Convert to Christianity

So you've been thinking, beginning to believe in Jesus Christ as your savior, and you want to convert to Christianity. These are a few steps to help you learn how to convert.

Steps

  1. Start with exploration: You might go to a large evangelical meeting in a stadium or a small group Bible study. The size does not matter for where the Spirit of God is presented/manifested: there you'll find the love, joy and peace of God that can satisfy the seeker's soul. Seek first the will of God and all His provisions can freely be yours on your life's path and at The Judgment. If one place does not have really receptive and welcoming followers of Jesus, you need to find a happier group of believers at another meeting place. Try different Christian meetings, churches in your area, and see how you feel.
  2. Do not depend or rely on what others decide, say or do, if you would receive Jesus Christ. Conversion is a venture in which you may start out with one congregation or a home Bible study group, and then decide to go to another.
  3. Get a Bible and begin to read it. A Bible is a universal book you can find in many places. A Bible contains both the "Old Testament," Jewish/Hebrew books or law, foretelling of Jesus, and of prophetic scriptures -- and the "New Testament," Christian scriptures together.
    • "The New Testament" is what you'll want to read to understand Jesus Christ and Christianity. Its first four books are a day-by-day report in the actual words and teachings of Jesus (the books of "Matthew", "Mark", "Luke" and "John", written by those four of his disciples) depicting the earthly ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ and presenting great teachings by Him and several other of his disciples, especially of St. Paul, who explained the essentials of Christianity in great detail.
    • You will learn about love, hope, salvation by grace through faith, and doing good works appointed to you, but realizing that works do not buy grace which is free (a gift of God), and forgiving the wrongs of others, helping the needy/least of God's children, and much more.
    • As you read, there may be times when you become unsure or confused. If so, you can ask believers about scriptures, including teachers, priests, pastors, and search the Bible online or in Christian books. Just keep in mind that some teachings differ among different denominations, so at times, you may receive differing "answers" to your questions. Keep in mind that Satan is the author of confusion, but God is the author of mercy, grace and peace (choose God's way of grace). God's grace is beyond understanding, but it is all sufficient.
    • The most popular English Bible for Protestants for over 400 years has been the King James Bible. Does that translation sound like Elizabethan/Shakespearean English, well that's simply that the early, modern English "thee, thou, thy, thine, hence, thence, whence, comest, goest, etc." are from that time period. It is important to consider that English speaking Roman Catholics use the Douay-Rheims Bible (with Apocrypha), also from about 1600. Whereas, Protestants use Bibles with only 66 books (omitting the Apocrypha by excluding several Jewish writings, of chapters and books of obscure origins such as Esdras and Maccabees, etc.)
  4. Watch TV broadcasts of large or small Christian worship services and hear TV sermons or listen on the radio. Find sermons online on the Internet that are inspiring and lead to a deeper, daily walk with Jesus Christ. Scholarly preaching is not what the new believer can get much from. You need the simple, milk of the word of God, before you will need the meat of doctrine or religious opinion...

Believe in Jesus as Savior

  1. Be willing to accept the Lord Jesus Christ with all your heart. Converting to Christianity is based on your belief that Jesus is God's only begotten Son, and that He does all manner of miracles including Salvation. Christianity starts with being saved, trusting Christ to save you, and then entails living a good and godly life that is pleasing to God. Both are important.
  2. "Be saved by believing the Christian gospel (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). This means that you believe that Jesus died for your sins and rose again. Since he paid for your sins you can be forgiven, and because he rose again He has power to give you eternal life. Believing this message you respond, "Lord Jesus, I believe you died for my sins and rose again, so now please save me, a sinner." That saves you and begins your Christian life. Continue to believe.
    • A key passage describing salvation is Romans 10:9-10, "That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved. For with the heart (core being) man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Such belief is called faith and leads to God freely giving you the gift of salvation by grace through faith not by work or great deeds.Romans 10:9-10"
  3. Become Baptized in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
  4. Receive Baptism and Holy Communion, rites that some churches call Ordinances, and which other churches call part of the Sacraments.
  5. Follow Jesus Christ and be sure you are a Christian by God's grace through faith, believing: you might not have a local church, pastor or be able to get baptized, because maybe you are in a country that does not contain any churches or not many priests, pastors, (e.g. Saudi Arabia, Libya,...). Be sure that your relationship with Jesus is not based on formalities, such as baptizing but is based on your personal belief in Him, following Him (and His teachings). Yes, be baptized by another believer, if you can, but the most important baptism for a Christian is his spiritual baptism into Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:27).
  6. When you receive the Holy Spirit (officially become a Christian), do anything you can to strengthen your faith and belief in Jesus.
    • Christianity is about God's love, so start showing His love that you received freely, to others such as being willing to forgive everyone and anyone who has wronged you. Jesus said, "You have heard, 'Love your neighbor', but I say to you,

