Why I Want to Be a New Testament Christian
Yesterday I wrote an article titled “Why I Don’t Want to Be a First Century Christian.” Here is a follow up to that with reasons “Why I Want to Be a New Covenant Christian.” When I wrote the article yesterday, I was thinking in terms of being an actual, in the flesh, first century Christian. Today, we’re leaving behind the play on words, and doing a little study about why you should be a New Covenant Christian.
1. Forgiveness of Sins
Under the Old Covenant, forgiveness of sins existed, but the animal sacrifices could not take those sins away (Hebrews 10:3-4). Jesus had to come in order to die on the cross as the perfect sacrifice for our sins and iniquities.
“For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: (14) How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Hebrews 9:13-14).
I want to be a New Covenant Christian because under it, sins and iniquities are remembered no more!
“For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more” (Hebrews 8:12).
2. Worship in Every Place
New Covenant Christians are not confined to a building to offer up the “fruit of their lips” in worship to God. Under the Old Covenant, there were disputes about where sacrifices should be made.
“The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. (20) Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. (21) Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. (22) Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. (23) But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him” (John 4:19-23).
So the hour was coming when ALL that were in the world (both Jew and Gentile) could worship the Father, and the worship wasn’t restricted to Jerusalem or to Samaria. This fact is called the mystery, and the mystery was finished at the fall of Babylon (i.e. Jerusalem) (Ephesians 3:3-6; Revelation 10:7; Revelation 11:8). See yesterday’s post for some information concerning the mystery.
Paul said, “Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours” (I Corinthians 1:2).
There are several things here that I want you to notice. 1) They were the church belonging to God (that title wasn’t restricted to the Jewish churches). 2) They were sanctified in Christ Jesus (though Jesus came to fulfill the promises to the fathers, He did that so light could shine to the Gentiles: Romans 15:8-9). 3) Jew and Gentile alike were called to be saints. 4) They were able to call upon the Lord in EVERY place (as opposed to the “this place” of I Kings 8:28-29). 5) He is the Lord of both Jew and Greek. The Messiah’s blood (i.e. His life: Leviticus 17:11) was shed so that WHOSOEVER (Jew and Greek) believeth in Him could have ever lasting life and worship Him in every place.
3. Eternal Life
Jesus made a plain, easy, and simple promise to those that would believe and live in Him.
“Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: (26) And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?” (John 11:25-26).
Notice that this blessing is limited. It is not offered to those that simply believe in God. It is given to those that LIVE and BELIEVE in Him. If you do that then you are never going to die! Sure, your physical body might be left alone when your soul decides it’s time to go home, but, as the song says “I’ll live on!”
“How can I become a New Covenant Christian?”
With the ability to serve God as a priest in His temple, to have full salvation, and, therefore, eternal life, why would anyone, anywhere not want to be a New Testament Christian? You start the process to become a Christian by repenting of your sins (Acts 17:30). Then, you must confess that Jesus is the Son of God and allow yourself to be be baptized into Christ (Romans 10:10; Romans 6:3-4). If Jesus said in John 11:25 that He is “the life” and Paul said in Galatians 3:27 that we’re baptized into Christ, doesn’t that mean that we’re baptized into “the life?”
If you ever have any questions about baptism, true worship, or anything else about the Bible, feel free to give message me through e-mail, Facebook, in the comments below, or through the form submission down below! Thank you and God bless!