I received this nice letter from a young lady who asked a very important question.
Dear Brother Ollison,
I have never met you, but I know who you are. I believe you can help me with my question. I have been wanting to know how I can be a Christian so I will go to heaven someday. My real mother is there, and I know she was a Christian. Everyone tells me to listen in church, but I get so confused. The preachers talk about what to do when you are a Christian, but I want to know how to be one. Can you tell me?
Yes, I can! Becoming a Christian is not difficult. It’s not my intention to give you a formula, but in order to keep things orderly, I’m going to list the requirements.
First, you must believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and that God raised Him from the dead. This is the basis of our Christian faith.
One thing to remember here is that Jesus was not created by God and sent to the earth as a man. Jesus has always existed with God and in actuality is a part of God.
In the book of John, chapter one, it says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.”
Second, you must repent of your sins. Repent means to turn away from your sins and stop doing them. Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” The payment for sin is death, but when you accept Jesus and repent of your sins, you receive eternal life. First John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” You must confess your sins and repent of them.
Third, you must publicly acknowledge you have accepted Jesus. Being a Christian is not a hidden thing. It is not something that you do once and then deny the rest of your life. Becoming a Christian is a lifestyle. Romans 10:9 says, “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Did you catch that? It doesn’t say “Believe in your heart and you will be saved.” It says, “If you confess with your mouth and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Jesus said, – “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.” We cannot hide our belief in Jesus.
Fourth, by faith you must accept the gift of salvation that God has given to you. Ephesians 2:8 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.” And John 1:12 says “But as many as received Him (Jesus), to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.”
To accept Jesus, pray this prayer from your heart.
Dear Heavenly Father,
I come in the Name of Jesus. I thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, into this world to die for my sins and for raising Him from the dead so that I can have everlasting life.
I recognize and acknowledge Jesus as my Savior and as the Lord of my life. I repent of my sins, and I forgive those who have wronged me. I believe in my heart, and I will confess openly my belief in Jesus.
Thank You for forgiving me of my sins and giving me eternal life. I receive this gift by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Devotion 0095
The Cutting Edge 