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Being a Christian
What does it mean to be a Christian? To be a Christian means that you have understood that there is a greater purpose in life than what the world offers. So a Christian is a person who has made the decision to turn away from the ways of the world and turn to Jesus. A Christian decides to live for Jesus and strives to allow Jesus to guide his or her life.
How do I become a Christian? Actually...God has already done the work and invites you to enjoy the benefits. Think about it this way.
- God created you and loves you. However...
- As much as God loves you, God cannot accept the bad things (sin) in your life. Therefore you cannot enjoy the benefits of being God's child. In response...
- God sent His son, Jesus, into the world, to save it, not to condemn it. So...
- In obedience to God’s will, Jesus died on the cross for your sins. All you need to do is...
- Acknowledge God's love for you. (John 3:16)
- Admit that you are a sinner. (Romans 3:23)
- Accept the fact that Jesus died for your sins. (Romans 5:8)
- Ask Jesus into your heart and life. (Romans 2:22)
- Allow the Holy Spirit to lead you in all areas of your life. (Galatians 5:25)
- Family
- Relationships
- Career
Now please understand...we all come to the decision to follow Christ in different ways. Some of us have very dramatic experiences such as Paul had on the Damascus Road. (You can read about his experience in Acts 9:1-21.) Others of us are drawn to Jesus over a period of time and have a very quiet experience, such as the disciples had on the Emmaus Road. (You can read about their experience in Luke 24:13-34.) Regardless of your experience, if you understand and believe the basic truths above...then you can pray a simple prayer to ask Jesus into your life. It could be something like this:
"Dear God, thank you for creating me and loving me. I know that you cannot accept the sin in my life and I ask for your forgiveness. Thank you for sending your son, Jesus, into the world... just for me. I want to live my life for you... so I ask you, Jesus, to please come into my life. Help me to always live for you. Amen."
If you have prayed this prayer or one like it...it is important that you tell another Christian. It is also important that you become involved in a Christian Church. You can give us a call...or email us if you have any questions. We want to celebrate with you and help you in your journey with Christ.
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