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If you’re ready to become a Christian, this section, hopefully, will assist you in doing so. You may prefer speaking to someone in person. If so, feel free to connect with us through our Visitor Feedback Form. Or talk with a Christian or pastor you already know.
But if you just can’t wait, there’s no time like now!
God Looks for Faith
If you’ve already read through The Good News section (and I encourage you to look there if you haven’t yet done so), you will know that what God is looking for is that we believe in Jesus ... specifically, that we believe that He died on the Cross to pay for our sins.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3.16).”
If you believe in Jesus, trusting that He died for you, you already are a Christian.
We are saved not by saying things but by believing. God looks for faith ... not formulas. Having said that, our faith can be expressed through words. So it’s not wrong that people pray prayers when they become Christians.
A Prayer of Faith and Commitment
From time to time we offer the Alpha Course in our church. It was developed by an Anglican church in England. Here’s the prayer that they offer as a model for those who are praying to come to Christ. I think it’s a good one, and I commend it for your use:
“Heavenly Father, I am sorry for the things I have done wrong in my life. [Take a few moments to ask His forgiveness for anything particular that in on your conscience.] Please forgive me. I now turn from everything that I know is wrong.
Thank you that You sent Your Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for me so that I could be forgiven and set free. From now on I will follow and obey Him as my Lord.
Thank you that You now offer me this gift of forgiveness and Your Spirit. I now receive that gift.
Please come into my life by Your Holy Spirit to be with me forever. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.”
If these or similar words express what’s in your heart, then you’ve come to Christ. You’re one of His followers. Congratulations!
What Now?
Well ... coming to faith in Christ is a beginning. There’s much to come yet. But let’s keep things simple. A very practical and important step to take is to connect with some group of Christians. When you come to Christ, you gain a whole family ... a family made up of everyone else who has already come to Christ. I don’t know whether that excites you or scares you (some of us are a little strange). But family is family.
It’s a huge family, spread almost literally throughout the whole world. So you can’t connect with all of them. But you can (and must) find a local group of believers with whom to share your life in Christ. That’s what local churches are.
Of course, we’d love to have you join us here at Hope Church. But if there’s some other Bible-believing church that you’re connected with somehow, go there instead. Just go somewhere. And tell someone in whatever church you go to that you’ve just become a Christian. It’s important that we meet together regularly with other believers in Christ.
“Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another (Hebrews 10.25).”
Welcome to the family. Hope to see you. |
