"who
you can become" by Howard Watson
Christianity starts with the individual and God in Christ. Each
individual must come to experience faith in Christ for himself/herself.
He must shed all doubt of the miracle of Jesus Christ in believing
upon Jesus as the Messiah/Christ, the anointed, Holy Spirit lead
eternal Son of God. Scripture fully and completely teaches: (a)
a change of mind (repentance "metanoeo" as in Matt. 3:2)
from unbelief to acceptance of the Holiness of Christ Jesus and
of one's own unholiness in sin and past unbelief. See (John 3; Romans
3:23; Romans 6:23; Romans 5:8 and Romans 10:13). (b) Each individual
is personally accountable before God and Christ. See (Romans 14:10f;
Hebrews 2:2f, 10:26f, 12:25 and Revelation 20:12f).
Each person, therefore, must have a personal testimony of faith
in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. A Christian will give witness
to this experience of faith (Romans 10:9,10). The Holy Spirit of
Christ/God has given new life through the new birth/regeneration
experience with the presence of new love, joy, peace and hope in
Christ's word of promise for now and the future. Consequently, there
is a change of life style from being self-centered to being Christ
centered. The self adulation of the past/former life which is loathsome
and envy provoking will change to Christ exalting in humility.
PERSONAL TESTIMONY: "I was nearing
my twelfth birthday when the Nazarene Church in my home community
of Rand, WV, in the warmth of summer, scheduled a tent revival.
I attended one night with a boyhood friend. The Lord spoke to my
heart as the evangelist from Kentucky spoke of Jesus Christ, sin,
unbelief or belief, and my need of the Savior. The next night at
the altar, I asked Jesus Christ to save me. I then experienced His
love, joy, peace and presence in my heart for the first time in
my life. That love, joy and peace is still good and fresh today."
PRAISE THE LORD!
|
