TITLE: How do you know one when you have seen one? What is a Christian? TEXT: I Corinthians 5:17 THEME: A Christian is a person who has become a new creation through faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The moral of this fable If you can't tell one when you see one, you may wind up without a leg to stand on.

What does it mean to be a Christian?

I. Available to any person.

Galatians 3: “ So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

I.Available to any person. A. We are children of God through faith

I.Available to any person. A. We are children of God through faith B. Regardless of ethnic background, societal status or sex.

What does it mean to be a Christian?

II. Enters into a relationship with Christ. A. He becomes a new creation (I Cor. 5:17)

2 Corinthians 5:17-18 “17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.”

II. Enters into a relationship with Christ. A.He becomes a new creation (I Cor. 5:17) B.He receives the Holy Spirit (I Cor. 12:13)

I Corinthians 12:13 “For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.”

II. Enters into a relationship with Christ. A.He becomes a new creation (I Cor. 5:17) B.He receives the Holy Spirit (I Cor. 12:13) C.He becomes a child of God. (John 1:12- 13)

John 1:12-13 “He (Jesus) came unto His own but his own did not receive Him, but as many as did received Him to them He gave the legal right to become children of God.”

What does it mean to be a Christian?

III. It is by Grace (Eph. 2:8=9)

Ephesians 2:8-9 8 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.”

III. It is by Grace (Eph. 2:8=9) Not Cultural

III. It is by Grace (Eph. 2:8=9) Not Cultural Not Ritual

III. It is by Grace (Eph. 2:8=9) Not Cultural Not Ritual Not Theological

III. It is by Grace (Eph. 2:8=9) Not Cultural Not Ritual Not Theological Not by Works

What does it mean to be a Christian?

IV. It is Through Faith in the Gospel (Rom 1:16)

Romans 1:16 “16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.”

IV. It is Through Faith in the Gospel (Rom 1:16) A. Gospel means “good news.”

IV. It is Through Faith in the Gospel (Rom 1:16) A. Gospel means “good news.” B. What is the good news? I Cor. 3:1-7

I Corinthians 15:1-5 “15 Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

I Corinthians 15:1-5 “3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance[a]: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve

I Corinthians 15:1-5 “6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.

It is belief in the person and work of Jesus Christ. 1.The person: Jesus is God. If Christ were a mere man the gospel has no potency.

It is belief in the person and work of Jesus Christ. 1.The person: Jesus is God. If Christ were a mere man the gospel has no potency. 2. The work: – He died for our sin- the proof is He was buried in the grave.

It is belief in the person and work of Jesus Christ. 1.The person: Jesus is God. If Christ were a mere man the gospel has no potency. 2. The work: – He died for our sin- the proof is He was buried in the grave. – He rose again- the proof is He was seen by many.

Salvation is the first step of a journey of faith that lasts a life time and whose end goal is to become like Christ.

APPLICATION 1. If you learn nothing else from this series other than what we have learned today then you have learned the most important reality of what it is to be a Christian.

APPLICATION 2. But, it does not stop there. Salvation is the first step of a journey of faith that lasts a life time and whose end goal is to become like Christ.

APPLICATION 3. This morning if you have not already done so I challenge to accept the gospel of Jesus Christ so that you might be brought into an eternal relationship with Him.