Shawnee Church of God

3075 Yoakam Road    Lima, Ohio 45806    419-999-2051

Connecting to God

Connecting to Each Other

Connecting to the World

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HOW TO BECOME A CHRISTIAN

Jesus said that "I am the way and the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father except through me" John 14:6 NIV.  This verse is used in many ways to help people understand what it means to be a Christian and understand who Jesus is.   

"I am the way..."-- for some people becoming a Christian takes a while.  It takes some exploring and some investigating of Jesus, his teachings, and the people who claim to follow him.  Perhaps you are in this situation.  You're not exactly sold on Jesus but you are asking some good questions about Him and what it means to be a Christian.  Let me encourage you to keep asking and keep exploring.  Find a church or a Christian you know and begin the journey of discovering who this Jesus is. 

"I am the truth..."-- some people recognize after a time of exploring that Jesus really did have his stuff together!  What He said makes sense.  Perhaps you've heard a message from a pastor or read a Christian book that helped you realize that Jesus was (and is) the smartest person who ever lived.  His principles and His teachings really seem to hit home, sometimes comforting us and many times challenging our preconceived notions of life and God. 

"I am the life..."-- some people know a lot about Jesus as "the way and the truth" but they have never made that final step of trusting Jesus and the life He gives us.  You might ask the question, "What's wrong with the life that I have that I need Jesus?"  The Bible tells us that although people were created good, we have all sinned by following our own ways.  You might ask, "So what?  Everybody sins!"  To this answer I would say, correct!  Even the Bible tells us that all of us sin ("All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God" from Romans 3:23 )  The problem with sin though is that it's deadly-- it will kill us spiritually, emotionally, relationally and eventually physically.  The Bible says, "the wages of sin is death..."  But the Bible also says, "but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."  So you see we have a problem... we have sin in our lives and it will eventually kill us.  So we need to get rid of our sin, right?  Enter Jesus!  Jesus died for our sin and conquered the death penalty of sin by rising again. 

How do I get Jesus?— Glad you asked...

1. Realize that you are a sinner.
No matter how good a life we try to live, we still fall miserably short of being a good person.  That is because we are all sinners.  We all fall short of God’s desire for us to be holy.  The Bible says, “No one is good—not even one” (Romans 3:10 NLT).  This is because we cannot become who we are supposed to be without Jesus Christ.

2. Recognize that Jesus Christ died on the cross for you.
The Bible tells us, “But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while were still sinners” (Romans 5:8 NLT).  This is the Good News, that God loves us so much that He sent His only Son to die in our place when we least deserved it.
 
3. Repent of your sin.
The Bible tells us to “repent and be converted” (Acts 3:19 NKJV).  The word “repent” means to change our direction in life.  Instead of running from God, we can run toward Him.
 
4. Receive Jesus Christ into your life.
Becoming a Christian is not merely believing some creed or going to church on Sunday.  It is having Christ Himself take residence in your life and heart.  Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door (of your life) and knock.  If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in . . . .” (Revelation 3:20 NKJV).

If you would like to have a relationship with Christ, simply pray this prayer and mean it in your heart.

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner.  I believe you died for my sins.  Right now, I turn from my sins and open the door of my heart and life.  I confess you as my Lord and Savior, my Leader and Forgiver.  Thank you for saving me.  Amen.

If you just prayed that prayer and meant it, Jesus Christ has now taken residence in your heart!  Your decision to follow Christ means God has forgiven you, will begin using you for His purposes and plans here in this life and will give you life in heaven for eternity.  The Bible tells us, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9 NKJV). 

If you are making this commitment to Christ today, please let us know.  We would like to pray for you and help you by sending you some materials to help you grow in your faith.