Christian Paradigm

Rev. Dr. John Pappachan

Description

Do not get baptized to become a Christian; because only Christians should be baptized. And once saved what is next?
Let Rev. John take you through the purpose, logics, and importance of Christian Life. His inspiring and in-depth discussions and teachings based on Biblical facts will give you new and enlightening insights into Christian living enabling you in your walk with Christ. The inspiration for this book is the dire need he has experienced among Christian families around the world for a thorough understanding of the fundamentals of Christianity, especially baptism. This book is an authoritative guidance on preparing for and conducting an empowered and elegant life with hope and faith for the blessed eternity.

Sujets

• Religion
• Christianisme
• Spiritual Growth
• Christian Living
• Philosophie et théologie
• Contrition
• Remission
• Salvation
• Christianity
• Baptism
• Christian
• Eternity
• Salut (religion)

Informations

• Publié par: WestBow Press
• Date de parution: 15 janvier 2023
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781664288461
• Langue: English

Extrait

Christian Paradigm
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Rev. Dr. John Pappachan
 
 
 
 

 
Copyright © 2023 Rev. Dr. John Pappachan.
 
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
 
This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.
 
 
WestBow Press
A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan
1663 Liberty Drive
Bloomington, IN 47403
www.westbowpress.com
844-714-3454
 
Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
 
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.
 
All Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version.
 
ISBN: 978-1-6642-8844-7 (sc)
ISBN: 978-1-6642-8845-4 (hc)
ISBN: 978-1-6642-8846-1 (e)
 
Library of Congress Control Number: 2023900333
 
 
WestBow Press rev. date: 01/13/2023
Contents
Introduction
 
Chapter     1
Chapter     2
Chapter     3
Chapter     4
Chapter     5
Chapter     6
Chapter     7
Chapter     8
Chapter     9
Chapter   10
Chapter   11
Introduction
The intention of this book is to give an insight to Christianity to those who are curios of its fundamentals, to provide guidance for those who are new and starting their faith walk with Christ, and to reinstate those who have backslidden from original faith and to provide a method for practical application of Christian principles to all those who are following and willing to follow Christ and long for Holy Eternity.
There has been much misunderstanding and criticism among Christians and others about Christianity and its rituals. There are different Christian denominations and churches that have its own approach and opinion on the matters of Christian behavior and lifestyle. The questions and arguments often ponder on whom to worship, how to worship, do we need a mediator to pray for us to God, if so, who is that, should we get baptized, if so, when, and how, who is a real Christian and so on. Another prominent debate is, are all people sinners? Is salvation a requirement for one that is born and brought up in a Christian family? Among all these baptisms and its importance is one of the most criticized and misunderstood ceremony. Some may ask why should I get baptized? What is the purpose of it? Who should get baptized? Is there a particular process or method how and when one should get baptized? Often the understanding of the baptismal candidate about baptism is minimal or none. One predominant persuasion to write this book is people appearing to get baptized without having a thorough understanding about Christian Life and the importance of baptism and its significance in life. Another area of concern is the understanding about sin and sinful lifestyle. Too much confusion about sin, sinner, and its relationship with salvation and baptism.
Many church members and churches consider anyone who is a member of a church or may be even attending the church services as a Christian. Yet some will argue that Christianity is a religion like any other and anyone practicing the rituals of the religion is a Christian. What is the truth? What is Christianity about? Where did it start? Who started it? Why is it important? Question after questions. There are so much confusion concerning the fundamentals of Christianity that are monstrous misrepresentations and misunderstandings.
There is only one place where we can find an answer for any of these questions, the Bible. The intention here is to answer, rather clarify, some of these questions and related misunderstandings. It is simple logic that ‘Christianity’ must start with Christ and His teachings.
In this book the attempt is to take an unbiased look at the teachings of the Bible about humanity, its highlights in relation to God’s expectation about human, and Christian Life. This writing is a humble venture to provide a clear understanding of Christianity and its relevance with God in the light of the Bible. We will explore the need for salvation, baptism, and how to continue the new Christian Life after baptism as it relates to the Scriptures of the Bible. We will also ponder on the reality of who is a Christian and what is the importance of salvation and baptism in Christianity. The statements and verbal illustrations used in this book are strictly Biblical factors and are verifiable.
To clarify the circumstances, I would take you back in the Biblical history and start with the creation to understand the need for repentance, salvation, and baptism in ‘Christian Living’. Contemplating from the beginning of creation as portrayed in the Bible we see that God created everything we see today and there is nothing in this world that is not His creation. All things were created according to His pleasure for His pleasure. We are placed on this earth in accordance with God’s Will for His Pleasure. (Philippians 2:13, “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.”) God created Adam for fellowship with him and to be in good pleasurable company. God used to visit Adam and his helpmeet in the garden of Eden in the evening cool of the day for fellowship and communion. (Genesis 3:8, “And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day…….”). There is no evidence of baptizing Adam, the very first man or his wife. Why? Surely, there was no need for that. At that time, they were wrapped in glory and had no sin.We will see the reasons for repentance and salvation as we read through this book. We are all considered to be the descendants of Adam, the son of God, by creation. If there was no need to baptize Adam, how it became a need for his descendants? Is human (male and female) today different from the original Adam? If so, what changed them? What is a remedy for the current human situation? Is baptism really a remedy for the change? So many questions are addressed in the light of Bible Scriptures.
I will try and emphasizes the various factors that brought today’s man and woman to a position that they need to repent and be baptized to be Christians. Another emphatic situation around the world is people taking baptism considering it as a Christian ritual, and churches encouraging to take it without having a thorough understanding of its context and consequences to the baptismal candidate. It is an absolute necessity that the potential Christians to be fully aware of various aspects of sin, repentance, salvation, and its effect on their lives. I recently ran into a couple of baptism candidates who sincerely love Christ and wanted to be baptized. But these young people did not have a good understanding about sin, salvation or the purpose and significance of baptism. They wanted to be baptized simply because their parents encouraged them and kind of threatened, that it is needed to go to heaven. One of them said, “I am afraid of the worms in hell, I do not want to go there, so I want to get baptized.” Misleading teachings and standards.
As mentioned, this is an attempt to explore and confirm the fundamentals of Christianity, Baptism and Christian Life, in relation to the Bible and Jesus Christ’s teachings. Here I am presenting an unbiased scrutiny of Christianity in its entirety. The whole kit and caboodle. Everyone must read it, no, not just read, but study it. So, I encourage you to read it, comprehend it, practice it, and proclaim it to others. This book is also intended to serve as a guide and steppingstone for those readers who are enthusiastic to know the fundamentals of Christianity.
I would like to dedicate this book to all those who are Christians and yet to be Christians. I pray, that as you read through this book, the Holy Spirit to help you correctly interpret the contents discussed, clear any doubt, and bring a thorough understanding of the subject matter. Amen!
1
Chapter
Who we are?
The Bible teaches us, in the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters (Genesis 1:1-2). From there, God worked for six days (God’s Day or our day? Do not know). Apostle Peter explains in 2 Peter 3:8, “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” So, how much time it took to bring the earth to the state that we see and cherish today? It is beyond our comprehension. God created the lights, the atmosphere with air, separated the dry land with mountains and valleys, from the waters; created the seas with volcanos and bottoms, created the fowls of the air and the fishes of the sea, brought forth the grass and the trees, created the cattle and the numerous types of animals, dragons to lizards and all the cosmic bodies, the ones we see and don’t see. All looked very good, but, yet something was missing. What is goin