In a nutshell...
Christianity is a relationship with Jesus Christ. According to the Bible, all of us have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). In other words, we have all failed to live up to God's perfect standard for us, and our sin has separated us from God since our first ancestor, Adam, disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3). Romans 6:23 tells us that the penalty of our sin is death/hell (eternal separation from God), but the good news is that God loves all of us very much and doesn't want any of us to perish. So, God sent His son, Jesus, to earth to bridge the great divide between us and God caused by our sin. After living a perfect life in the flesh, Jesus took the sins of the world on Himself and died for us on the cross, paying the price for our sins which we could never pay ourselves. By rising back to life three days later, Jesus forever conquered death. All that we must do to obtain eternal life is to believe that Jesus, being God, paid the price for our sins through His death and resurrection and that only through Him can we receive forgiveness and a restored relationship with God. There is nothing we can do to earn our way into heaven. All that God asks is that we believe.
How is Christianity different from other religions?
There are thousands of religions... what separates Christianity from the rest of them? For one, Christians have a personal relationship with God, which is something that no other religion offers. God is intricately involved in each of our lives and we can communicate with Him through prayer as a friend. "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11)
Furthermore, Christianity makes the unique statement that we cannot get into heaven by our own means. While other religions require good works on earth in order to earn salvation, having a relationship with Jesus is completely about faith and has nothing to do with how good of a person we are. Jesus did all of the work for us when He died on the cross, and all He asks is that we believe.
How can I become a Christian?
Becoming a Christian is simply a matter of faith. Jesus says, "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." (Revelation 3:20) God offers eternal life to us as a gift. He will give it to any who ask for it. All that you must do is believe, admitting your sinful nature and accepting Jesus' death as payment for your sins. There is no set way to begin a relationship with Jesus, but if you are ready to take this step into a new life, this is something you could pray:
Jesus, I realize I am a
sinner, and I repent of my sins.
Thank you for dying for me and rising again, washing away all of my sin by Your amazing grace and love.
I invite you to come into my heart today.
Amen.
What comes next?
After becoming a Christian, you
will experience God living in you and working in your life
through his Holy Spirit, which dwells in all Christians. As you walk in the Holy Spirit and continue to confess your sin, He will bring you victory over your old sinful nature and create in you a new Christlike nature. To grow in your faith, find a good
church in your area that follows God's Word. Constantly stay in touch with other Christians
so that you can encourage and be encouraged. Read the Bible,
which is our instruction book of life, and stay in communication
with God, talking to Him as a friend and laying all of your cares upon Him.
God does not promise an easy life, for He puts us
through trials to strengthen us, but He does provide peace through all of our hardships and promises for us an eternal
reward at the end of the road. In the meantime, we should share our
faith with others so that they too may know the joy we find in
our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Click Here for a detailed look at basic Christian life.
If you have any questions or comments, feel free to contact us anytime.
We hope to see you in heaven someday. :-)