How Do I Become a Christian?
Regardless of where you are in your spiritual
journey (whether you consider yourself already "religious"...or if
you're "investigating" Christianity and have a bunch of questions) you
need to know a couple of things:
1. First, God loves you. Really. Right now. Serious. Just as you are...even if
you're life's kinda' (or really) messed up. He still loves you more than you can
even imagine. He won't love you any less and He can't love you any more than He
does at this moment (see below for more explanation).
2. But, like it or not, there's another reality that has to be faced: the Bible
says you've sinned. Yeah, sin. In fact, it says in Romans 3:23 that we've ALL
sinned...you, the people at the church, even people like Billy Graham and Mother
Teresa. James 4:17 describes sin this way: "Anyone, then, who knows the
good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins." That sin, Romans 3:23 goes on
to say, separates us from God because God is totally pure.
3. The absolute best of all possible news is that God has provided a way for us
to have a personal relationship with Him. God gave His Son, Jesus, to die on a
cross to pay the penalty for our sin (see John 3:16 and Romans 5:8).
4. A Christian is someone who admits their failures (sin) to God...who trusts in
Jesus' death to pay the penalty for their sin...who believes that God has raised
Jesus from the dead (on the day we now celebrate as Easter)...and who asks Jesus
to lead his/her life (see Romans 10:9-10).
5. A Christian is NOT "saved" because he/she has been baptized or
because he/she goes to church. A Christian does those things because he/she has
BEEN "saved" not in order to BE "saved". Ephesians 2:8-9
makes this clear: "For it is by grace (that is, God giving us what we do
not and cannot earn or deserve) you are saved through faith (trusting
belief)--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works (for
example, living a good life or being baptized), so that no one can boast."
6. As a result, God not only forgives your sin, but also gives you
new life (a life with direction and purpose) AND gives you eternal life (so that
when you die, you will be with Him FOREVER in heaven).
Pretty awesome, isn't it? Jesus Christ has done it all for us. All we have to do
is accept His gift of forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life.
This is also a LOT of stuff to digest all at once. If you have questions, or if
you want to know more, or if you've already made a commitment to Christ...you
should talk to a
friend who's a Christian or contact us at First Baptist in Chillicothe. Our
phone number is 660-646-2834. Our email address is fbchi@cmuonline.net.
Our pastor, James, would love to talk to you.
