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How to become a Christian |
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A Christian is a follower of Jesus Christ. A Christian has a growing relationship with Jesus Christ, tries to obey Him in all things, and draws on His strength to help with the daily life.
God made us for Himself and our souls are restless until they find rest in Him. Only God can fill the void in our life. The answers to our searching is accepting Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior of our life. To become a Christian, we need to know the following basic facts from the Bible.
1. God Loves UsBecause of God's love for all persons, He desires that we have an unbroken fellowship with Him.
John 3:16 (NIV) "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."
Ephesians 2:4-5 (NIV) "But because of his great love for us, God who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions it is by grace you have been saved."
2. We Are SinnersAll persons are sinners in that we disobey God. Sin is choosing to go our own way and to do our own thing as opposed to being obedient to God.
Isaiah 53:6 (NIV) "We all, like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all."
Romans 3:10 (NIV) "As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one."
3. Sin Separates Us From GodSin forms a barrier that prevents us from entering into unbroken fellowship with God. We are headed for a Christless eternity that the Bible calls "Hell."
Isaiah 59:2 (NIV) "But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear."
Romans 3:23 (NIV) "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
4. We Cannot Save OurselvesWe often think that through our own efforts we can overcome the sin barrier between us and God. This is not true. There is nothing we can do of ourselves to restore the broken relationship with God. We can not earn God's salvation.
Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV) "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not by works, so that no one can boast."
Titus 3: 5 (NIV) "He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit."
Romans 4:4-5 (NIV) "Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness."
5. God Sent His Son Jesus To Remove Our Sin BarrierBy dying on the cross God's son, Jesus Christ, removed the sin barrier between us and God. Jesus died for our sins, taking our punishment on Himself. God did for us in Jesus Christ what we could not do for ourselves.
1 Peter 2:24 (NIV) "He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed."
Romans 5:8 (NIV) "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV) "God mad him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."
6. We Receive Jesus Christ As Savior Through Faith In GodFaith is trusting in what Jesus has done for us rather then trusting our own efforts to restore fellowship with God. Faith is complete reliance on Christ to put us in a right relationship with God, allowing Him to live His life through us. Faith also involves repentance or genuine sorrow for sin and the willingness to turn away from our sin.
John 14:6 (NIV) "Jesus answered, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
Acts 16:31 (NIV) "They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household."
Romans 10:9-10 (NIV) "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."
7. Through Prayer (Talking With God) We Can Trust in Jesus ChristWe need to admit to God that we are sinners. We need to express sorrow and repentance for our sinfulness. We need to ask God to forgive us of our sins. We need to invite Jesus into our life as Savior and Lord. If you do this, then thank Him for entering into your life. Commit yourself to live for him.
The members and congregation of United Baptist Church are just sinners saved by God's grace through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. We are here on this web site to help you not only become a Christian, but also to help you grow in your love and service for our Lord. Please do not hesitate to contact us for further help in your Christian life. Please leave us an email message concerning your decision.
May God bless you!
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