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Becoming a Christian is simple...in that God, thankfully,
has not created an elaborate, complex process for those who want
to follow Him. According to what He says in the Bible, there are
two basic things we must do:
Believe
The first thing we must do to become a Christian is to believe
the message of Christianity:
- God loves you and wants to be in a personal relationship
with Him
- We are all separated from God because of our sin...so
we can't enjoy this relationship with Him
- Jesus Christ paid the penalty for our sin on the
cross so that we can be reconciled to God and enjoy a relationship
with Him
The Bible says that simple belief is what is required
to receive His gift of salvation:
John 3.1-21 – “...that everyone who believes
in Him may have eternal life...For God so loved the world that He
gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not
perish but have eternal life...Whoever believes in Him is not condemned,
but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he
has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.”
John 11.25 – Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection
and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies.”
Acts 16.31 – They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus,
and you will be saved...”
Respond
As a result of what we believe in our head, we must respond
to those beliefs. This looks different for different people in different
cultures and times.
For some, a belief that goes beyond just intellectual understanding
constitutes "response". However, most people will naturally
respond in additional ways that indicate a heart-felt belief; a
prayer, baptism, indicating their decision to follow God at a church
service, or other actions are often ways people respond in a more
concrete way.
This is best exemplified in Romans 10.9-10 – "That if
you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe
in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and
it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved." Both
belief and "confessing with your mouth" (outward response
- prayer, baptism, indicating your decision at a church service...or,
the lesser common, standing up and boldly, confidently proclaiming
"Jesus is Lord") are important.
The external response is less important than the internal response.
However, most people find it helpful to be able to point to a time
in their life when they chose to follow God. For that reason, you
are encouraged to at least speak to God on the issue in prayer.
Just tell Him what you think. Again, the words you choose are less
important than the condition of your heart: there are no "magic
words" that will automatically save us or prevent us from being
saved if we don't utter them. But here is a "sample prayer"
that you can use to help you if you wish:
- "Jesus, I want to know you. I want you to
come into my life. I'm sorry for the things I've done that have
broken my relationship with God. Thank you for dying on the cross
so that this relationship could be made right. I believe You are
the only One who can do this. Only You can give me the power to
change and become the person You created me to be. Thank you for
forgiving my past mistakes and for giving me eternal life with
God. I give my life to You. Please do with it as You wish. Amen."
Once we respond to the message of Christianity, you
are considered a Christian, or follower of Christ. This initial
response to the gospel is only the first step in an exciting journey.
To find out more about your new faith, please look through the following
sections on this website.
Also, if you have just decided to become a Christian, you are encouraged
to let other Christians know so you can find others to walk through
life with. If you would like to let us know about your decision
so we can pray for you, please contact
us.
See How
Are We Saved? for more information about the process
of salvation.
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