A Christian is one who believes and trusts in the person and work of Jesus Christ— including His death on the cross (as payment for sins), and His resurrection.

Unfortunately, the term “Christian” has lost a great deal of its significance in today’s culture. “Christian” is often used referring to someone who is religious or has high moral values, and who may (or may not) be a follower of Jesus Christ. While going to church, serving the less fortunate, or being a good person are all good things, these do not make a person a Christian.

The Bible teaches us that the good works we do cannot make us acceptable to God. Ephesians 2:8 states, “God saved you by grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.” It is only through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ that we are welcomed into God’s family and that we become Christian. In this, we find grace (forgiveness) and redemption for our sins. In fact, a true Christian admits they are not perfect, and rests their faith in Jesus Christ alone to save them.

John 1:12 tells us, “To all who believed Him and accepted Him, He gave the right to become children of God.” A Christian is a child of God —a part of God’s forever family: this offers peace in knowing one will experience eternal life with God. Likewise, a Christian has been given new life (not just eternally, but in the present life) through the Holy Spirit within. As the Holy Spirit works within us, helping us to follow Christ faithfully, we come to know God’s redemption and restoration right here on this very earth!

To become a Christian, we must acknowledge that we alone cannot “fix” our sinful nature. We can then ask God to help us turn from our sin and ask Jesus into our hearts to help us. We must be willing to follow Christ as Lord and Savior (we can also ask God for that willingness if it is lacking).

Here is one example of a simple prayer to become a Christian:

“God, I want to turn from my sin, I want to put my trust in Jesus Christ as my savior, and I want to commit to follow him as Lord of my life.”

If you made the important decision to say this prayer (or one similar to it, asking Jesus into your heart) and would like someone to speak with about your new Christian journey, please contact us! We would love to pray and join alongside you in your new walk with Christ!