BECOME A CHRISTIAN
5 Steps to Becoming a Christian
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Hear the Gospel
Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with me” (Rev. 3:20). The Lord is inviting you into His kingdom. He also said, “I am the good shepherd,” and he is the “door of the sheep” (John 10:7, 11). He invites the lost into the fold of safety, for danger is outside. For the lost, Jesus is the good shepherd that leaves the “ninety and nine” and looks for the “sheep that is lost,” for “the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost” (Mt. 18:11-14). Jesus’ sheep hear his voice and follow him (John 10:27-28) for eternal life. How do the sheep hear the voice of Jesus? We are “called by the gospel” (2 Thes. 2:14), which is the “power of God unto salvation” (Rom. 1:16). It is by the word of God that faith is produced in the hearts of the lost (Rom. 10:17).
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Believe in Jesus
As the gospel story is read (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John), Jesus is shown to be the Son of God (Jn. 20:27-31). Our faith rests in Him. We must believe that He is the Son of God, sacrificed for our sins (Mt. 16:13-16; John 8:24).
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Repentance of Sins
All of us have sinned (Rom. 3:23) and have died spiritually because of sin (Rom 6:23). We must face our sins and repent. Repentance is a change of mind, followed by a change of life, as illustrated in Matthew 21:28-31. The son “repented” (changed his mind) and “went” (changed his life). This repentance is required before one can be saved (Lk. 13:3-5; Acts 2:36-38).
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Confess the Name of Jesus
Jesus warned that we must have the courage of our faith to openly confess Him with the mouth, an oral confession (Rom. 10:10). If we do not have this courage, Jesus will not confess our name as brethren (Mt. 10:32-33). People in the New Testament times confessed Jesus’ name (Acts 4:10-12; 8:37).
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Be Baptized
Baptism, commanded by Jesus (Mt. 28:18-20; Mk. 16:15-16; Luke 24:48), is a vital Bible doctrine, not a mere church ritual or human work (Mk. 16:16; James 2:17, 18, 20, 24). It's administered for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38) and symbolizes burial (Rom. 6:1-7; Col. 2:12) in water (Jno. 3:1-5; Acts 8:38). While forgiveness resides in Christ's blood (Mt. 26:26-28; Rom. 6:1-7), baptism is the moment we meet His blood, die to sin, and experience a new birth (Jn. 3:1-5). Baptism re-enacts Jesus' sacrifice (1 Cor. 15:1-4) and marks a sinner's obedience to the gospel (Rom. 6:16-18), not an attempt at merit (Tit. 3:5). During baptism, sins are forgiven through Jesus' blood, and one is added to His church (Acts 2:38, 47). It's a faith-driven act of obedience, emphasizing the transformative power of the gospel.