What does it mean to be a christian?
Can I really know God? Maybe you have been asking yourself these kinds of questions. Perhaps you just aren’t sure you are a Christian. Here’s how you can come to know God in a personal, eternal way!
ALL HAVE SINNED
You may have heard it said that everyone is basically good, but there is nothing further from the truth. We are all born sinners. The Bible says:
For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
– Romans 3:23
Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned.
– Romans 5:12
THE PRICE FOR SIN IS DEATH
Now, our sin is not just evidenced by the gruesome sights we see on the evening news. Sin separates us from God eternally. In other words, the penalty for sin, the Bible says, is death.
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
– Romans 6:23
GOD HAS A PLAN
When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, sin entered the world, and through it, death. But at that very moment, God made a way for mankind to be restored – to be saved – from death to life. That WAY is Jesus Christ. The Bible says:
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
– John 3:16
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
– Romans 5:8
In other words, God sent Jesus Christ in our place to pay the death penalty for OUR sin. Jesus paid it all. We cannot try to be good or do religious works in order to earn our way into heaven. The Bible is clear,
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
-Titus 3:5-7
BECOMING A CHRISTIAN
Having understood that we are sinners in need of salvation from sin and its death penalty, and realizing that Jesus paid the price for that sin, we now simply receive the free gift of salvation offered to us in Christ.
That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
– Romans 10:9-10
For whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.
– Romans 10:13
Remember, you cannot do it on your own. The Bible teaches us that,
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
– Ephesians 2:8-9
RECEIVE THE GIFT!
You can become a Christian right now, wherever you are. You simply confess to God that you know you are a sinner in need of salvation, turn away from your sin (repentance), and that you accept God’s gift through Jesus Christ. While this is not a magic prayer or about the precise words, you can pray in this way:
Dear Jesus, Thank you for dying on the cross for me. I confess that I am a sinner and I need your salvation.I turn away from my sin and turn toward You, my Savior. Come into my life right now, and forgive me for my sin. Change my heart and life and fill me with your Holy Spirit. I commit my life to you now, in Jesus name. Amen.
Even if your words are different, God hears your heart. If you have prayed this prayer, confessing your sins to God, repenting and believing in Jesus Christ, you ARE a Christian!
WHAT’S NEXT?
If you have prayed this prayer, or have questions, please send us a note through the link provided below, and we would love to help you on the next steps in your walk with Christ. Meanwhile, to help you grow in your walk with the Lord, you should:
Get a Bible and read it every day – If you don’t have one, by all means contact us and we would be happy to send you one free of charge!
Pray daily – The Word of God (the Bible) is God speaking to you. Prayer is you speaking back to God. Even if you aren’t sure how to pray, talk to God about your hopes, fears, everything! Your Heavenly Father is listening.
- Begin attending a Bible-teaching church – There is nothing more powerful than the work of God’s Word in the lives of His people. You can find some such churches in your area by using the Church Locator.