Who is Jesus to you?
Once you have asked all your questions, weighed all the evidence, and tested all the arguments, you will ultimately be confronted with the basic question Jesus asked his own disciples in Matthew 16:15
‘But who do you say that I am?’
Simon Peter replied:
‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’
What is your reply?
If you have come to the same conclusion as Simon Peter, you are a few steps away from having a personal relationship with our loving God. It is our sincere hope and prayer that each of you reach this conclusion, for we know that true happiness, joy and peace only come when we recognize our purpose for existing and yield our wills to our Creator. As you will see, Christianity is not based on a religious building, formula or ritual, it’s a matter of what you truly believe in your heart.
First, know that God loves you unconditionally and desires to have a personal relationship with you. He came to save you from condemnation. The bible is the love story of God's revelation of himself in pursuit of wayward humanity. This pursuit reaches its climax in the cross with the gift of God's son, Jesus Christ.
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. (John 3:16-18)
Second, you need to admit your sinful nature to God, because this is what separates all of us from Him. Though we were created in the image of God and therefore in perfect harmony with Him, we willfully disobeyed God's authority and distrusted His goodness. As a a consequence our relationship with God was broken, resulting in spiritual death, which in turn shattered our relationship with ourselves, others, and all creation.
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
"For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out." (Romans 7:18)
Third, you should stop trying to please God through your own efforts, and realize that salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ is a gift that none of us deserves. Salvation isn't earned, it is humbly accepted. God loves you and there is nothing that will ever change that.
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
Finally, you just need to step in and truly accept God’s gift -- His Son, Jesus Christ. Believe that Jesus died to save you and trust God's love for you. You take a step towards God in faith and He will meet you there.
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name” (John 1:12).
So, now you know the basic steps to become a Christian. As a result, if you desire God’s gift of eternal life and fellowship with Him, you are as close as a sincere act of faith.
Jesus says,
“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).
Jesus also says,
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20).
Receiving Jesus is a matter of truly asking Him to come into your life, to forgive your sins, and to become your Lord and Savior. It’s not merely an intellectual undertaking, but rather, an act of sincere faith and heart-felt will.
If you want to receive Jesus now, and accept His gift of salvation, it's a matter of believing in Jesus Christ, repenting of your sins, and turning the rest of your life over to Him. This is not a ritual based on specific words, but rather, a prayerful guideline for your sincere step of faith.
“Father, I know that I have broken your laws and my sins have separated me from you. I am truly sorry, and now I want to turn away from my past sinful life toward you. Please forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again. I believe that your son, Jesus Christ died for my sins, was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Please send your Holy Spirit to help me obey You, and to do Your will for the rest of my life. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.”
" Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:38).
If you decided to become a Christian today, welcome to God's family! Now, as a way to grow closer to Him, the Bible tells us to follow up on our commitment.
Get baptized. Contact us through the link above. We would love to celebrate Holy baptism with you!
Tell someone else about your new faith in Christ like a friend or pastor.
Spend time with God each day. It does not have to be a long period of time. Just develop the daily habit of praying to Him and reading His Word. Ask God to increase your faith and your understanding of the Bible.
Seek fellowship with other Christians. Develop a group of Christian friends to answer your questions and support you. Join a small group or accountability group.
Find a local church where you can worship God. We would love to see you here at Immanuel!
