Becoming a Christian -Written by Matt

A Christian is someone who strives to be Christlike. We all need a Messiah, a Redeemer. In Genesis 1, God created the Earth and the universe, declaring that everything was good. However, there was rebellion in Heaven when Lucifer, who later became Satan, wanted to take God’s place. As a result, God cast Lucifer and one-third of the angels out of Heaven, and they came to Earth. Satan then led Adam and Eve to sin by disobeying God.

SIN

God is holy, righteous, and hates sin. When sin entered the world, it created a separation between humanity and God. This separation not only affected our relationship with God but also led to conflict among people. The evil we see in the world—hate, racism, wars—are all consequences of sin. The world we live in now was not God’s original plan. He created a perfect paradise, but sin ruined it. Sin is destructive and brings pain into our lives. Why is there so much violence int he world? Sin…Humans have a sinful nature and we are corrupted with evil thoughs that is spurred on by Satan. “There is no one who does good, not even one” (Psalm 14:3). The passage in Jeremiah 17:9 states “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.” We need forgiveness of sin.

HOPE

Because of sin, we are separated from God. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” So, how can sinful humanity be reconciled to a holy God? In Genesis 3:15, God promised a Redeemer, someone who would come to cover our sins with His blood. That Redeemer is Jesus.

We believe in the Trinity—God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit. Jesus, the Son, is equal with the Father and the Holy Spirit. To show His immense love for us, God became human in the person of Jesus. Jesus lived a perfect, sinless life—something no one else could do. He took upon Himself the sins of the world when He was crucified on the cross, paying the penalty for our sins. His death was the ultimate sacrifice so that we could be forgiven and have eternal life with God in Heaven. On the third day, Jesus defeated death by rising from the grave. This is why we celebrate Easter! Afterward, He ascended into Heaven, and He will return one day.

The Bible teaches that Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). No one can come to the Father except through Him. You don’t get to Heaven by being good or by doing good deeds. The only way to be saved is through Jesus. You need to pray and admit that you are a sinner in need of a Savior. Ask for forgiveness and invite Jesus into your heart. When you do this sincerely and have a change of heart, you are saved.

A CHANGE OF HEART

But it’s important to understand that salvation requires a genuine heart change. You can’t accept Jesus and continue living the same way. There should be a transformation in your life. The things you once did that were wrong should no longer appeal to you. Will you still sin? Yes. But as you grow in your faith, you should sin less, and when you do sin, you should feel sorrow and want to turn away from it. You should hate the things that God hates and desire to live a life that honors Him. Good works don’t save you, but after being saved, your life should reflect your love for God. This might mean being a better person, a better family member, living with integrity, attending church, studying the Bible, praying, and learning more about God. Talk to God daily, repent when you fall short, and remember that no matter what you’ve done in the past, God can forgive you. He loves you so much that He sent His only Son to take your place so that you could be holy and live with Him forever.

It’s important to understand that you can’t be your own “god” and that there is no other way to Heaven except through Jesus. I’ll share more about this in future blogs, but for now, this is the truth you need to know to become a Christian.

Remember, you are loved by a God who has entered into a relationship with you. He understands every pressure you face & He is with you in them all. He wants you to bring your concerns, disappointments, fears, doubts, & regrets to Him. When life doesn’t seem to be working because the stress & pressures is too great, go to God & not away from Him. You will find comfort, wisdom & strength that cannot be found anywhere else…not your old patterns, your old like, not drinking, drugs, or anything else that you did in your old life before Jesus.

Romans Road – Written by TurningPoint.org

God loves you! “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).

God has a wonderful plan for your life! “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).

Because of your sin, you are separated from God. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

The penalty for sin 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).

The penalty for your sin was paid by Jesus Christ! “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

If you repent of your sin, confess and trust Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you will be saved from your sins! “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).

God Forgives You

You’re forgiven. How relieving is it to hear those words after you ask for forgiveness from a loved one for what you did wrong! God offers the same words to you. No matter what you have done wrong, God will forgive you. Nothing you’ve done is outside of God’s forgiveness. God’s forgiveness is like putting your sin as far away as the east is from the west (see Psalm 103:12). When God forgives you, He welcomes you into His presence where there is joy and pleasures forever. Ephesians 1:7 says, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” You can receive God’s forgiveness and have your greatest turning point.

To receive God’s forgiveness, simply ask Him to forgive you for your sin. There is no magic formula prayer; but a sincerity of your heart with a change heart, thinking and lifestyle. Here is a simple suggestion for your prayer.

Lord Jesus, I’m like everyone else—I can’t make it through life on my own. I’m imperfect. I’m prone to sin. I have come to realize that there’s nothing in the world I can do to make myself acceptable to You. But I know that You have loved me so much that You were willing to submit to the cross and die on my behalf. That’s a grace so amazing I cannot understand it; I can only accept it. And I do. I accept Your free gift, and I know that from this moment on, I am saved. I am a child of God. And I give the rest of my life to serving You and experiencing the joy that only You can offer. I thank You and praise You! Amen.

God Wants a Relationship With You

When we love someone, we spend time with them. We talk to them. The same is true of God. He wants a relationship with you; He wants you to spend time with Him and talk to Him! So how do you have a relationship with God?

Prayer. Praying is how we talk to God. We ask Him to forgive us for what we have done wrong. We thank Him for what He has done for us. And we ask Him to provide for our needs (Matthew 6:9-13).

God’s Word. Studying the Bible is how we learn more about God and grow in our relationship with Him (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

Church. Attending church allows us to receive support from other believers, to worship God with other Christians and to serve those in our church and our community (Hebrews 10:24-25).

Share. Taking the time to tell someone about your decision to receive God’s gift of salvation is a great way to spread the Gospel (Romans 1:16).

God Is There for You

People come and go from our lives. A friend moves to a different town, or we get a new job. And sometimes friends leave because our life is messy and difficult. But God is always with us. Isaiah 41:10 says, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you.”