How can I become a Christian?

Realize Who God Is

It all starts with a realization of Who God is. The Bible says He is the creator of the universe (Genesis 1:1) and creator of man (Colossians 1:16). God is holy (1 Peter 1:16), righteous (Psalm 145:17), perfect (Matthew 5:48) and is the judge (Romans 2:16) of all mankind. He is all-powerful (Luke 18:27), all-knowing (Psalm 139:2-6), and is everywhere (Job 28:24). God is eternal (Psalm 90:2), infinite (Psalm 102:25-27), and unchanging (Hebrews 13:8). He is sovereign (Romans 8:28-30), good (Psalm 25:8), merciful (Daniel 9:9), and gracious (Psalm 103:8). Understanding these attributes helps build a proper foundation to our need for Him.

Realize That You Are A Sinner

To become a Christian, you must realize that you are a sinner (Romans 3:23) and that your sin is rebellion against God (Psalm 51:4). Think about every time you have lied, stolen, lusted after someone, hated someone, disobeyed your parents or used God's name disrespectfully. You will never be good enough to enter Heaven on your own merit (Ephesians 2:8-9) because committing even one sin deserves judgment (Revelation 20:12) according to God's law (James 2:10). No amount of good deeds can ever erase your sin.

Repent Of Your Sin

According to the Bible, God is filled with wrath and hates sin (Romans 1:18). Sin is very serious to God and you must be willing to repent (Romans 2:4-8). To repent means that you are changing your mind about your sin and realize that your sin does not please God. True repentance starts with genuine sorrow and regret over your sins (2 Corinthians 7:9-10) and leads to a change in behavior.

Believe In Jesus Christ

God loves you so much that He made a way for you to escape eternal punishment in Hell and allow you into Heaven. Jesus willingly died on a cross to pay for the penalty of your sins (1 Peter 2:24) and rose from the grave (Matthew 28:5-6) to conquer death. The Bible says "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16). It is not enough to just believe these facts, but you must personally receive Jesus Christ into your life (John 1:12).

Trust In Jesus Christ

You can personally receive Jesus Christ by trusting in Him as your Savior to rescue you from the penalty of your sin (Romans 8:1-4). You must also be willing to follow Him as your Lord (Luke 9:23-24). Nothing is more important than where you spend eternity, so please don't wait another day to turn to Christ.

What We Deserve

We are all sinners deserving of hell. That is because we sinned against a Holy God who gave us life. He sees every sinful thought, attitude, word and deed we have ever committed. Think about how many times you have sinned. It is not possible to be good enough to deserve Heaven (or bad enough to not be forgiven). You broke God's laws and deserve punishment. Only Jesus can pay the fine you owe.

Proper Motivation

Think about how you would feel if you were guilty of countless crimes and got sentenced to life in prison unless you could pay a 100 billion dollar fine. Then, all of a sudden someone comes and pays your fine and sets you free. How would you feel? Probably extremely thankful, undeserving, indebted, and excited. That should be your attitude towards what Jesus did for you because He paid a fine you couldn't pay. Your motive to follow Jesus should be because He took the punishment you deserved to save you soul and allow you into Heaven, not because you fear Hell or desire a better life on earth.

Need For Forgiveness

Maybe you want forgiveness for your sins and want to become a follower of Jesus Christ. Please take some time and think about your very own sins that sent Jesus to the cross. It should break your heart. Think about the humiliation, beatings, and eventual death He endured for your sins. More significantly, he endured the very wrath of God. That is how amazing Jesus is and how much he loves sinners.

Cry Out To God

Confess to God that you have broken His law and sinned against Him. Tell Him you are going to turn from your sins (repent) and that you need His help to clean you up. Ask Him to forgive all your sins. Thank Him for sending His son Jesus Christ to die on the cross in your place to pay for your sins. Believe that He rose from the dead to conquer death. Receive His free gift of eternal life in Heaven. Place your trust in Jesus as your Savior and Lord.

If you believe that God has saved you, keep on believing and following the Lord. Read the Bible every day and obey what it says.