CHART 7 | Church of Christ

CHART 7: EXAMPLES OF "BIRTHDAYS" INTO CHRIST

Chart #7: What Does the Start of This New Relationship Look Like?

These people were “born again” when God’s word settled into good and honest hearts so that conviction led to trusting repentance, honest confession of Jesus as Messiah and baptism into this new relationship with new family, inheritance and life.

The start of this relationship to God in Christ is shown several times in the New Testament’s “history,” The Book of Acts.
Jesus commissioned His Apostles to make disciples and told them how to do this as they “bore witness” to His kingdom. Matt. 28:18-20, Mk. 16:15-16, Acts 1:6-8.
Jesus’ Apostles helped people relate to God in Christ as they preached God’s word to the Judeans in Jerusalem on the first Pentecost after the resurrection, to Samaritans, to an Ethiopian, to Saul who came to be called Paul, to the Gentile Centurian Cornelius, to Lydia the merchant woman and to the jailer at Philippi.

Judeans in Jerusalem heard God’s word, repented, were baptized for the remission of their sins and were added together. Acts 2:14-41, 47.

These Judeans saw God’s Spirit poured forth but still needed to hear God’s word preached. Acts 2:1-13, 14-41, esp. 2:37-41.
They were convicted of the truth of these teachings – though it does not use the word “believed.”
Acts 2:36-37, 41.
They were commanded to repent and it looks like they did change their ways of life. Acts 2:38, 42-47.
They were baptized into the “name” (the person and authority) of Jesus Christ. Acts 2:38, 41. Cf. Matt. 28:19.
They were promised remission of sins and were later said to have been saved. Acts 2:38, 47.
They were then added together into this relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Acts 2:41, 47.

Samaritans heard God’s word, believed, were baptized and were shown to be accepted by God’s miracles.
Acts 8:5-13.

These Samaritans had seen great signs, but they still had to hear God’s word spoken by Philip. Acts 8:4-6, 12-13, 25.
They were convicted of the truth of this word – they believed. Acts 8:6, 12-13, 14.
They rethought their lives when they believed, which is what the Bible means by repentance – though it does not use the word “repent.” Acts 8:10-12.
They were baptized when they believed concerning the “name” (person or authority) of Jesus Christ. Acts 8:12-13, 16.
They required that the Apostles come up to their town to lay hands on them after they had been baptized in order for some of them to be able to confirm this message by performing miracles. Acts 8:14-19. Cf. Mk. 16:19-20, Jn. 30:31-32, Heb. 2:1-4.

An Ethiopian nobleman heard God’s word, believed, confessed Jesus as Messiah, was baptized and went on his way rejoicing. Acts 8:35-39.

Even after an angel had commanded Philip to go to this Ethiopian nobleman, God’s word still had to be preached. Acts 8:35.
This nobleman rethought his condition and asked to be baptized into Christ – though it does not use the word “repent.” Acts 8:36.
This nobleman is reported by many early manuscripts to have confessed his faith in Jesus before he was baptized. Acts 8:37. Cf. Rom. 10:9-10, II Cor. 9:13, I Tim. 3:16, 6:12-14, Heb. 3:1, 4:14, 10:23.
This nobleman went down into the water and came up out of the water in his baptism. Acts 8:38-39.
This nobleman rejoiced knowing that Isaiah’s prophecy of his forgiveness was fulfilled. Acts 8:39. Cf. Acts 8:32-33 & Is. 53:7-12, esp. 53:7-8, 11b, 12b.

Saul of Tarsus who was later called Paul heard God’s word from Ananias and was baptized so that his sins were washed away, calling on the name of the LORD. Acts 9:17-19, 22:10-16 & 26:19-20.

Although he had already seen and spoken to Jesus, Saul still had to hear God’s word from the disciple Ananias. Acts 9:3-6, 15, 9:17-18. Cf. Acts 22:10, 13-16.
Saul changed the whole course of his life because of this message – though it does not use the words “believed” or “repented.” Acts 9:19b-22. Cf. Acts 22:10, 26:19-20.
Saul then proclaimed that Jesus was the Christ from then on – though it does not use the word “confessed.” Acts 9:20, 22.
Saul was then immediately baptized, “washing away his sins” calling on the name (person or authority) of the LORD. Acts 9:18, 22:16.

The Gentile Centurian Cornelius and his household heard God’s word from Peter, believed, gained repentance to life, were baptized in obedience to Peter’s command because God had miraculously shown that they were qualified for this relationship. Acts 10:34-48

Even though this devout and charitable man had seen the Spirit poured forth on his household so that they all spoke in languages that they hadn’t studied, Cornelius and his household still had to hear God’s word from Peter. Acts 10:22, 34-48, esp. 10:38-41, 45, 48, 11:14, 15, 17.
They believed these things to be true. Acts 10:43.
They were granted repentance toward life. Acts 11:18.
They were commanded to be baptized although they had experienced the Holy Spirit’s miraculous gift poured out on them so that they spoke in a language that they had not studied. Acts 10:46-48, 11:17.
They were promised that this obedience would provide remission of sins and it was later noted that they had gained life. Acts 10:43, 11:18.

The merchant woman Lydia and her household heard God’s word, responded and were baptized.
Acts 16:13-15.

Lydia listened to what Paul spoke. Acts 16:14.
Lydia responded when her heart was open. Acts 16:14.
Lydia and her household were then baptized. Acts 16:15.
They changed their behavior and were “judged faithful” to the Lord by their baptism – though it doesn’t use the words “believe” or “repent.” Acts 16:15, 40.

The Philippian jailer and his household heard God’s word showed that they had believed by being baptized so that they were saved. Acts 16:31-34.

Although the jailer, his household and the prisoners had been miraculously saved from the earthquake and its consequences, he and his household still had to hear God’s word. Acts 16:30-32.
They believed what they heard and showed this belief by being baptized. Acts 16:32, 34.
They changed their behavior after this – although it does not use the word “repent.” Acts 16:33-34.
This was in answer to his question about what they needed to do to be saved. Acts 16:30-31.

These conversions showed the same pattern that we saw elsewhere:

They heard God’s word. Rom. 10:14, 17, Rev. 2:7, Jn. 6:44-45.
They believed or had faith. Heb. 5:8-9, 11:6, Jn. 8:24, 3:16.
They repented. Acts 17:30-31.
They confessed Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God. Rom. 10:9-10, II Thess. 1:7-9, Matt. 10:32-33.
They were baptized into this relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Gal. 3:26-27, Rom. 6:3-7,
I Pet. 3:21.
They were saved and lived in Christ. II Tim. 2:10, I Jn. 1:5-2:2.

Next chart: What do we see when people changed God’s ways?

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