How Do You Become a Christian?
This is probably the most important page on this web site if you don't know if you are a Christian or even if you think that you are one and want to just check to see if your definition matches up to what I see as the truth.
One word that is really thrown around a lot in this world is "Christian." Anyone can use the word and they can do anything that they want while calling themselves one. One thing to keep in mind is whether someone's actions check out with the Bible. Just because someone is a bad example and calls themselves a Christian doesn't mean that Christianity is bad it just means that individual is not practicing what they are calling themselves.
Here are the things that we have to understand:
1. Man and Sin
We all have sinned:
Romans 3:23
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Ecclesiastes 7:20
Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins.
Galatians 3:22
But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
I John 1:8-10
8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.
Sin has its paycheck:
Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, BUT the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
John 8:24
"Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins."
Some people might say, "Well I don't sin as much as him or her" or "I'm not that bad of a person."
James 2:10
For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point he has become guilty of all.
Someone might ask how we got into this predicament:
Genesis 2:17
but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die."
So at this point everyone must realize their situation here. There is a way though, but only one way.
2. God's Solution to Man's Problem
Romans 5:8
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4
3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
Isaiah 53:6
All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him.
1 Peter 2:24
and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.
3. The Only Way - Jesus
The only way for man to pay his debt was for him to die so God provided one alternative.
John 14:6
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
Acts 4:10-12
10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead-- by this name this man stands here before you in good health. 11 "He is the STONE WHICH WAS REJECTED by you, THE BUILDERS, but WHICH BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone. 12 "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved."
I John 2:23
Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also.
4. Man's Responsibility - to accept our position and receive Jesus.
We can accept our penalty for our sin or we can accept Jesus' into our hearts.
John 3:15-18
15 so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life. 16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 18 "He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
If you don't believe it says in verse 18 above that you've already been judged. But:
John 5:24
"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
Romans 10:9-13
9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, "WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED." 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; 13 for "WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED."
One thing to keep in mind here is that knowing and believing are two different things. Notice in verse 10 above that it says the belief results in righteousness. That is a one way street. Righteousness (or being good) does not create salvation.
Ephesians 2:8-9
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Well can Jesus accept us all? Yes! We just have to accept Him.
John 6:37
"All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.
So all you have to do is ask Jesus to take over your life:
Revelation 3:20
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.
Receiving is Believing:
John 1:12
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,
5. Jesus wants us all to Come to Him
2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.
Romans 2:4
Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?
1 Timothy 2:3-4
3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Love is patient:
1 Corinthians 13:4
Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant,
And God IS Love:
I John 4:8
The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
I John 4:16
We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.
Now I tried to put as many verses on this page so that no one would try to think that I was trying to draw things from only one verse here and there. There are more verses that could have been included but just to keep things from being too complex and because I'm not perfect probably left them out.
More pages on "What's the Bible Say About it?" relating to salvation: