How to become a Christian
You must first, want to be a Christian. For that, you need a basic knowledge of the gospel (good news) of Jesus Christ. In this book, it was endeavoured to give the reader sufficient information to enable him/her to decide whether he/she wants to be a Christian or not, or in other words to be saved or not. In Acts 16:30 the keeper of the prison asked Paul and Silas:
“30’Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ 31So they said, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.’”
Redemption (salvation) is only possible through a living faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, which leads to a total dedication to Him. It is to be born again into a new life where the new Christian or disciple of Christ, now lives for Christ and not for him/herself anymore (see John 3:3). There is now no more need for rituals. Jesus Himself, through the work of the Holy Spirit, will put the desire in your heart to live for Him and to His honour.
You decide and God provides the power and ability, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to become a true Christian. The ability is from Him but the decision is yours.
When you realise that you are a lost sinner, that your own good deeds cannot save you, but that Jesus paid the full price for you to be reconciled to God, and for your salvation, a real repentance is inevitable. That is, however, not enough. You must receive Him into your life and thereby become a child of God. A true and total dedication is required. John 1:12:
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.”
You must come to a decision and make your decision known to God through prayer. Prayer is conversation with the living God. He wants us to come to Him in prayer. James 4:8:
“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”
It is good to kneel before God in prayer, because it shows respect and reverence, but that is not compulsory. If you do kneel, it is not necessary to kneel in a specific direction because God is not only omnipresent, but also omniscient, and He knows that your intention is to kneel before Him. Prayer is to talk honestly to God about the things you have on your heart. No ritual washing of hands etc. is necessary and no fixed rhymes will impress Him. He knows the intentions of your heart but He wants you to bring them to Him in prayer. He may even, through the Holy Spirit, put things on your heart about which He wants you to pray. Do it to the glory and honour of God.
To become a Christian the following must also be addressed in your prayer:
- Confess your sins to God. Confess all unloving behaviour. You must remember that God can and will forgive all your sins. You may feel that there are sins too big for him to forgive. He said in his Word that he will “blot out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remember your sins no more” (Isaiah 43:25). Through the same prophet Isaiah, God said in Isaiah 1:18: “Come and let us reason together, says the Lord, though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”
- Accept his gift of salvation through Jesus, and thank Him that Jesus paid the price for all your sins through his death on the cross, which made your salvation and reconciliation with Him possible. You accept it as you would accept any other gift, taking it by faith as a gift from God, and thanking Him for it. Ephesians 2:8, 9: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
- Surrender yourself to Him. Tell Him that from now on, you will live for Him and not for yourself, and that He will have first place in your life.
- Thank Him for the opportunity to become part of the family of God, and that He will, through his Holy Spirit, enable you to live a consecrated (holy) life.
To give God the first place in your life is to love Him more than you love yourself, and that is the fulfilment of God’s law of love. If you are willing to deny yourself, you are also prepared to die to self, and then you will do nothing to harm your neighbour. Instead, you will always do to him what you want people to do to you in similar circumstances. For this reason, it is important to do restitution where you have harmed other people. Do whatever you can to compensate for damage or harm resulting of your sins, and get forgiveness. You must also forgive those who have harmed you. Jesus said in Matthew 6:15:
“If you do not forgive men their trespasses, then my Father in heaven will not forgive your trespasses.”
If you still have questions about becoming a Christian, but feel that it appeals to you, then leave no stone unturned to get all your questions answered as soon as possible. Look out for a Christian who is serious about God and the Bible (it may be difficult to find one, but trust God to lead you through his Holy Spirit to such a person). Unfortunately, not all ‘Christians’, including pastors and church leaders, are serious about God and the Bible. It is, however, always good to get guidance from a mature Christian. Get a copy of the Bible in the language you understand best, and read it prayerfully, trusting God to lead you to the answers to your questions. Preferably start your reading at the gospel of John in the New Testament. The Bible is God’s revelation to mankind and that is where you will meet Him and get acquainted with Him.
What happens now that I am a Christian?
A new Christian must grow in his/her knowledge of God and in the process of sanctification (growing in holiness or consecration to God). It was already pointed out that a Christian cannot continue as before in his/her former sinful living. That is not real Christianity. There are so-called Christians, who not only live in sin themselves, but they also teach that sinless living is impossible. This teaching has been an obstacle (cause to sin) for many, and the Bible says about this in Matthew 18:7:
“Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come!”
It is imperative for every new Christian to grow in his/her knowledge of God. This is the only way to learn how to live a life completely dedicated to God and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This is the only way to a holy (consecrated and sinless) life, for “without holiness no one will see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14). This will be accomplished by reading the Bible prayerfully, and by receiving instruction in the truths of God’s Word (the Bible) in a community of consecrated Christians.
The God of the Bible expects from Christians, in Jesus’ words:
“Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48)
He confirms it in the words of the apostle Peter:
“but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.’” (1 Peter 1:15, 16) (See also Leviticus 11:44, 45.)
People (many Christians) say that this sinless and holy life is impossible. It is impossible only if we try to do it in our own strength and ability, but the Lord promised us that if we want to do it, and trust Him for it, He will give us the strength and ability through his Holy Spirit to do it. Paul said in Galatians 2:20:
“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
Romans 13:14: “Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.” (NIV)
In 1 Thessalonians 5:23 Paul exhorts the Thessalonians:
"Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify (make holy) you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
He assures them in verse 24 that:
"He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it."
It is unnecessary to try to convince you to be a witness for Christ, if you are totally dedicated to Him as explained here. It will be impossible not to be a witness for Him.
“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me” (Jesus’ words in Acts 1:8)
It is the same with prayer. In prayer, you go to God and talk to Him, and if you love Him so much that you completely surrender to Him, it is inevitable that you will seek his presence in prayer as often as possible.
With the apostle Paul I say:
“we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.” (2 Corinthians 5:20b)