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Becoming a Christian |
Becoming a Christian
So, here's the big question everybody is asking. Why would anybody become a Christian? What's there to gain? Why do Christians always talk about God? I hope through this page I can answer these questions for those of you who aren't Christians yet.
First of all, let me start off by saying that Christians usually aren't the people who are depicted as the saints, the goody two-shoes, or the people who can do no wrong. In fact, a Christian is like any other person. Christians screw up like everybody else. They aren't perfect. But there is one thing Christians have that nobody else has: God. We have the assurance that God will forgive us when we mess up. We have the assurance that we will all go to heaven when we die. And the added presence of God inside of us lets us have peace of mind.
What exactly is a Christian?
To become a Christian, one must first know what a Christian is. A Christian is anybody who has accepted Jesus into their life, acknowledged that they are sinners and that Jesus was crucified to take away their sin. We are all sinners, or "bad" if you will. No one among us, no matter how good they are, how much money they've given to the poor, or how many times they've gone to church, is perfect. In God's eyes, we are all imperfect, unholy beings. In fact, God decreed that anbody who sins is condemned; that is, they will go to hell when they die.
However, God loved us so much that He was willing to send His Son Jesus Christ down here to earth to take away our sins. He loved us enough to have His Son beaten, tortured, and nailed to the cross just so that we can be again holy in His eyes. And because Jesus died for all of us, we are no longer condemned. We are freed from sin, from our past lives, and from all our worries. Instead of going to hell because we are sinners, we are going to heaven because Jesus died for us!
So in review, a Christian is:
- Anybody who has acknowledged that they are sinners.
- Anybody who has acknowledged that God sent down His only Son Jesus to die for our sins.
- Anybody who has acknowledged that Jesus died for their sins on the cross.
- Anybody who has accepted Jesus Christ into their lives.
Who can become a Christian?
Well, now that we know what Christians are, the next question will probably be: Who can become a Christian? Well, everybody who wants to be a Christian, can! God Himself said, "And everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved." (Joel 2:32) God said everyone who calls on His name will be saved. God is giving everybody a chance... whoever calls on His name, that is, whoever believes in Him and acknowledges that He alone is God, will be forgiven from all their sin and be allowed to enter the kingdom of heaven. When Jesus came to earth to die for our sins, He didn't die only for the Jews, even though he was Jew himself, but He died for all the peoples of the earth. He gave everyone here on earth a chance to go to heaven.
When God said everyone could be saved, He meant it. He doesn't look at your race, your gender, or your skin color. God looks at everyone the same way. God does not show favoritism. He doesn't look at how bad you've been, what you've done wrong, or anything else from your past. All those things will be erased from His memory once you've accepted Him into your life. He will forgive you for all that you've done wrong. God doesn't care how good you are or how much money you've donated to charity... there's no way to get to heaven except through Him. In this case, a murderer who has accepted God into his life is far better off than an unsaved millionaire who donated all his money to charity. God is offering His reward. He has made it so that anybody can claim it. All they have to do is call upon His name. It's so simple... but yet the stakes are so high. Do you want to claim that reward?
What do I need to become a Christian?
So now we know what a Christian is, and who can become a Christian. Now, what are the requirements? Well, the truth is, very little. All you need is a sincere heart, and be willing to acknowledge that you are a sinner and that Jesus died for you. Yup, that's it! God doesn't care how many good works you've done... he doesn't look at your past, no matter how bad. In the bible, it says, "If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:9) God only wants you to acknowledge that Jesus is Lord, and that He died for your sins but was raised from the dead, then you will be saved. That's all it takes. You don't have to be wealthy, or be a certain race, or anything else. God has opened the door to heaven to everybody. He has made it so simple to get in. It's up to you. Do you want to enter the kingdom of heaven?
What do I gain by becoming a Christian?
It's human nature to think of themselves before thinking of others. So, the question now is, "What's in it for me? What do I get if I become a Christian?" First of all, understand that God sent Jesus here to earth to die for all of our sins. He has forgiven us all, but we have to acknowledge it first. We have to acknowledge that He died to take away all our sins. That in itself is a great benefit of becoming a Christian. Because Jesus died for your sins, you are justified. To be justfied means that God will look at you as if you have never sinned before. We will enjoy the benefits God promised us before the fall of mankind through Adam and Eve.
Jesus said, "For my Father's (God's) will is that everyone who looks to the Son (Jesus) and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." It was the will of God that everyone who believes in Him shall have eternal life! Imagine that! By believing in Him, the eternal life that He promised us will not be physical, but spiritual. When we die, we will go to heaven! Like I said before, instead of going to hell, we will go to heaven, if only we will believe. There are many other benefits of becoming a Christian, but these two are the most important; the promise of being cleansed from our sins, and the promise of eternal life. God promises all these things, but in order to claim them, we must be willing to acknowledge that God sent His only Son here to earth to die for our sins. Are you willing to do that?
What do I have to do to be a Christian?
To become a Christian, one must:
- Acknowledge that they are sinners.
- Believe that God sent down His Son to earth to die for us.
- Believe that Jesus died for their sins on the cross.
- Accept Jesus Christ into their lives as their Lord and Savior.
If you have prayerfully made this decision, please let me know at revtom2001@lycos.com, and may the Lord Jesus Christ bless and guide you on your new journey.
