Becoming a Christian
JESUS IS LORD
Now that you know a bit more about God and His son Jesus Christ, you might like to become a follower of Jesus yourself. This could be one of the most important steps you take in your life, on a level with falling in love, or becoming a parent. Very few people who become true believers ever regret it. Just the opposite!
Can you tick most or all of the following statements?
* I believe in God. ✓
* I believe Jesus existed. ✓
* I believe that Jesus was not a deluded fool. ✓
* I believe that Jesus told the truth at all times. ✓
* I believe that if I pray to God while trusting in Him, He will hear me and, in His own time, He will answer my prayers. ✓
* I believe that Jesus was without sin. ✓
* I know that I sin from time to time and I am sorry. ✓
* I know that if I take my sins to God and say sorry He will forgive me. ✓
* I know that because I'm not perfect I don't deserve to go to heaven, but because I believe in Jesus He took my sins on Himself and so I can go there when the time is right. ✓
* I am prepared to trust that God knows the bigger picture even when I don't fully understand things that happen in life. ✓
* I believe that there is an evil force at work in the world, so it is unfair to blame God when bad things happen. ✓
* I believe that Jesus died on the cross, but God brought Him back to life on the third day. ✓
* I believe that my eternal life starts the day I accept Jesus into my heart.✓
* I believe that in heaven there is no illness, no pain and no injustice. ✓
* I am prepared to love God, to love my fellow human beings and to love myself, in that order. ✓
* I believe that if I declare in the presence of two or more people that I belong to Jesus, He in turn will acknowledge me as a Christian before God. ✓
If you could tick most of these you could be a Christian to be proud of. Why not tick the final declaration and let Jesus into your life? You won't regret it.
You might ask if it is necessary to go to church to be a Christian. Strictly speaking, the answer is no. Faith in Jesus and a desire to treat others in a Christian way is all that is needed. However, if there is a church near you, why not go along to a service one Sunday? You can sit at the back. People are sure to be welcoming. If you don't like the first church you go to, you can always try another one. It's nice to mix socially with people who believe in the same things as you. You're no longer in a minority and there will be a minister who'll be able to help you grow your faith.
If you have a friend who is already a Christian, mention your interest to them. You won't be laughed at. They could help you to take your faith further, but at your own pace.
If you can buy a modern translation of the Bible you will have direct access to the words of God (Old Testament) and Jesus (the Gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke and John in the New Testament).