How do I become a Christian?

The term “Christian” was originally given to followers of Jesus Christ in the ancient city of Antioch in the first century A.D. (Acts 11:26). A simple definition of a Christian is a person who believes and follows Jesus Christ.

But how does one believe and follow Christ? How does one become a Christian?

The answer to the question, “How Do I Become a Christian” can be broken down into four parts: God, Man, Savior, and Response.

God

As Christians we believe in a God who created the world and all that is in it, including us. According to the Bible, God is a gracious and kind God, one who abounds in steadfast love towards his people while caring even for those who don’t believe in him (Matthew 5:45). Yet, while God is a gracious and kind God, he is also a just God who will “by no means clear the guilty” (Exodus 34:6-7).

Related to God’s justice is his holiness. To be holy is to be sacred and set apart. According to the Bible, God is described as a holy God: “You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong…” (Habakkuk 1:13).

Because God is both just and holy, he (1) will not allow sin to continue indefinitely, and (2) will not allow sinners to continue sinning without calling them to account.

But what is sin and what kinds of people are sinners? That brings us to the next part:

Man

Though the Bible states that man was made in God’s image (Genesis 1:26-27)~ meaning every human being possesses inherent dignity and worth that cannot be taken away~ the Bible also states that every single person is a sinner: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

But what is sin? While sin is commonly thought of as “doing bad things” or “disobeying God,” it goes deeper than just behavior; sin is a condition. Sin is a condition, a posture of rebellion against God, where we pursue our own ambitions and desires. Sin brings about more sin (James 1:15) and leads to all of the brokenness and pain that we see today~ both within ourselves and all around us.

Because God is just and holy, and because we are sinful, the just penalty for our sins is death: it is separation from God forever. 

So what can be done about sin? How can sinners like us avoid separation from God and be made right with God?

Savior

The good news is that God did not leave us stuck in our sin; rather, he provided a remedy to our sin~ he provided a Savior. That Savior’s name is Jesus.

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, God incarnate, came to earth and dwelled among us sinners. He lived a perfect, sinless life, yet died in the place of sinners on a cross (Romans 5:8). He died in order to pay the penalty for sin, for anyone that would turn from their sin in repentance and turn to him in faith. 

Yet Jesus did not stay dead. On the third day following his death, Jesus arose in glorious resurrection, showing that sin and death had no power over him (1 Corinthians 15:3). Because Jesus paid for sin in his death and defeated sin in his resurrection, through faith we can receive forgiveness of our sin and be made right with God~ not through any good deeds we have done, but through what Jesus has accomplished on our behalf.

Response

And so what now? How does one become a Christian?

All you have to do is admit that you are a sinner, believe that Jesus paid the price of your sins, and confess Jesus and him alone as your Savior (John 14:6, Acts 4:12). This is how one becomes a Christian!

If you have any further questions or if you have believed this for the first time, do not hesitate to reach out to Brett Imamura (English Pastor) at brett.imamura@cgfchurch.org.