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Many people who were raised in a Christian household, attended Sunday School, and have never killed anybody, think they will go to Heaven when they die. To even begin to have an encounter with God, it is necessary to become baptized, and by baptized it means immersed in water. This is what it means to become "born again."
Living in a Christian household doesn't make anyone a Christian any more than living in a garage makes them a car. So, why is it necessary to go through the ritual of being born again? The Bible says that anyone who believes in Christ will have eternal life. That's the thing. Even demons believe. Satan believes. That is why it is necessary to stand up in front of witnesses and declare one's allegiance to Christ and turn away from sin.
Living a sinless life takes more than just controlling the urge to kill people. God is aiming for a much higher standard than just not being a serial killer. Turning away from sin means turning away from smoking, cursing, drunkenness and pilfering office supplies from work.
Being good doesn't come easy, even to born again Christians. That is why God sent us the Holy Spirit (John 14:15-18), to put us through boot camp to become ready for Heaven. He gets right down to the DNA and makes us better, more righteous people. He changes our feelings and our actions.
Over time, people with the Holy Spirit start to change. Jokes that were once hilarious suddenly seem tacky and offensive. The urge to smoke, drink or use drugs starts to fade. People become calmer and more forgiving. Computer games and gambling give way to reading the Bible and spending time in prayer.
Christians also fast. This is another way of getting God's attention and forming a close relationship with Him. There are two ways to engage in a Christian fast. One is a water fast. Here, nothing is consumed from sunup to sundown apart from water and diluted fruit juice. During a fast, Christians are instructed to spend more time than usual in prayer and reading the Bible. Without them, the fast is no more than a weight loss diet.
The other choice of Christian fast is modeled after the prophet Daniel. It goes on for 21 days and involves a very strict vegan regime. No animal products are consumed, as well as alcohol, sugar, artificial preservatives or sweeteners. Only unleavened bread in the form of rice cakes, wholemeal tortilla wraps, etc., may be consumed. Fortunately, potatoes are considered vegetables and are therefore permitted! As with a water fast, prayer and spending time reading the Bible are required.
Another essential Christian practice toward an encounter with God is the act of tithing, or giving ten percent of one's income to God, from whom all blessings flow. It is practical to donate to one's local church.
Living in a Christian household doesn't make anyone a Christian any more than living in a garage makes them a car. So, why is it necessary to go through the ritual of being born again? The Bible says that anyone who believes in Christ will have eternal life. That's the thing. Even demons believe. Satan believes. That is why it is necessary to stand up in front of witnesses and declare one's allegiance to Christ and turn away from sin.
Living a sinless life takes more than just controlling the urge to kill people. God is aiming for a much higher standard than just not being a serial killer. Turning away from sin means turning away from smoking, cursing, drunkenness and pilfering office supplies from work.
Being good doesn't come easy, even to born again Christians. That is why God sent us the Holy Spirit (John 14:15-18), to put us through boot camp to become ready for Heaven. He gets right down to the DNA and makes us better, more righteous people. He changes our feelings and our actions.
Over time, people with the Holy Spirit start to change. Jokes that were once hilarious suddenly seem tacky and offensive. The urge to smoke, drink or use drugs starts to fade. People become calmer and more forgiving. Computer games and gambling give way to reading the Bible and spending time in prayer.
Christians also fast. This is another way of getting God's attention and forming a close relationship with Him. There are two ways to engage in a Christian fast. One is a water fast. Here, nothing is consumed from sunup to sundown apart from water and diluted fruit juice. During a fast, Christians are instructed to spend more time than usual in prayer and reading the Bible. Without them, the fast is no more than a weight loss diet.
The other choice of Christian fast is modeled after the prophet Daniel. It goes on for 21 days and involves a very strict vegan regime. No animal products are consumed, as well as alcohol, sugar, artificial preservatives or sweeteners. Only unleavened bread in the form of rice cakes, wholemeal tortilla wraps, etc., may be consumed. Fortunately, potatoes are considered vegetables and are therefore permitted! As with a water fast, prayer and spending time reading the Bible are required.
Another essential Christian practice toward an encounter with God is the act of tithing, or giving ten percent of one's income to God, from whom all blessings flow. It is practical to donate to one's local church.
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