Colossians 2:6 commands, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him. What makes a person a Christian?

The debate has long raged because unlike all of the other religions, there are no ‘3 steps’ to making oneself a Christian. There are however 3 principles that if not evident in our lives should cause us much concern about our belief that we truly are Christians.

First we must believe in God through Jesus Christ. This seems obvious that if you are going to be a follower of God that you believe in God. The difference among Christians from other religions is that we believe in a triune God, a God Who has revealed Himself as Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

Jesus is God according to all orthodox Christianity. Many so called Christians do not believe this. Believing Jesus is God is fundamental for understanding His role as Savior.

This is the second principle we must apply; we must receive Jesus as Savior and Lord. The debate between God drawing us to Himself and we choosing Him ourselves is long but however it happens we must receive Jesus as Savior.

This means acknowledging before God and men that we cannot do any amount of good works to earn our way to heaven. Receiving Jesus as Lord means acknowledging His Supremacy in all areas of our life because He is God and rules over all. A criticism of Christianity is this ‘easy’ means for obtaining our merit before God: the work of God attributed to us rather than our works counting before God.

Finally, we must cleave to Jesus, the point of today’s passage. The expectation of God is that His people do His works just as His Son did not come to do His own will but the will of Him Who sent Him.

This is cleaving, this maintaining a growing relationship with God in knowledge and obedience is where much of the Christian breakdown occurs. Few are on the road and difficult is the way that leads to life God said because while all soil receives His word, only 25% is good soil or produces anything of eternal value.

The Apostle Paul told the Church to test themselves to see if they were truly in the faith. The test was a review of their works for God. Not works to get to heaven but works to prove they were people headed to heaven.

If we believe, have received and are diligent to cleave to God in Jesus Christ we have no reason to doubt our eternal destiny.