How to Become a Christian
Believe that you are loved and known by God.
The good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ begins with the recognition that you are loved and known by the God the Creator.
Jesus taught us to call God "Father." While some people may lack the positive experience of a loving parent, most can imagine what the word "father" can mean at its very best. It suggests one who gives life, supplies love, provides care, protects, guides, watches over, enables growth, and gives freedom. This is what God is like. Even when we do not acknowledge God, God cares for us.
God knows us intimately and loves us totally. Nothing we have done or could do can make God love us less.
Openly confess your sin.
The Bible plainly teaches that all humans have sinned (Romans 3:23), and have no ability to save themselves. Our sin is made obvious to us when we are aware of our own failures, wrong choices, and habits or addictions leave us guilty and powerless. Scripture tells us that sin not only affects the individual but the society as a whole. The consequences of our sin is death (Romans 6:23b).
Despite our sin, God did not stop loving us or did not stop His plan to redeem us.
As strange as this may seem to us, John 3:16 tells us that "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." Through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, we gain the right to become the adopted children of God. As children of God, we receive hope that our new life in Christ will be an eternal life in Heaven. That's the good news of the Christian faith!
Repent/ Turn away from your sin.
It's not enough to confess that you have sinned. You must turn away from your sins.
Scripture primarily uses one word to describe a genuine response to the gospel message. This word is "repentance," which means to "turn around" or "change of mind." Scripture tells us that when we repent of our sin, our thinking and our actions change. Your will and your behavior will also change.
True repentance means that you want to please God rather than yourself. You experience a life directed outwardly to connect with others, rather than inwardly focused on yourself.
Response to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
In response to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, you understand and believe that you are loved and known by God. That even in your sin that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to this world to die on our behalf. He traded in His righteousness for our sin, so that we take on His righteousness and He takes on our sin. This is referred to as the Great Exchange.
When you confess your sin, and turn from your sin, you begin the process of committing your life to Jesus Christ. You have the opportunity to enter into a relationship with Him that is strengthened through prayer, through consistent and active study of the Bible, as well as committing to regular community with other disciples of Christ.
Through our relationship in Jesus, we begin to know and love God more and more. This relationship is strengthened through the Holy Spirit, who enters our hearts when we commit our lives to Jesus Christ, as He continues to live and work within us to mold us into the children of God. "When the Spirit of truth comes," said Jesus in John 16:13-14, "He will guide you into all the truth…He will take what is mine and declare it to you."
If you have questions about your NEXT STEP in knowing Jesus Christ, please call the church office (615.325.2386) to speak with one of the pastoral staff. Also, if you would like for us to pray for you, please let us know by filling out our prayer request form.