By Pastor Kerry Knight, Emerald Beach Church of Christ
Silly question, right? No, it is a very important question that all must contemplate. The apostle Paul had to remind the church at Colosse:
“As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, So walk in Him” (Colossians 2:6).
The Apostle reminds them in the letter that they had put off the body of sins of the flesh (repentance) and had been “buried with Him in baptism and had been raised with Him through faith in the working of God who raised Him from the dead” (Colossians 2:12).
Ironically that is the same message preached by the Apostle Peter to the multitude on the Day of Pentecost 2000 years ago. Both Apostles, operating under the inspiration of God had given us the way to give our life to Christ. But in our text above from Colossians 2:6, there is more to it than our initial act of faith. Paul went on to say, “So walk in Him.” To walk with Christ is to “continue” to walk in fellowship with Him in humble obedience. Salvation proceeds from the grace of God (Ephesians 2:8-10) and is accepted by all as a divine gift as we exercise our obedient faith in willingly receiving it. And yet that is just the beginning of our WALK with the Savior. Too many walk out of the water having been baptized thinking that they are now free to live however they choose. But listen to Paul again: “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, old things have passed away, behold all things have become new” (II Corintians 5:17).
Many churches in their eagerness to increase church attendance have made the Gospel of Christ cheap. There is a cost to discipleship. Listen to Jesus Himself: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23)
Take your Bible and read these verses carefully. They will answer that important question for you, How do I give my life to Christ?
