Articles
How Can I Be A Better Person?
"What question would you ask God if you could talk to him?" The tenth and final most asked question, according to a survey in the Tampa Tribune, 10) "How can I be a better person?"
Being a "good person" is commendable and most definitely desirable. However, JUST being a "good" or "better person" is not enough when we’re talking about spiritual things. Case in point - Cornelius. Cornelius was "A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway" (Acts 10:2). However, there was one very important "something" missing. Cornelius was NOT a Christian.
You might be a "good person" but if you’re not a Christian, your not yet the "best" you can be. If you really want to be a "better person", you need to become a Christian. When Cornelius obeyed the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Acts 10:44-48), he THEN become the "best" he could be.
If you really want to be a "better person", the Word of God is THE Book you need to be reading and learning from. Here's how Paul says it, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be PERFECT, throughly furnished unto all good works" (II Timothy 3:16-17, emp LS). The word "perfect" that Paul uses means "complete". The Word of God enables one to "be perfect", that is complete - a "better person".
To become a Christian, one MUST: 1) Hear the Word (the Gospel of Christ) - "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17). 2) Upon hearing the Word, one must believe the Gospel - "But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name" (John 20:31). 3) When one hears the Gospel, he then comes to realize that he is a sinner and needs to repent of his sins - "I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish" (Luke 13:3). 4) After one repents of his old way of life, he must then give his allegiance to Christ, that is, he must confess Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God - "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation" (Romans 10:9-10). 5) Then one must be baptized for the forgiveness of his sins - "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost" (Acts 2:38).
Once you’re a Christian, Jesus said, "be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life" (Revelation 2:10). And that my friend is truly a "better person".
