How to Become a Christian

Just follow a few simple steps and learn, How to Become a Christian!

1. Take "The Good Test"
If you've not already done so, take the Good Test CLICK HERE

2. Investigate the Evidence and Facts on Jesus
     Jesus is the WAY to God...

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me". (John 14:6)

Let's start with Jesus, let's investigate who He is and ask questions...

Questions like:

•  Was there a man on earth called Jesus? Who lived 2000 years ago?
•  What is the evidence to support His life on earth?
•  What did He say about Himself?
•  What did the people of His time say about Him? And who are these people?
•  Are these people telling the truth?
•  What is the peoples motivation for telling us about Him?

God Wants YOU to Investigate

Evidence outside the New Testament, includes:

•  Tacitus & Suetonius, Roman historians
•  Josephus, Jewish historian

Evidence within the New Testament

•  see F.F. Bruce

"A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said wouldn't be a great moral teacher, he'd either be a lunatic - on a level with a man who says he's a poached egg - or else he'd be the devil of hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was and is the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse... But don't let us come up with any patronising nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He hasn't left that open to us. He didn't intend to."

C.S.Lewis
Mere Christianity

3. Admit We Are Sinners

(Romans 3:23)
"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God"

We all know we've done something wrong in our lives, our conscience bears witness. Con = with,    Science = knowledge.   We have sinned "with-knowledge"

Romans 2:15
since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.

Lying and blaspheming Gods name, are just two sins many people are guilty of. Yet these two sins, (which people conveniently label as "small sins"), mean they've broken the "Ten Commandments" (Gods Law) and are therefore separated from God

(Psalm 5:6)
You destroy those who tell lies; bloodthirsty and deceitful men the LORD abhors.

God is Good AND JUST and as a JUST God He must punish sinners. He punishes them with eternal separation/destruction...

(2 Thessalonians 1:8-9)
He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord

He Will Forgive us our Sins IF We Repent AND put our Trust in Jesus...

(Isaiah 55:7)
Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

(2 Chronicles 7:14)
if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin..

4. Believe Jesus Died to Save us

As sinners we deserve punishment. But God loves us so much, that He sent His Son to take our punishment!

(John 3:16)
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life

Jesus took Our Punishment...

(Isaiah 53:4-6)
Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.

We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all

NOTE: The passage above is a Prophecy, written hundreds of years before Jesus was born. Gods proof for His Word being truthful. FACT and EVIDENCE.

We need to Believe, to be Saved...

Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved (Acts 16:31)

5. Prepare for Obstacles

Satan

Satan is real, he is here on earth with us. Satan and his collegues do not want people to become Christians, (because a Christian has power and authority over them, through the name of Jesus). Satan will do everything to halt, stop and side track anybody from knowing God. Satan keeps people from knowing God by deception and busyness'.

(John 8:44)
...for he is a liar and the father of lies.

(Jeremiah 9: 6)
You live in the midst of deception;
in their deceit they refuse to acknowledge me,"
declares the LORD.

The way to get through this is by perseverance and prayer, when you are halted or stopped from believing for what ever reason. Remember who is behind it and press on. Satan will continue to throw obstacle after obstacle in your way, you must battle on through it all and look to Jesus. It's very hard but worth it in the end.

(Hebrews 12:1)
...let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

The World

The world is one big distraction, people are so caught up in every day chores, work, worries and luxuries etc. that they don't have time to think, let alone seek their Creator. They also accept every theory about life, without testing or investigating any of them.

(1 John 2:16)
"For everything in the world -- the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does -- comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever."

God doesn't want us to accept any theory or religion, without looking at the facts first and investigating. He wants us to use our minds, to think about what we are being taught. He has left us a mountain of evidence for Jesus (Found in Christian book stores). By the way you can't trust programmes on television. A lot of so called Christian programmes are made by non-Christians! Who do not know God!

6. Prepare for Persecution

Being a Christian, means making a Definite Decision to Follow Christ. Christians are different to non-Christians: they have different priorities in life, different values, spend their time differently (go to church etc.). People generally dislike others for being different (racism etc.), their sense of security is based on being like everyone else, fitting in with society and believing what everyone else believes.

(2 Timothy 3:12)
In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted

(Luke 14:27)
And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

We must Obey Christ...

"Not everyone who says to me, `Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 7:21)

We must be Committed to the Church and its Leaders...

(Acts 2:42)
They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer

(Hebrews 13:17)
Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.

7. DO IT

Seek God...

We need to find a quite place away from people and distractions, we go there especially to meet with God (see How to talk with God).

Opening Ourselves to Jesus...

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. (Revelation 3:20)

We should have a genuine change of heart (take The Good Test) and want God more than anything else.

Genuinely Sorry...

We must ask God to forgive us, for all the wrong we've done in our lives and we must be finished with sin. (This is repentance)

(Proverbs 28:13)
"He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy."

Asking Jesus into our lives...

We ask Jesus to come into our lives, through simple prayer. The prayer must come from our heart. What you actually say doesn't matter too much, what's important - is that you say the prayer from your heart

You could say something like..

Afterwards
If you've said this or a similar prayer from your heart, then you can be assured, that God has forgiven you of your sins and re-created you as one of His children. You might not think anything has happened to you yet, but in time you will realise it did.

(2 Corinthians 5:17)
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

God is now your Father and you are free to develop your relationship with Him.

You should join a suitable church (not any old church, try a few to see if God is in there, try a Baptist or Vineyard. Look for a church full of youth, teenagers and young adults). Read the bible every day and do what it says and pray every day. (The more you pray the more you'll see your prayers answered and the more you read, the greater your knowledge of God)

Christianity is about a Relationship with God,
that Relationship gives us a purpose to our lives

The relationship is Two way, we speak to God and He speaks to us.

Alpha Course
For people who wish to know more about the Christian way of life and would like the opportunity to talk with a pastor and ask questions. The course is about 12 weeks long with 2-3 hour sessions (depending on how many questions you've got!). The course will more than likely be held in a relaxed and informal atmosphere (such as in the local pub / bar etc. or at the pastors home).