Salvation

What does it mean to be a Christian?

Maybe you’re unsure about your own faith, or you’re searching for answers. I’m glad you stopped by. First, I would say pray. Even if you aren’t sure you believe in prayer or God, tell God that. Tell Him your struggles to believe. God wants to interact with you personally and if you sincerely want to know Him, He will show Himself to you. He wants a relationship with you that is more than following religious rules.

You, as well as all of mankind, are born into sin. We all sin. The penalty for our sin is death and eternal separation from God. But, as I said, He wants a relationship with you.

Because of this, He sent His Son Jesus Christ, 100% God and 100% man, to live and die as payment for our sin. He was sacrificed for us. But because He is God, He rose again and is preparing a place for His people.

Jesus died for us and paid that price at no cost to us. There is no work you can do to gain sakvation. There is no amount of good works you can do. It does involve a change in your heart.

When you admit Jesus is Lord, confess you are a sinner, and accept that only through Jesus’ sacrifice and resurrection you are saved then you are a Christian.

Below I have listed verses that are all found in the book of Romans. As a Christian, I believe that all of scripture in the Bible is true and God’s word. There are many other scriptures that point to these same ideas, but these can be helpful to learn and even share with others because they are all in one book.

Steps to becoming a Christian in the book of Romans (found in the New Testament of your Bible) - Also known as the Roman Road to Christ

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 5:8 But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 10:9-10 Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

Romans 10:13  For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Growing as a Christian:

If you have become a Christian it will change you from the inside out and there are ways that you can work with God to grow and strengthen your faith. 

• Praying: Talking to God. I encourage you to talk to God daily and throughout the day. Though He knows all that is on your heart, it is good to take time for this. It will grow your relationship with Him. Take time to praise Him, thank Him, and confess your daily sins and struggles to Him before asking Him to help you and others. Realize that His answers to prayers are sometimes no or not now. His ways are better than ours.

• Studying the Bible (God’s Word): This is how God speaks to us. As we study His word, we will know and understand him better. We will also be able to recognize false teaching.

• Joining a Bible believing church (others can help encourage your faith, point you to God, and even help you with accountability)

• Telling others about how they can come to know Jesus.

What about the Bible?

Though written by many men over hundreds of years, these men were all inspired by God through the Holy Spirit (the 3rd person of the Trinity: Father, Son, Holy Spirit—All equally God and yet one in a way that we cannot fully understand but is shown throughout scripture) 

God’s word is the way that He speaks most clearly to us. We can study it to understand who God is, what He has done, and who He calls us to be. It gives us hope, encouragement, and confidence in our faith.