What does it mean to be a Christian?

Membership class (part 1 of 4) Wellspring Community Church 1. What is a Christian? a. One who professes _______________ ______ ______ _______________ of Jesus Christ b. Term Christian was first used in Acts 11:26 i. Acts 11:26 and when he found him he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught large numbers. The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch. c. James looked at as a _______________ _______________ i. James 2:7 Don’t they blaspheme the good name that was invoked over you? 2. Maybe a better definition: A _______________ of Christ a. One who accepts and assists in _______________ ______ _______________ of another (Christ) b. _______________ used the term disciple i. Matthew 16:24a: Then Jesus said to his disciples… 3. How does one become a Christian or disciple? a. The Eunuch asked the question: Acts 8:36 As they were traveling down the road, they came to some water. The eunuch said, “Look, there’s water. What would keep me from being baptized?” b. One must _______________ i. John 3:16 For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. c. There must be _______________ i. Luke 24:46-48 He also said to them, “This is what is written: The Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead the third day, and repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in his name to all the nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. ii. True repentance leads a person to say, "______ _______________ _______________ " and prove it with a _______________ change of their direction. iii. Repentance requires _______________ _______________. iv. Repentance is not asking the Lord for _______________ with the intent to _______________ again. v. Repentance is an _______________, _______________ _______________ of sin with commitment to change. Page 1 of 4 Membership class (part 1 of 4) Wellspring Community Church vi. Repentance leads us to _______________ _______________ while _______________ _______________ that lead into sin 4. Following belief and repentance one must be _______________ a. We believe that baptism is _______________ part of the _______________ _______________ b. We baptize by _______________ i. Acts 8:36 & 39a ii. Matthew 3:16 c. We baptize because to follow _______________ example i. Matthew 3 Jesus’ baptism d. We baptize because it is part of the _______________ _______________ i. Matthew 28:19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, e. We baptize as an _______________ _______________ of our _______________ in _______________ _______________ i. Dr. M.R. DeHaan “In the early days of the church. . . , baptism was a declaration that the believer was definitely identifying himself with that group of people who were called Christians and were despised and hated. To be a Christian meant something. To identify yourself with those who were called Christians meant persecution, maybe death; it meant being ostracized from your family, shunned by friends. And the one act which was the final declaration of this identification was BAPTISM. As long as a man gathered with Christians, he was tolerated, but when once he submitted to baptism, he declared to all the world, I BELONG TO THIS DESPISED GROUP, and immediately he was persecuted, hated, and despised. In baptism, therefore, the believer entered into the fellowship of the sufferings of Christ. A person might be a believer and keep it strictly a secret and thus avoid unpleasantness and suffering, but once he submitted to public baptism he had burned his bridges behind him. . .” f. We baptize because it is a _______________ ______ _______________ _______________ i. Acts 8:39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him any longer but went on his way rejoicing. Page 2 of 4 Membership class (part 1 of 4) Wellspring Community Church ii. Romans 6:4 Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life. 5. What does a Christian or disciple look like? a. They are known by their _______________ i. Love of _______________ 1. Mark 12:30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. ii. Love for _______________ 1. Mark 12:31 The second is, Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other command greater than these.” iii. Love for _______________ _______________ 1. John 13:35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” b. They are known by their _______________ i. Matthew 7:15-20 “Be on your guard against false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravaging wolves. You’ll recognize them by their fruit. Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit; neither can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So you’ll recognize them by their fruit. 1. The fruit is a. Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things. c. They are known by their _______________ i. They _______________ _______________ 1. Matthew 9:9 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the toll booth, and he said to him, “Follow me,” and he got up and followed him. ii. They are ready to _______________ _______________ 1. Matthew 16:24-26 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will Page 3 of 4 Membership class (part 1 of 4) Wellspring Community Church find it. For what will it benefit someone if he gains the whole world yet loses his life? Or what will anyone give in exchange for his life? 2. Dietrich Bonhoeffer “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” iii. They fulfill the _______________ _______________ 1. Matthew 28:16-20 The eleven disciples traveled to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped, but some doubted. Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Page 4 of 4