer and a follower of the teachings of Jesus Christ as given in the
New Testament of the Holy Bible.
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Why are there so
many different kinds of Christian churches?
Many
Christians believe that Jesus gave each believer the authority to
interpret Scripture for himself. While this does not give license to
do what one wishes without any restrictions, it does allow for different
opinions on various matters. Even with these differences most
Christian churches believe in the same basic tenets of the faith.
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Is there more
than one way to Heaven?
No, according to the Bible,
Jesus is the only way. 6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6
and It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. He is "'the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.'
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
Acts 4:10-12
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What is the
Bible?
The Bible is a
collection of ancient writings that were written over a period of more
than 2,000 years. They are considered to be the very words of God
given to his chosen authors throughout history.
The central theme throughout the Bible is God's
love for mankind and his desire to have a relationship with them.
The Bible is divided in two parts, the Old
Testament and the New Testament.
The Old
Testament is full of prophecies of a coming messiah who will offer himself
as sacrifice once and for all.
The New Testament tells
how God became human in the form of Jesus Christ and lived among his
creation (mankind). It tells of how Jesus gave his life as punishment for the
sins of all humans by allowing himself to be executed by crucifixion. The chronicle
goes on to tell how Jesus returned to life demonstrating his power over
death and all nature. He offers the same assurance to all who follow
him and accept him as the son of God.
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What do
Christians mean by the terms "lost" and "saved"?
Simply
put, it means either that one will go to heaven or hell when he
dies. God desires that all people will go to heaven, but because
we all have a natural proclivity towards sin, we cannot enter into God's
perfect domain, heaven. Therefore, those who do not do what it takes
to enter into heaven are considered lost.
To be saved, means to be rescued from the natural
fate of men, that is to go to hell. In God's deep desire that all
people be saved he sent his own son, Jesus, to serve as a sacrifice for
the sins of man. By acceptance of this fact and becoming a follower
of Jesus one is saved. Salvation is not found in a religious act,
rather in a relationship with the savior, Jesus
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What is a church?
Church
is probably not what you think it is. It is have nothing to do with
a building. The church is the "body of Christ." That
is, it is the community of believers of Jesus.
In once sense, church is the worldwide group of
believers. In another sense the "local church" is a group
of Jesus' followers who gather regularly to worship God.
A church can meet in a building that is built for
that special purpose, or it could be a group that meets in a home or
virtually anywhere.
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Must one attend a
church to be a Christian?
No. Being a Christian is
not dependent on any action. It is a matter of the heart.
However, church attendance is extremely important to the spiritual growth
and development of the believer.
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