TO BE A CHRISTIAN

To be a Christian means to live in fellowship with God. God is a personal being and has made it possible for us to relate to him through Jesus Christ. This short message will tell you how to begin.

Discovering how to live in a personal relationship with God is the most important and most exciting joy in life. If you have not made this discovery, let us share with you now how you can become a friend of God through Jesus Christ.

There are four things you need to know and believe.

1. You were created to live in fellowship with God and to have a meaningful life.

At the beginning of time people lived in harmony with God in Paradise. But when Adam and Eve sinned, humanity was separated from God. See Genesis 3.

2. You do not have a natural fellowship with God or a naturally meaningful life because of sin.

The Bible teaches that "everyone has sinned and is far away from God's saving presence" See Romans 3:23. Sin has broken the relationship between God and people.

3. You can be restored to fellowship with God and have a meaningful life through Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ is God's eternal Son. He came to earth and became a man because the Father sent him to reconcile people to himself. Christ restores us to friendship with God by removing the sin which separates us from God. The Bible teaches, "Christ died for sins once and for all.. .in order to lead you to God" (1 Peter 3:18). To be restored, you need to trust and receive Christ as Savior and Lord. Receiving him as Savior means believing that he died to remove your sins. Receiving him as Lord means acknowledging him as the rightful director of your life. With your sins removed and your life under Christ's direction, you will be back in favor with God and you will begin to live a full and meaningful life. Jesus said, "I have come in order that you might have life—life in all its fullness" (John 10:10).

4. You must continue to live in fellowship with God, in order to continue to live meaningfully.

God wants us to live in a person-to-person relationship with him. Jesus said, "Remain united to me, and I will remain united to you" (John 15:4). Fruitful Christian living depends on closeness to Christ. Jesus said, "Whoever remains in me, and I in him, will bear much fruit; for you can do nothing without me" (John 15:5).

DO YOU WANT FULLNESS OF JOY AND A MEANINGFUL LIFE?

You can have it by living in fellowship with God. God has told us these things so that we will experience true joy and happiness in our lives, by living in a way that pleases Him. The first thing to do is to ask God for this.

Following is a suggested prayer.

Dear God, though you intended that I live in harmony with you, I am now separated from you because of my sin. I confess my sin to you and ask that you take it away. I want to live in fellowship with you and to have fullness of joy. I believe that Jesus Christ died to remove my sins and to restore me to friendship with you. I accept the living Christ as the Lord and director of my life. Thank you for hearing my prayer and giving me the gift of a joyful, eternal life. Help me now to live my life in a way that pleases you. In Jesus' name. Amen.

What to do as a Christian:

1. Talk to God daily in prayer.

2. Read the Bible regularly. The Gospel of Mark is a good place to begin.

3. Seek the friendship of other Christians in a church which teaches the Bible.

4. Share what it means to be a Christian with non-Christian friends.