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).
What does it mean to be a Christian, or to be "born again"? When I grew up, I thought being a Christian meant joining an organization or going to church, but I discovered that's not the real answer (although it's good to go to church). The real answer has to do with accepting God's love for us and the gift of a full life he offers through Jesus Christ.
As I grew up, I
could see that something was drastically wrong with almost everyone I knew. I
rarely saw the quality of love and trust between people that I felt should be
there. I did not observe this lack in others only. I knew that something was
missing in me.
I explored different philosophies, schools of psychology, sociological
approaches, metaphysical ideas and religions. Many sounded reasonable at first,
but as I evaluated their reality in my life and in the lives of those who
embraced them, they seemed hollow. They obviously didn't work
I thought there
was a spiritual element to life, but couldn't figure out what it was. Following
a series of unexpected events, I surrendered my live to Jesus Christ and prayed,
inviting him to be my Savior and Lord. According to Jesus' words, I was "born
again" (John 3:3-7).
As I grew in my Christian walk, I learned about "original sin," the fact that we
all inherit a sin nature because of Adam and Eve's disobedience in the Garden of
Eden. This cripples us all. Here, finally, was an explanation that rang true, a
reason for the "something wrong" I had observed and experienced.
To my delight, I finally began to see this "something wrong" in me changing for
the better. I still have a long way to go, but I am thankful for the work God
has done so far.
Jesus offers each of us a walk with God and a fullness of life that is not possible without him. He said, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again" (John 3:3). He also said, "I am the bread of life" (John 6:35), and "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6).
Do not assume you are a Christian because of your background or church membership. Being raised by Christians does not automatically make you a Christian, nor does going to church, seeking to live a moral life, serving as an elder or leading as a pastor. What counts is whether you have given your life to Jesus Christ.
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 (Romans 10:9-10).
"Believe" means to "adhere to, trust in, and rely on the truth" (Amplified Bible). Becoming a Christian is not simply joining a church or acting religious. It is surrendering your life to Christ and allowing his Spirit to dwell within you.
If you are not born again and don’t want to accept the Lord Jesus Christ, you are:
· Hopelessly separated from God (Romans 6:23, Eph 2:1-3)
· Spiritual dead in your own sin (Romans 3:23, 5:12)
· Hostile to God
· Blinded by Satan (2 Corinthians 4:3-4) and held captive by him to do his will (2 Timothy 2:24-26)
· Powerless to overcome sin’s hold on your life (John 8:24)
· Unable to understand the things of God (1 Corinthians 2:14)
· Unable to please God or to walk in His way (Romans 3:9-12)
· Incapable of living a spiritual fruitful and meaningful life (John 15:4-6)
If you reject God’s truth by refusing to repent of your sin and thus fail to receive the gift of eternal life through God’s son, Jesus Christ, you will remain:
1. Under God’s judgment (John 3:18, Romans 1:18-32
2. Ignorant of spiritual matters (1 Corinthians 1:18, 2:14)
3. Guarantee increasing heartache, problem, and difficulty for yourself (Prov 13:15, 14:12, Romans 2:8-9)
4. Doomed to die in your sins (John 8:21-24)
5. Under condemnation to eternal punishment, forever separated from God presence (2 Peter 3:7)
Through Jesus by accepting the gift of salvation, you can:
· Have your sins forgiven and be reconciled to God (Ephesians 1:7, 2 Corinthians 5:18-19)
· Experience a spiritual new birth (John 3:3)
· Receive the gift of eternal life through God’s gracious gift of faith (John 3:16)
· Have access to God (John 14:6)
· Be a member of God’s family (John 1:12, Romans 8:15-17)
· Understand the things of God (John 14:26, 16:13-15)
· Become a new person with the capability for living in a totally new manner (2 Corinthians 5:17)
· Be empowered to change, to mature into Christlikeness, and to have an increasingly intimate knowledge of God Himself (John 17:3, Romans 8:2)
If you have
never done so, I invite you to present yourself to him now, for "everyone who
calls on the name of the Lord will be saved" (Romans 10:13). Surrender your life
to God by accepting Jesus as your Savior and Lord. Then allow God to begin the
process of transforming you into the best man or woman, and best husband or
wife, you can be.
Have you surrendered your life to Christ? If not, read the following as a
prayer:
SALVATION PRAYER:
Please make an effort to speak these words from the very depths of your being
and with all of your heart. When you are finished, you will be born again.
We are NOT to go by our OWN feelings.
We are to go by WHAT GOD SAYS ABOUT US.
Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus, I present myself to you
I pray and ask Jesus to be the Lord over my life.
I believe it in my heart, so I say it with my mouth:
"Jesus has been raised from the dead."
This moment, I make him the Lord over my life.
Jesus, come into my heart.
I believe at this moment that I am saved.
I admit that I am a sinner. I have done many things that don’t please you.
I have lived my life for myself. I am sorry and I repent. I ask you to forgive me.
I believe that you died on the cross for me, to save me.
You did what I could not do for myself.
I come to you now and ask you to take control of my life, I give it to you.
Help me to live every day in a way that pleases you.
I love you, Lord, and I thank because I am today a child of God.
In Jesus name. Amen
Once you are done with this prayer, start praying thank him for becoming born again, for his forgiveness , let the Holy Spirit guide you.
If you prayed with sincerity, Christ accepted you into his Kingdom and you are
now a Christian. Welcome to the family of God!
You have an
exciting life ahead of you. As you grow in your knowledge of God, he will
transform your life. These four suggestions will help you get started in your
Christian walk:
(1) Tell someone that you accepted Christ.
(2) Read the Bible daily, starting in the New Testament with the Gospel of John.
(3) Join a Bible-believing church.
(4) Pray regularly.
Note: Please share with us your experience of salvation: contact@christianyouthcounseling.org
I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord today. Thank you, Jesus!
Signature: ______________________________ Date: _________________
Adapted from : Doug Britton - http://www.dougbrittonbooks.com/