The Christian life is a long sequence of stronger and stronger commitments. But it all begins very simply. Whether we say it out loud or not, at baptism our hearts are entering into this pledge: From this day forward, I will follow Jesus faithfully, so help me God. For more information, visit AreYouaChristian.com

God seeks those who will respond gratefully to the gospel and be eager to live in a reconciled, joyful relationship with Him. But if He is to have a people who are uniquely His possession, what will their character be like? What kind of heart is the Lord looking for? For more information, visit AreYouaChristian.com

Just as in the first century when many synagogues claimed to follow Moses and many persons claimed to be the Messiah, there may be many churches near you claiming to follow Christ. You’ll want to worship where the Scriptures are followed most closely. For more information, visit AreYouaChristian.com

We need to appreciate the essential nature of the local congregation as the Lord designed it, and beyond that, value our connection to “the brotherhood” (1 Peter 2:17; 5:9) -- a relationship bigger than the affairs of our own local assembly. For more information, visit AreYouaChristian.com

The confession of our faith is simply a matter of being genuine and authentic. I call it “courageous sincerity.” We are not to hide the truth about who we really are. When questioned -- or even threatened -- we should be willing to confess our real beliefs. For more information, visit AreYouaChristian.com

As Robert Louis Stevenson famously said, “Sooner or later everyone sits down to a banquet of consequences.” Ultimately, there are only two paths available. It’s time to clear up our contradictions. Let’s choose the path that goes where we want to end up. For more information, visit AreYouaChristian.com

Sin is no ordinary problem, and its cure will not be ordinary either. Only Jesus Christ, the very embodiment of God Himself, has the power to get rid of the condemned person we used to be and bring to life a new person, fit for eternity with God. For more information, visit AreYouaChristian.com

If our present position is that we have said no to Christ, we are on the side of the enemy. But Christ invites us to change our minds and obey the gospel. He will makes us His friends and treat us just as if we had never left the rule of God in the first place. For more information, visit AreYouaChristian.com

Fervent and faithful, at least to the best of his previous understanding, Apollos needed to be shown “the way of God more accurately” (Acts 18:26). And to his credit, when Priscilla and Aquila showed him where his understanding had been lacking, he changed. For more information, visit AreYouaChristian.com

What we lost in sin was not just physical or biological life, but the life we would have had as “sons of God.” Jesus taught that, in Him, this “eternal” kind of life can be given back to us (Romans 8:29). And His teaching is the only path to that life. We should pay attention! For more information, visit AreYouaChristian.com