How to Become A Christian
You're not here by accident. God loves you. He wants you
to have a personal relationship with Him through Jesus, His Son. There is just
one thing that separates you from God. That one thing is sin.
The Bible describes sin in many ways. Most simply, sin
is our failure to measure up to God’s holiness and His righteous standards. We
sin by things we do, choices we make, attitudes we show, and thoughts we
entertain. We also sin when we fail to do right things. The Bible affirms our
own experience – “there is none righteous, not even one.” No matter how good we
try to be, none of us does right things all the time.
People tend to divide themselves into groups - good
people and bad people. But God says that every person who has ever lived is a
sinner, and that any sin separates us from God. No matter how we might
classify ourselves, this includes you and me. We are all
sinners.
"For all have sinned and come
short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23
Many people are confused about the way to
God. Some think they will be punished or rewarded according to how good they
are. Some think they should make things right in their lives before they try to
come to God. Others find it hard to understand how Jesus could love them when
other people don't seem to. But I have great news for you! God DOES love you!
More than you can ever imagine! And there's nothing you can do to make Him
stop! Yes, our sins demand punishment - the punishment of death and separation
from God. But, because of His great love, God sent His only Son Jesus to die
for our sins.
"God demonstrates His own love
for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans
5:8
For you to come to God you have to get rid
of your sin problem. But, in our own strength, not one of us can do this! You
can't make yourself right with God by being a better person. Only God can
rescue us from our sins. He is willing to do this not because of anything you
can offer Him, but JUST BECAUSE HE LOVES YOU! "He saved us, not because of
righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy." Titus 3:5
It's God's grace that allows you to come to
Him - not your efforts to "clean up your life" or work your way to Heaven. You
can't earn it. It's a free gift.
"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." Ephesians 2:8-9
For you to come to God, the penalty for
your sin must be paid. God's gift to you is His son, Jesus, who paid the debt
for you when He died on the Cross.
"For the wages of sin is death,
but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans
6:23
Jesus paid the price for your sin and mine
by giving His life on a cross at a place called Calvary, just outside of the
city walls of Jerusalem in ancient Israel. God brought Jesus back from the
dead. He provided the way for you to have a personal relationship with Him
through Jesus. When we realize how deeply our sin grieves the heart of God and
how desperately we need a Savior, we are ready to receive God's offer of
salvation. To admit we are sinners means turning away from our sin and
selfishness and turning to follow Jesus. The Bible word for this is
"repentance" - to change our thinking about how grievous sin is, so our
thinking is in line with God's.
All that's left for you to do is to accept the gift that Jesus is holding out
for you right now.
"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." Romans
10:9-10
God says that if you believe in His son,
Jesus, you can live forever with Him in glory.
"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." John 3:16
Are you ready to accept the gift of eternal life that
Jesus is offering you right now? Let's review what this commitment
involves:
I acknowledge I am a sinner
in need of a Savior - this is to repent or turn away from sin
I believe in my heart that
God raised Jesus from the dead - this is to trust that Jesus paid the full
penalty for my sins
I confess Jesus as my Lord
and my God - this is to surrender control of my life to Jesus
I receive Jesus as my Savior
forever - this is to accept that God has done for me and in
me what He promised
If it is your sincere desire to receive Jesus into your
heart as your personal Lord and Savior, then talk to God from your
heart:
Here's a Suggested Prayer:
"Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner and I do not
deserve eternal life. But, I believe You died and rose from the grave to make
me a new creation and to prepare me to dwell in your presence forever. Jesus,
come into my life, take control of my life, forgive my sins and save me. I am
now placing my trust in You alone for my salvation and I accept your free gift
of eternal life."
Amen
If you have trusted Jesus as your Lord and Savior,
please let us know. We want to rejoice in what God has done in your life and
help you to grow spiritually.
If you have questions or concerns you would like help
with, please call or write and let us know. We're here to help you understand
the love that Jesus is offering you for free, no matter who or where you are.
E-mail us at [email protected], or call (813) 929-9720, so we can direct you to a church and connect you to accountability group.