How to become a Christian
"If you confess with your mouth and believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is Lord you will be saved."
- Romans 10:9
- Do you believe that Jesus is more than just a good man and a great prophet?
- Do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God and He loves you so much that He died for your sins and rose again so you could be with Him in heaven for all eternity?
If you believe these things then tell God that you believe that Jesus is Lord and He died and rose from the dead to pay the price for your sins. Ask Him to take away your sin. If you do that and obey God's Word, the Bible, you are a born-again Christian and will go to heaven!
Believing and confessing that Jesus is Lord makes you a Christian but this prayer is not the end of the journey. It is the beginning.
Being a Christian Is More Than Just:
- Going to church
- Tithing (giving 10% of your income to God's work)
- Smiling and being nice to people
- Doing good deeds
Although these are important parts of the Christian life, a Christian also has a change of heart and lifestyle and does not depend on their own efforts to get into heaven. Good deeds come from our love of God and thankfulness to God and not as an effort to earn salvation. God calls even the best deeds of the best people "filthy rags". It is only through the perfect life and offering of Jesus that we have entrance to heaven.
Being a Christian is a lifetime commitment, not just something we do on Sunday. Jesus must be Lord of all your life or He is not your Lord at all. So what should you do to live in God's best plan for your life? Here are some important things you can do to grow in your love and thankfulness to the Lord after you have confessed and repented of your sin before God.
1. Read the Bible!
In order to find God's will for your life you must read the Bible. It is the highest authority on right and wrong because it is God's Word. A good place to start reading is in any of the following books:
- The book of John tells why Jesus is the Son of God.
- The book of Matthew tells you about the life of Jesus and has instructions for life in Jesus' Sermon on the Mount (chapters 5, 6 and 7).
- The book of Romans talks about how to be assured of your salvation.
John, Matthew and Romans are all in the New Testament. Look in the front of your Bible to find out what page they are on.
Reading the Bible is powerful and rewarding! It strengthens your faith and gives you direction!
"Your Word (the Scripture in the Bible) is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path."
- Psalm 119:105
2. Go to church!
Find a Bible teaching church and attend everything you possibly can from Sunday morning to Wednesday evening, to feeding the hungry and wrapping Christmas presents for children, to barbecue cookouts! It is important that you find a church that teaches the same things the Bible teaches.
3. Pray!
God loves you no matter what you have done. God loves you more than anyone else and He loves to hear what you have been going through.
Praying isn't a bunch of fancy words that you have to memorize. Prayer is talking and listening to God, like you would your best friend.
Even if you feel that your best friend has forsaken you, God still loves you. When you mess up and sin, or break God's laws found in the Bible, then if you humble yourself and confess your sin to God and stop sinning He will forgive you; guaranteed!
Don't let the fear of failure discourage you from living for the Lord. Babe Ruth said, "Never let the fear of striking out get in your way."
4. Worship!
Worshipping God is essential. Worshipping God is expressed through who you are and how you live. Praise and worship can also be found at the beginning and end of most Bible-teaching church services. Worshipping God is exhilarating!
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship."
- Romans 1:12
5. Fellowship!
Now that you have accepted Christ into your own life, share the new life He has given you with others! It is important that you find other Christians who will love and care for you and help you get up after you stumble and walk forward with Jesus. Being around other Christians is important so you don't feel alone and will grow in your faith.
What does Born-again mean?
Now that you have accepted Jesus into your heart He actually lives inside you! Your body is His temple! "Born-again" means you are dead to your old life of sin and spiritually born again!
"And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever - the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you know Him, for He lives with you and will be in you."
- John 14:16,17
Let us know if you just believed in Jesus Christ and repented of your sins!
If you have just confessed your sins to Jesus Christ and made Him the Lord of your life, contact us and let us know!
Let us know if you have any other questions about Jesus or the Bible!
We hope to see you in heaven!
