Believe
The first step in entering a relationship with Christ is believing that He is who He said that He is and that He accomplished what He said that He came to accomplish. John 3:16 says: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” Do you believe in Jesus as the Son of God? Do you believe that He temporarily emptied Himself of the glory and honor that was His in heaven to come to this earth and sacrifice Himself for the sins of man (Philippians 2:5-8; Hebrews 9:27-28)? You must believe, for this belief lays the groundwork in a person's salvation. Have you taken this step? Do you believe with all your heart that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God? If so, you are well on your way to becoming a Christian. However, do not stop here!

Repent
Once an individual is led to believe with all of their heart in the Lord and what He has done for them, they will begin to feel the crushing weight of the sins that they have committed in their life. In Luke 13:3, Jesus said, “No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” Recognizing that they can never be saved with their unrepented of sins staining their souls, and acutely aware of the tremendous love demonstrated by Christ as He willingly died for them, they will repent of the sins that they have committed in their life. Repentance is much more than a mere, “Sorry, Lord.” Repentance is a change of heart, followed by a change of life. As an example, if I repent of the sin of lying I am not going to turn right around and lie again. If I have truly repented, I have determined to change my life. Read the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-24 to see repentance in action. Have you taken this step as well? If so, that is wonderful! However, you must not stop here for the Bible sets forth further instruction on how to become a Christian.

Confess
Once a person believes in the Lord and repents of their sins, they must be willing to confess their faith in Him every day and before any group of people. In Matthew 10:32-33, Jesus said, “So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.” In becoming a Christian a person must be willing to confess, or acknowledge, their faith in Jesus Christ before men. After a person has become a Christian they will continue to confess, or deny, Jesus everyday in the way that they live their life. Are you already willing to confess your faith in Christ before men? Great! However, the New Testament still sets forth one more requirement for the person who would become a Christian.

Baptism
Once a person believes in the Lord, repents of their sins, and publicly acknowledges their faith, they must then submit their will to the Lord's in baptism for the remission of sins. Scripture is quite clear in teaching that a person's sins are remitted, or washed away, in the waters of baptism (Acts 2:38; 22:16). Peter's beautiful words ring as true today as when he first wrote them: “Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 3:21). It is also in baptism that one “puts on Christ” (Galatians 3:27).

Have you taken all of these steps? If not, Scripture plainly indicates that you are still in your sins. How wonderful that you can remedy that terrible situation! Simply do all that the Bible teaches on this most important subject and you can know that you are saved. May we help? If so, do not hesitate to let us know. At the very least, we can put you in touch with a faithful group of Christians worshipping in your area.

May God bless you!