GOD
A very boiled-down gospel
Becoming a Christian is not difficult. It has more to do with jumping into a glorious and lifelong friendship than it does assenting to a list of ideas. Do you believe that there is a God, and that he made everything, including you? Do you believe he loves you? In the book of Genesis we find the story of God making everything from the sun and moon, to fish, trees, and then people. You may remember the verse from the Bible that “God so loved the world”- He did. He gave up his only Son (Jesus) to die so that we might live through him.
God loves you. He made you and wants you to know him. Psalm 139 says that He “knit you together” in your mom’s tummy. Acts 17 says that He has determined the times and places for you to live so that you might reach out for him and find him! But there is a problem. Romans 3:23 says that all people are sinful. That is, we don’t live the way God intends. We do things that are contrary to his nature. Romans 6:23 says that the wages of sin is death. In other words, we earn the pay of death for upsetting the balance of God’s intention for this world.This is where the sacrifice of Christ comes in. Jesus’ death isn’t a meaningless mark in history - it has real power for you and me now. 1 John 4 says that this is love - that God sent his Son into the world to pay for our sins.
The second half of Romans 6:23 is “but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus.” We no longer have to die because of our sins, because Jesus died for us already. And Jesus is the only way for you to know God. He, in fact, is God Himself. Jesus said in John 14 “I am the way and the truth and the life, and no man comes to the Father except by me.” All it takes to jump into this fantastic friendship is to admit to God that He is the one you need - that you have committed crimes against Him for which you cannot pay. You can talk to God (it’s called praying). A prayer to become a Christian might sound something like this: “God, I know you made me and love me, and I know even more that I have done things you don’t like. I have sinned, and I need forgiveness. I know you loved me so much that you sent Christ into the world to die in my place. I thank you for that and ask you now to come into my life and fix in me what I have broken. Help me live the life you have planned for me. Amen.”
Praying a prayer similar to this, confessing your faults to the Lord and your belief that Jesus died in your place and gave you life instead, is how one “becomes a Christian.” Romans 10:9-10 says that “if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”
Just like a small plant in need of water to grow, you as a new follower of Christ are going to need help to grow. I suggest you find a local church that can help you with this. For now, while you look, it would be good to start reading your Bible every day, trying to figure out what it is saying, thinking about who Christ is, who you are in relationship to Him, and how He wants you to live. You could start in the book of John. It's a really enjoyable read about the life of Christ. Also, you can talk to Him every day. Tell Him you need Him, tell Him you love Him, tell Him your worries, and ask Him for help and forgiveness where needed.
Questions are good
Who is God? Is there a god at all? Who is Jesus? What did he teach? What are the arguments for and against the Bible? Is relativism a good solution to the world’s religions? All these and more are honest questions one might ask when thinking long and hard about life, death, or the universe.
EveryStudent.com is a safe place to explore questions about who God is and what it might be like to know God. This site contains articles, real life video stories, Q&As, and gives you an opportunity to email a question you might have about God. We will email you a personal response to your question. Our desire is to help you see that God is offering you a personal relationship with himself, and how you can begin to know him today.
Josh McDowell Ministry exists to serve and to equip the Body of Christ in raising generations of purpose-driven Christians who know what they believe, why it is true, and how to live out their Christian faith.
Good books to read
When thinking about eternal things, some of us have questions that transcend everyday conversation. These books give clearly worded, down-to-earth information that will help anyone think better about things which may end up being eternally significant.
•Stott, John. Why I Am a Christian.
•Flew, Anthony. There is a God.
•Geisler, Norman. Unshakable Foundations.
•Keller, Timothy J. The Reason for God.
•Strobel, Lee. The Case for Christ and The Case for Faith.