What is a Christian? How do I get eternal life? How can I have a relationship with God? Is Jesus the only way to Heaven? What does to be born again mean? Are my good works enough for me to earn salvation?
To become a born again Christian, we must understand the following things:
1. ACKNOWLEDGE
Romans 3:23 says: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”
This means that we have all broken God’s laws and God’s 10 Commandments like those mentioned in Exodus 20:1-17.
For example, if you have told a lie; if you have stolen something; if you have lusted after somebody or if you have coveted. This means you are guilty of breaking at least one or more of God’s 10 Commandments.
Breaking God’s commandments makes us sinners. The fact that we are sinners who have broken God’s law means that we are accountable to God who is the Lawgiver.
Romans 6:23 says that “the wages of sin is death BUT the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”
You must acknowledge that you are a sinner who has broken God’s commandments and that you therefore need Jesus in your life.
2. REPENT
Luke 13:3 says: “Unless you repent you will all likewise perish”
Acts 3:19 says: “Repent therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out”
Repenting means: to change your mind; a sincere turning away, in heart, mind and action;
Therefore God wants you to repent of sinful values and of sinful living. God wants you to decide to follow Him and to make Jesus the Lord of your life.
3. CONFESSION
Romans 10:9 says: “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved”
1 John 1:9 says “If we confess our sins. He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”
God is a forgiving God. The blood that Jesus Christ shed on the cross to pay our debt for sin is able to cleanse us of every sin and transgression we have done against God.
Therefore God will forgive any sin that you have done because Jesus died for ALL your sins and to set you free from the bondage of all types of sin in your life.
4. BELIEVE
John 3:16 says “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life”
John 1:12 says: “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name”
We are saved by placing our faith and trust in Jesus Christ as our Savior. We become born again Christians or children of God through faith alone and not by our personal merit or works.
Ephesians 2:8-9 says: For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
You must believe that ONLY Jesus can save you and restore your relationship with God. You must believe that Jesus is the ONLY way by which you can have everlasting life and escape from eternal separation from God. You must believe that Jesus died on the cross for you and resurrected from the grave.
By faith, you must receive Jesus as Your Lord & Savior and therefore; you become a child of God; you become born again; you become a Christian; you restore your broken relationship with God
Salvation is a Free Gift from God
Salvation is a gift. We are saved by grace through putting faith or total trust in Jesus Christ for our salvation. We cannot be saved by our own personal merit or personal goodness (Ephesians 2:8-9).
We are saved because God loved us so much that He sent Jesus to take our penalty for sin so that if we believe in Christ and in the work He did for us on the cross, the Bible says we have eternal life (John 3:16).
The Bible says that if we receive Jesus Christ by faith we become children of God (John 1:12; Galatians 3:26).
Jesus also clearly said that He is the ONLY way to eternal life and to Heaven and that nobody can come to the Father except through Him (John 14:6)
To learn more about salvation and how to become born again or what it means to become a Christian please read any of the related topics below.
Be sure of where you stand in your relationship with God.
Be sure of what it means to be saved. Be sure that you understand the TRUE gospel of Jesus Christ.
LESSONS FROM THE THIEF ON THE CROSS
WHAT ARE CHRISTIANS SAVED FROM?
WHAT ARE THE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF THE GOSPEL MESSAGE?
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LAW & GRACE?
CAN I BE SAVED BY KEEPING THE 10 COMMANDMENTS?
HOW CAN I HAVE A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD?
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A NEW CREATION IN CHRIST?
LESSONS FROM THE STORY OF THE RICH MAN & LAZARUS
IS JESUS THE ONLY WAY TO HEAVEN?
HOW CAN I KNOW IF I WILL GO TO HEAVEN?
CAN YOU EARN YOUR OWN SALVATION?
ARE ALL PEOPLE CHILDREN OF GOD?
Have you, in faith, believed & received Jesus Christ as your Savior because of what you have read here? If so, please let us know by clicking on the “I have accepted Jesus Christ today” button below.
