STEP 1: EVIDENCE
God does not expect you to become a follower of Jesus Christ based on
blind faith. Christianity has never been based on blind faith.
Christianity is based and rooted in evidence. The Bible really is the
word of God. Jesus Christ really did walk the earth 2000 years ago.
Jesus really was crucified on a cross between 2 thieves, and He really
did rise from the grave 3 days after he died. There is by-far more
evidence for Christianity then there is for any other religion in the
history of humanity. These are some very basic evidences recognizable
to anyone who wishes to know the facts.
STEP 2: TRUST
There are 3 English words that appear in the Bible that have the same
meaning. The 3 words are faith, belief, and trust. A clear way to
understand what it means to become a Christian is to use the word
TRUST. If you have no faith in a friend because he has failed you,
you do not trust that friend. If you do not believe your paycheck
will pay your bills, then you do not trust that the check will supply
enough money to pay the bills. I think you get my point and now lets
move on with the word TRUST.
STEP 2: THE OBJECT OF OUR TRUST
The Object of faith (trust) is God. God is faithful. Ever since the
days of Adam and Eve man has been rebellious toward God. Man is a
sinner and all sin separates man from God who is holy. Once man was
separated, man was doomed to hell without redemption. To be redeemed
means "to buy back what was lost." God's plan for man's redemption
was 2-fold. First God had to judge sin, and second God had to preserve
holiness. If God only judged sin, there would be nothing to base
man's receiving eternal life. If God only gave eternal life, then sin
would negate that. So God had to judge sin and preserve holiness. The
way God chose to do this was by becoming a man and dying for humans
who were sinners. Jesus, Divine in nature, came from heaven to be
born with an additional nature. Jesus received a human nature. Jesus
who is the 2nd Person of the Trinity, lived a perfect life without sin.
Christ was unable to respond from within to temptation. Christ lived
a perfect life, then at God's time, was crucified on a cross for the
sins of the world. If you have faith in that, if you believe that, IF
YOU TRUST THAT, then you are a Christian.
The only thing required for you to get to heaven is 100% perfection.
You cannot live a life of perfection but Jesus came to earth and lived
his life as if it were your life. Now if you will put your trust in
the Righteous life of Christ, you are a Christian. When God looks at
you he will see your trust, belief, and faith in His Son Jesus and
you will be seen as a sinless person, completely holy and righteous.
The only other thing that is very important and will undergird the
fact that you are a Christian is HEALTHY GROWTH. The Bible states
many times that there are many false Christs. To become a Christian
you must be born again. Becoming a Christian is a rebirth. BUT, with
birth MUST come GROWTH. Many people call themsleves Christians, yet
they are in cults who deny Essential
Christian doctrine. Sometimes it may take time to see if a person
really is a Christian, as they begin to grow, and we see where they
draw their lines of support for the God of the Bible. Some may have
appeared to be saved only to end up giving their time, talent, and
treasure to support cults. Just because a person claims to trust in
Jesus does not mean he is trusting in the Jesus of the Bible. With
BIRTH must come HEALTHY GROWTH. There are both false christs out
there and there is the real Jesus Christ.
SUMMARY
1) Understand that Jesus lived the holy life that you could never live.
2) Put your trust in the righteous life of Jesus Christ. 3) Repent
and turn away from your sin, asking Jesus to forgive you. 4) Receive
the forgiveness that Jesus gives to anyone who repents. 5) Receive
Jesus into your heart as you are now a Born Again Christian! 6) Email
me @ defend@defendchrist.org
and share the good news!
