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Resoures Home > Satisfying Your Spiritual Hunger
Satisfying Your Spiritual Hunger
How
To Become A Christian
The central theme of the Bible is God's love for you and
for all people. This love was revealed when Jesus Christ,
the Son of God, came into the world as a human being, lived
a sinless life, died on the cross, and rose from the dead.
Because Christ died, your sins can be forgiven, and because
He conquered death you can have eternal life. You can know
for sure what will become of you after you die.
You have probably heard the story of God's love referred
to as the "Gospel." The word Gospel simply means
"Good News." The Gospel is the Good News that, because
of what Christ has done, we can be forgiven and can live forever.
But this gift of forgiveness and eternal life cannot be yours
unless you willingly accept it. God requires an individual
response from you. The following verses from the Bible show
God's part and yours in this process:
God's
Love Is Revealed in the Bible
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"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." -- John 3:16 (NIV)
God loves you. He wants to bless your life and make it full
and complete. And He wants to give you a life which will last
forever, even after you experience physical death.
We
Are Sinful
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"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory
of God." -- Romans 3:23 (NIV)
You may have heard someone say, "I'm only human -- nobody's
perfect." This Bible verse says the same thing: We are
all sinners. We all do things that we know are wrong. And
that's why we feel estranged from God -- because God is holy
and good, and we are not.
Sin
Has a Penalty
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"For the wages of sin is death." -- Romans
6:23 (NIV)
Just as criminals must pay the penalty for their crimes,
sinners must pay the penalty for their sins. If you continue
to sin, you will pay the penalty of spiritual death: You will
not only die physically; you will also be separated from our
holy God for all eternity. The Bible teaches that those who
choose to remain separated from God will spend eternity in
a place called hell.
Christ
Has Paid Our Penalty!
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"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this:
While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
-- Romans 5:8 (NIV)
The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God,
has paid the penalty for all your sins. You may think you
have to lead a good life and do good deeds before God will
love you. But the Bible says that Christ loved you enough
to die for you, even when you were rebelling against Him.
Salvation
Is a Free Gift
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"For it is by grace you have been saved, through
faith -- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God
-- not by works, so that no one can boast." -- Ephesians
2:8-9 (NIV)
The word grace means "undeserved favor." It means
God is offering you something you could never provide for
yourself: forgiveness of sins and eternal life, God's gift
to you is free. You do not have to work for a gift. All you
have to do is joyfully receive it, Believe with all your heart
that Jesus Christ died for you!
Christ
Is at Your Heart's Door
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"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone
hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat
with him, and he with me." -- Revelation 3:20 (NIV)
Jesus Christ wants to have a personal relationship with you.
Picture, if you will, Jesus Christ standing at the door of
your heart (the door of your emotions, intellect and will).
Invite Him in; He is waiting for you to receive Him into your
heart and life.
You
Can Receive Him
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"Yet to all who received him, to those who believed
in his name, he gave the right to become children of God."
-- John 1:12 (NIV)
When you receive Christ into your heart you become a child
of God, and have the privilege of talking to Him in prayer
at any time about anything. The Christian life is a personal
relationship to God through Jesus Christ. And best of all,
it is a relationship that will last for all eternity.
(The above information is taken from "Your Christian
Life" 1965, 1968, as "Aids to Christian Living,"
1986 as "Practical Steps in Christian Living," 1995
as "Beginning Your Christian Life," 1997 as "Your
Christian Life," Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.
The source document can be viewed on the excellent Billy Graham
Association Web site.)
THE
PRAYER OF SALVATION
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Remember God loves you. He wants you to be whole and complete
or saved – spiritually, emotionally, physically, mentally,
financially, and socially (3 John 2). Pray this prayer, mean
it, and YOU will be saved, right where you are sitting.
Father in heaven, thank you for sending your Son, Jesus,
to die on the cross for me, and for His blood that was shed
to redeem me and to cleanse me from my sins.
Lord, I am sorry and I repent of my sins. Forgive me. I understand
that I must change the course of my life. I am determined
in my heart to follow you.
I invite you to become the Lord of my life from this point
forward, forever. I openly proclaim and confess that you are
the Lord of my life.
I believe in my heart that You have been raised from the
dead. Therefore I am saved. I am a new creature. The old things
have passed. All things have become new. I am a child of God.
In the Name of Jesus, AMEN!
What's Next?
CONGRATULATIONS!
As a result of being saved:
Your sins are forgiven (1 John 1:9; John 3:16).
You are a member of God’s family (John 1:12;
John 3:2).
You have peace with God and access to Him (Romans
5:1-2; Ephesians 2:6-7).
The Holy Spirit dwells within you (Romans 8:9-11;
1 John 4:4).
Remember, feelings have nothing to do with salvation. You
may feel like you are floating on a cloud, or as dull as a
doorknob. It makes no difference. Trusting God’s Word
is what counts.
Let us know of this incredible, life-changing event—
WHAT
IS THE MEANING OF BAPTISM?
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It illustrates
Christ’s burial and resurrection.
"Christ died for our sins... He was buried... and
He rose again."
--I Corinthians 15:3-4
"For when you were baptized, you were buried with
Christ, and in baptism
you were also raised with Christ." --Colossians.
2:12
It illustrates my new life as a Christian.
"When someone becomes a Christian he becomes a brand
new person inside.
The old life has passed away and a new life has begun!"
--2 Corinthians. 5:17
"By our baptism then, we were buried with Him and
shared His death, in
order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead... so
also we may live
a new life!" --Romans 6:4
Baptism doesn’t make you a believer - it shows that
you already believe.
Baptism does not "save" you, only your faith in
Christ does that. Baptism
is like a wedding ring - it’s the outward symbol of
the commitment you
make in your heart.
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through
faith... it is the gift
of God - not by works, so that no one can boast."
--Ephesians 2:8,9
What
do I do if I want to be baptized? (return
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E-mail Beth at
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