Christianity is a religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus. It teaches that Christianity is not about what you believe but how tolive. Christians believe that Jesus is the Son of God and the savior of humanity who died for our sins and rose from the dead to offer eternal life. Christians are called to love God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength and to love their neighbors as themselves.
How Does One Become a Christian?
What exactly does it mean to be a Christian, and what does it mean to follow Christ? Isn’t everyone who believes in God a Christian, too? Being a Christian does not just mean that you believe in God. Belief in God is just the beginning of a journey that will take you far in life.
Step 1: Belief in God is The Beginning of Salvation
The Bible teaches us that faith comes from hearing the message of God. Recognize that you are loved and accepted by the One who created you and brought you into this world. The Christians are taught to take their confessions and sins to the Father of the Church — a pastor who provides for the needs of others by supplying them with love, care, protection, guidance, supervision, and the ability to develop and be free.
It’s impossible for whatever we’ve done or could do to lessen God’s love for us. This is what it’s like to worship God. We are cared for by God even if we don’t believe in Him, just as a mother does for her children.
Step 2: Acknowledge Your Sinfulness
It’s clear from the Bible that all people are sinners who have no hope of salvation and no desire to serve God. Human failings, poor decisions, and obstinate self-will make us helpless and guilty, and habits may rapidly become addictions that are almost hard to quit. We recognize this fact. A human sin impacts the whole society, leading to a world that is riddled with inequity, oppression, sexism, and pollution.
Despite our faults, God cares for us and longs for a relationship with us. It’s our belief as Christians that God gave His only son so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but have everlasting life. You may have peace of mind in knowing that because of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, we are adopted as God’s children and given the firm faith that this new life will go on beyond death, taking us to paradise.
Step 3: A Call for Repentance and Repair
This leads us to the third phase, which brings us to a new way of life — repentance. Recognizing that you’ve sinned isn’t enough. You must repent of your transgressions and vow never to do them again. True repentance is to change the direction of your life towards pleasing God with a change in your actions and way of thinking.
You can’t expect God to forgive you for hurting someone unless you try to reconcile with them. Otherwise, this would not be genuine repentance or confession.
Step 4: Commit with a Prayer to God
It’s possible that you’d want to express your thoughts to God in the form of a prayer. To pray is to have a conversation with God. Use your own words as you pray. There isn’t a secret recipe. Pray to God with all your heart and have faith that He has already rescued you. Salvation is a gift of God’s grace, received through trust in Jesus Christ. Nothing you’ve ever done or will ever do has led to it. It’sGod’s gift to His creation. You just have to accept it.
When you submit yourselves to God through a simple prayer, your relationship with God strengthens through the Holy Spirit.
Step 5: Get Baptized
Baptism is a way to publicly show your relationship with Jesus and fellow Christians. Every one of us is a part of the same body and accountable to the same Lord. After acknowledging your sins and reading the Bible, you are submerged in water to become “baptized. Before you follow the pastor’s or spiritual leader’s instructions for the baptism ceremony, think about how it symbolizes your relationship with Jesus and how he died for his people, and your admission into a single body of believers. Getting out of the water proves your new life by identifying yourself with Christ.
Baptism relates to Jesus by indicating that you have renounced your old ways and adopted a new way of life in Christ and you openly identify with Christ’s life and death and resurrection. In other words, you publicly declare your faith in Christ so you can’t go back to your old ways of life.
Our Final Thoughts
Becoming a Christian involves living a life of gratitude towards God. Reformed Christians see the ten commandments of God as a way to give appreciation to God for all He has done. Worshiping God is one way in which Christians show their thanks.
As a way of expressing gratitude to God, this obedience is not seen as a method of gaining God’s favor. As a result of our tireless efforts to spread God’s kindness and compassion across the globe, we give gratitude to him.
We also show our thankfulness through the way we treat our loved ones, work, play, vote, engage in community action, connect with neighbors, spend money, and show our trust in God. We no longer have to worry about how well we’re doing all the time. It’s also important to note that everything in life is considered a way to serve God.
