What do you have to do to become a Christian?
Really, nothing. Jesus has done it all! God's great free gift is available to you the moment you stretch out your hand and take it.
Yes, but how do you do that?
You just need to talk to him.
Maybe you've never prayed before, or maybe you've done it many times. It doesn't matter. Just speak honestly to him, admitting that you're just a human sinner who doesn't deserve his forgiveness, but affirming that you want him to forgive you anyway - because you believe he loves you enough to do that, and because he's promised in the Bible that he will.
Then tell him you're accepting the free gift of eternal life that Jesus died to make possible, and with it, you're abandoning your old life to allow Jesus Christ to be your Master in future. Ask him for the grace and power of the Holy Spirit to fill your life from today onwards, making you a "new creation" as the Bible promises, gradually making you more and more like Jesus as you get to know him better and better.
Let's sum that up:
I admit I don't deserve God's forgiveness
I affirm that I believe he will forgive me because of Jesus' death and resurrection
I accept the amazing free gift of new life
I abandon my old life to live as a child of God in future
Is that what you want to do? If so, here's a prayer you could use as your way of saying all these things to God, and coming into his kingdom. (You don't have to use this one - pray using your own words if you like - but this is an example of the sort of prayer you should say.)
Father God, I'm coming to you right now to say Yes to your offer of forgiveness and new life. I want to confess to you that my life has often fallen short of what it should be, and I have no right to expect your love and mercy. But I know that Jesus died on the cross so that I could be forgiven, and so I now ask you to receive me into your family as you have promised. Please fill me with your Holy Spirit and give me the awareness that I belong to you. Be real to me, and I promise I will be real with you, and serve you as your loving child, in the power the Holy Spirit brings to me, as long as I live. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for dying for me. Thank you, Father, for loving and accepting me, and for bringing your Holy Spirit into my life right now. Amen |
If you've just prayed that prayer - or if you haven't because you still have some questions you're unclear about - please get in touch so that we can help you. You want to get the very best out of living the Christian life, and we want to help you do just that. Meanwhile, click here for some important instant advice.