Becoming a Part

HOW DO I BECOME A PART OF THIS CHURCH?

We hope this is the question you want to ask.  Day after day there are so many opportunities and so many demands on our time, it?s easy to not enjoy a loving relationship with God our Father in His church.

If you are already a Christian, all you need to do to be a part of God?s family here at the Scappoose Church of Christ, is to let us know of your desire to work with this congregation and to serve the Lord in this place.  By doing this, you also show your willingness to worship and minister under the spiritual guidance of our elders.  You can do this in one of the following ways:  during one of our church assemblies, simply come to the front during our invitation song and let us know of your desire to be a member with the Scappoose congregation; or speak to one of the elders and personally discuss with them your desire.

But how does one really know if he or she is really a Christian?
This is the most important question that anyone could ever ask!  Despite all the confusion in the religious world, God's teaching in the Bible is very clear.  The only thing that truly saves a person and allows that person to become a Christian is the saving death of Jesus Christ.  The Bible tells us there is nothing, no work or deed, that can bring us salvation.  Salvation rests on the love and grace of God (Romans 5:6-8; John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8-9).

The real question is, How do I come in contact with the grace of God and receive His eternal salvation?
The New Testament tells us over and over again that we come into contact with the grace of God and receive salvation through faith in the saving work of Jesus Christ (Romans 3:21-26).  Remember it is the grace of God shown in the life of Christ which saves us.  Our role is to accept this free gift through saving faith.

I have a faith in God and would like for Jesus to be Lord of my life, but what do I need to do?
True faith toward God involves several specific actions or responses.  After hearing (John 20:30-31; Romans 10:17) the "Good News" or gospel, our belief (Romans 1:16; Acts 18:8; Hebrews 11:6) that Jesus Christ is the Son of God allows us to realize our own sinful nature and eternal hopelessness.  Through the conviction of God's word we must repent of our sinful behavior and turn to Jesus.  Jesus says if we don't repent, we will perish (Luke 13:3; Luke 24:47; Acts 17:30).  Faith also involves repentance, the changing of our heart and life to do the things of God (Acts 2:38; 3:19-20).  Our response to God also involves confessing (Acts 8:37; Matthew 10:32; Romans 10:10) out loud that "Jesus Christ is the Son of God" and believing in our hearts that God raised Jesus Christ from the dead (Romans 10: 9-10).  Faith and trust in God also involves surrendering our lives in baptism (immersed in water) (Acts 8:38; Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:16) to do the will of God for the forgiveness of our sins (Galatians 3:26-27; Acts 2:38; 16:29-34; 22:16).  Faith also involves living a new life with real commitment toward God and with compassion toward those around us (Galatians 5:6; James 2:14-16).  In our new relationship, God asks that we live faithfully the rest of our life - and only for Him (Matthew 25:21, 34; 2 Peter 1:1).  It?s our only real response toward God's great love for us.

While we submit to God's will through these actions, God is at work bringing us into His church: adding us, forgiving us, cleansing us of all our past sins and placing His Holy Spirit in us (Colossians 1:13-14; Acts 2:38-41; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Titus 3:3-7; Romans 8:9-17; Romans 8:26-27).  We gain a new relationship with God our Father and become new people (2 Corinthians 5:17), born of God to begin a new spiritual life of service for Him (John 1:10-13; John 3:1-5).

It is important to remember there is not one thing we can do to earn our salvation.  These several actions do not cause our salvation to happen, they are simply the ways that God has provided for us to receive the salvation given us in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  This point is clearly shown in Romans 6 where Paul talks about baptism.  Notice that the whole discussion on baptism is framed by the concept of grace (verses 3 and 14)!  Notice that baptism is not some arbitrary act that is done to be saved, but is actually a participation, a sharing, in the saving death of Jesus Christ so that we can share in His new life (verses 3-10).  It is by sharing in what Christ has already done, through our faith, that allows us to receive the grace of God already provided for us in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

We would love to have you be part of a faithful family of God at the Scappoose Church of Christ.  If you are already a Christian as the scriptures describe above, please let us know you want to be a part God's church here, by placing your membership with this congregation under the leadership of the elders.  If you are not a Christian, then we would encourage you to become one today so you can share in the hope, joy and eternal life, which is found only in the Lord.  If you have further questions about any of these matters, we would be happy to visit with you.  Let us know by telling one of us personally.  Our minister or any one of our elders will be pleased to plan a time to visit with you at your convenience.  The phone number is 503-543-6757.