How do I become a Christian?

Many people go their whole lives without knowing the truth of Jesus Christ and what it means to be His follower. They exist year after year without God in their life, with no idea of how to live or for what purpose they have been created. Maybe you have tried to find happiness and fulfillment through acquiring possessions or wealth, tried to escape through the use of drugs and alcohol, or tried to find peace through various religions or self-help programs. All of these will fail without knowing and accepting the life-changing message of Jesus Christ.

The Human Dilemma

According to the Bible, we are created in the image of God. We are designed to have a personal relationship with Him, but because of sin we are separated from God. God has given us will and the freedom of choice. It is we who choose to disobey God and go our own willful way. We make these choices each and every day. There is God's way and our way. God loves you and wants you to experience peace and life - abundant and eternal. Our way leads to sin and

"the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" Romans 6:23.

Sin is a real problem and all of us are guilty of it.

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
Romans 3:23

Many of us have tried to bridge the gap between God and ourselves. We have given up our bad habits, tried to do more good than bad, and tried other religions. We have said things like, "If I am a good person then I will go to Heaven" and "If I go to church enough then I am a Christian".

"There is a way that seems right to man, but in the end it leads to death." Proverbs 14:12

There is nothing other than belief and faith in the message of Jesus Christ that man can do to save himself. Jesus Christ is the only bridge between man and God.

"For there is one God and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus" 1Timothy 2:5

The Bible is very clear on this issue. In John14:6, Jesus states that

"I am the way, the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through me."

What is the solution to the human dilemma? Read on and find out.

God's Solution

The solution is found in Jesus Christ.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save the world through Him."John 3:16-17.

God has provided the way. The good news is that God sent us His son to restore our relationship with Him. Jesus Christ gave His life as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of mankind by dying on the cross. He then rose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death.

"For Christ died for our sins, once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God." 1 Peter 3:18.

Jesus paid the penalty for our sin and bridged the gap between God and His people.

Now you have a choice, you can reject the message

"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." 1 Corinthians 1:18.

Or you can accept the message

"We are made right in God's sight when we trust in Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we can all be saved in this same way, no matter who we are or what we have done." Romans 3:22(NLT).

Which choice will you make? Your way or God's way. Which will you decide? Your response to this question is the most important decision you will make in this lifetime. Will you accept Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord?

Our Response

To receive the gift of eternal life you must first believe that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, the Son of God, who died for your sins, rose from the dead, and is alive today.

"Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God." John 1:12

If you believe in Jesus Christ, that is great! Now what you need to do is repent of your sins. The Bible teaches us that this is a honest and genuine change of heart about sin, a turning from your ways to God's way, and essential if we want to receive the gift.

"Now turn from your sins and turn to God, so you can be cleansed of your sins." Acts3:19

Now it is time to match our repentance with confession. To acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord whenever and wherever called upon.

"Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in Heaven." Matthew 10:32.

It is to acknowledge Him verbally and publicly.

"For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9

If you believe in Jesus Christ and are ready to receive Him as your Lord and Savior, would you pray this simple prayer of commitment?

Dear God, I know that I am a sinner in need of Your forgiveness. I humbly ask for Your forgiveness. Thank You for loving me enough to send Your son, Jesus to die on the cross for my sins. I want to turn from my old life and trust in Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I want to put You first in my life and humbly accept Your gift of eternal life. In obedience to Your word, I am willing to be baptized as an expression of my commitment to You. Please help me to grow in my walk with You and bless me with the Holy Spirit to direct my life. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen

Once you have acknowledged that Jesus Christ is Lord, baptism by immersion is the tangible way of showing that you trust Him alone for your salvation.

"And now, why delay? Get up and be baptized, and have your sins washed away, calling on the name of the Lord." Acts 22:16

Some say that baptism is an outward symbol of an internal action. It is to be sure a symbol, a symbol that you are committed to Christ, but it also represents the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

"For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with Him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead." Colossians 2:12

Once you have received Christ as your Lord and Savior, you are born into God's family through the work of the Holy Spirit who dwells in every believer. This is commonly referred to as being "born again".

"I assure you, unless you are born again, you can never see the Kingdom of God." John 3:3

Now you are a Christian and a new creation in Jesus Christ.

"What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun! All this newness of life is from God, who brought us back to himself through what Christ did. And God has given us the task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people's sins against them. This is the wonderful message he has given us to tell others." 2Corinthians 5:17-19

When a person receives the glorious message of Jesus Christ, their life will never be the same. We pray that God will bless your life as you grow closer to Him and know His wonderful and perfect love that He has for you.

Please let us know if you have any questions or would like to be baptized. Contact us by phone at (602) 550-0963, or email.