For one to be a member of the Church of Christ and become a Christian one must take the following steps:
1. Hear the gospel, for “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom 10:17)
2. Believe the word of God that he has heard, for “without faith it is impossible to please God” (Heb 11:6)
3. Repent of past sins, for God “commands all men, everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30). In Acts 2:38, Peter told the Jews: “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
4. Confess Jesus as the Son of God, for He said, “He that confesses Me before men, him will I also confess before my Father in Heaven.” (Matt 10:32). And, in Romans 10:9-10, the Scripture states: “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
5. Be baptise for the remission of sins, for Peter told those who heard the gospel the day the church started, who believed what they heard to "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
NAMES ASCRIBED TO MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH OF CHRIST
When one is baptised and added to the Church of Christ, God gives him the names:
- Christian - he who belongs to, and follows Christ (Acts 11:26; I Pet 4:16).
- Disciple - he who learns the teaching of Jesus Christ and teaches same to others (Acts 6:1, 2; 9:1, 10, 19; 20:7).
- Saint - he who is sanctified and separated from sin and consecrated to God for His service – (Acts 9:13,32; 26:10; Rom 1:7; 8:27; 15:26; 16:15; I Cor 1:2; 14:33; 16:15; Eph 1:1; Phil 1:1; 4:22; Col 1:22).
- Believer – he who believes in Jesus and His gospel (Acts 5:14; II Cor 6:15)
