How to become a Christian
…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. (Romans 10:9)
Salvation is a supernatural work of God in the life of a sinful human being. To become a Christian you must recognise your need for God by obeying Jesus’ command to repent of your sins and believe in Him. Upon doing this God promises you salvation. You say, “that’s far too easy.” Exactly, it’s meant to be. That’s the most amazing, breath-taking, mind blowing truth about Christianity. There is no special formula or ritual you have to perform. You don’t have to climb a mountain, visit a shrine or conduct religious ceremonies. There is nothing you have which God doesn’t already have. In fact everything you do have is given by God in the first place. Salvation is a gift of God. You cannot earn it with your works or buy it with gold, silver or money. This is the God of the entire universe we are talking about. He is the God who juggles the planets with His hands and whose eyes blaze with holy fire. There is nothing hidden from Him. What is there that you can present to Him? He cannot be bribed and He does not accept good works as a payment for salvation. Salvation is all of God and it is a free gift to unworthy sinners as a demonstration of His grace.
But, you must obey Jesus’ commandment to repent and believe. God gives grace to the humble, but resits the proud. If you repent and believe, you will be saved. But in case you don’t quite get it, let me explain further:
WHAT IS REPENTANCE?
Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts…(Isaiah 55:7)
You are a sinner. You are guilty. You are lost. You are in rebellion towards a holy, just and merciful God. You are not an innocent sheep who has just lost his way. You are not a victim of society. The Bible says you are hostile towards God and God is hostile towards you. There is enmity between you and God. Why? Because you have rejected God and demanded to be the ruler of your own life. You have knowingly broken His moral law.
Repentance means turning away from your sins. This means a change of mind towards sin. It is a conscience decision to forsake wickedness and unrighteousness and walk in the opposite direction. It is admitting that you are a sinner and that you have violated God’s perfect standard. It also means a change of heart. Repentance is a genuine sorrow and hatred towards the sin which you once loved. Simply put, it is laying down your sin and rebelliousness towards God.
The good news is that there is no sin too great that God cannot forgive. God is able and willing to forgive all those who come to Him with a broken and repentant heart. He is full of compassion, grace and mercy towards the sinner. The Bible says:
Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. (Isaiah 55:6-7)
BELIEVE IN WHAT?
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)
If I’ve repented, what should I now believe in? It’s not what you believe in, but who you believe in. Upon repentance and turning away from sin, you must believe in the Saviour of sinners, Jesus Christ. Repentance towards God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. You must believe what He says about Himself; that He is the Son of the living God, the Christ sent by God to die for your sins. You must turn to Him in belief. You must turn to Him in faith. You must turn to Him in hope. You must turn to Him in trust. You must turn to Him as the only hope of salvation.
Think of it like this – what would you do if your plane was about to crash and the pilot announces there was a parachute under your seat? You’d put it on right? Anyone in their right mind would put it on so that they would survive the coming disaster. In the same way, the Bible commands you to put on the Lord Jesus Christ as your only hope of being saved from hell and judgement. This means accepting, trusting and receiving the Lord Jesus Christ into your life as Saviour.
WHAT NEXT?
If you have seen your sinful condition before God and your need for Him, then don’t wait. Repent and believe today. Today is the day of salvation. You have no guarantee of your next breathe let alone your next day.
Let Charles Spurgeon lead you in prayer:
Join with me in prayer at this moment, I entreat you. Join with me while I put words into your mouths, and speak them on your behalf— “Lord, I am guilty, I deserve thy wrath. Lord, I cannot save myself. Lord, I would have a new heart and a right spirit, but what can I do? Lord, I can do nothing, come and work in me to will and to do thy good pleasure.
Thou alone hast power, I know,
To save a wretch like me;
To whom, or whither should I go
If I should run from thee?But I now do from my very soul call upon thy name. Trembling, yet believing, I cast myself wholly upon thee, O Lord. I trust the blood and righteousness of thy dear Son…Lord, save me tonight, for Jesus’ sake.” (From Iain Murray, The Forgotten Spurgeon [Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, 1973], pp. 101f.)
- Pray – Talk to God every day. Thank Him, praise Him, confess sin, pray for others.
- Bible – Read your Bible every day. Pray as you read asking God for understanding.
- Fellowship – Meet regularly with other Christians in a Church which teaches the Bible.
- Speak – Tell others of Jesus Christ regularly.
- Rejoice – The below verse is how you are to live. Worship God, rejoice in Christ Jesus and put all your confidence in Jesus alone.
…worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh…(Philippians 3:3)
That I May Know Him 2010
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