      'Love your enemy, and do good to those who hate you and spitefully use you.' ". We may try to fail miserably -- but God's supply of grace is sufficient, in His boundless mercy, as the grace of God is the power of God unto salvation, not by work, lest any boast. How can anyone afford to reject such great salvation, so rich, and yet so free.
    • Do good deeds because you believe in God and are a Christian. "This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that you affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. " Titus 3:8; "That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." 2 Timothy 3:17. Jesus Christ has said, "And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be." Revelation 22:12.
    • Fulfill Jesus' commission (Matthew 10:7-8) by going out and preaching the Gospel and healing the sick.
  7. Become committed to praising God, giving thanks for all things, acknowledging Him in all areas of life. Always pray, remaining in a spirit of prayer in every circumstance, even if to say only, "Thank you Lord." Also, in all things, glorify God by how you live your life.

Visit Churches

  1. Take the time to learn the teachings and practices of the churches you choose to visit and feel free to ask questions. A good way to examine beliefs of a church is to read the particular church's Statement of Faith, a list of basic beliefs and compare it to others.
    • There are many Christian denominations, including Anglican, Assembly of God (and other Pentecostal denominations), Baptist, Christian (denomination), Churches of Christ, Episcopal, Lutheran, Methodist, Orthodox (Eastern, Greek, Russian), Presbyterian, Roman Catholic, and United Church of Christ. There are other Protestant groups, with some called "nondenominational", "not affiliated with (____)" or "independent (____)" churches of one kind or another.
    • Although all Christians share belief in Jesus Christ, each denomination has its own unique emphases on certain teachings, traditions, customs, and beliefs. Different groups form consensus on understandings of different doctrines about The Sacraments, The Triune God (versus Arian Belief concerning God), pastor, order of services, offices of bishop, presbyter, deacon, and such, marriage, healing, prophesies, praying to saints, speaking unknown tongues, formalities, rituals, written prayers, or informality, pray as the Spirit of God gives utterance, etc.
    • It is wise to research organizations very carefully and thoroughly before you get involved with them too deeply. Some people have had negative experiences because they rushed into a group too quickly before finding out all about it. Don't let yourself be rushed into a commitment to a group until you feel comfortable. Beware falling under the sway of religious cult leaders who won't respect your right to make your own decisions or who try to control your life in a manipulative manner.
  2. Find a pastor or priest, to help you. He or she may help you find all the answers to the questions you need to know.
  3. Choose a Church to fellowship and to follow Christ. Find a church near you, or one that you like. Go to that church and talk to the pastor or priest, attend church services or mass whenever you can, and visit this Church any day of the week that your soul calls you to.

Two Simple Keys

  1. Learn about and believe that Jesus died for your sins, rose bodily from the dead as your Savior and then pray to God in Jesus name and turn from your own path to repent to the one, true God saying: "I am sorry for my sin, all my wrong doing; I want to be new, and I truly thank you for everything and that I am now forgiven and saved from the penalty for my sins as a free gift of Your Holy Spirit, in Jesus' name."
  2. Tell others that "There is one Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who is Lord and Savior for everyone who believes, repents ("turns 180 degrees" for example) and follows Him" which would include: going to Christian meetings, being baptised as a sign of repentance, praying to God, reading the Bible, taking communion ("The Lord's Supper"), and showing God's love by kindness, forgiving others, making peace, to fellowship with believers -- and when thinking that you have un-confessed sin, confess and repent asking for, and accepting, forgiveness, expecting consequences for some wrongs and going on, all in Christ Jesus' name -- with God as the one, true Judge of all things good or bad.

The Apostles' Creed

  1. Learn the Christian creeds: The Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed.
    • Many churches have somewhat different confessions of faith and/or catechisms that are based upon their own interpretation of the Christian creeds, Holy Ordinances, system of church organization, and other matters. See, for example, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the Lutheran Formula of Concord, the Westminster Confession, the Anglican 39 Articles, the 1689 Baptist Confession, the 1919 Doctrinal Statement of the World Conference on Christian Fundamentals, and others. The Lutheran Service Book has the following text:

I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
Maker of Heaven and Earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried.
He descended into Hell.
On the third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into Heaven
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Christian Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

Tips

  • Keep a pocket "New Testament" handy so you can read it whenever you have time.
  • Your faith will be tested, so just hang on and remember that God is always there for you!
  • Don't rush through Christianity. Be confident. If you're not completely sure of details, or have questions -- don't be afraid to ask.
  • Help others in many small ways, doing good and making gifts to them, expecting nothing in return, not to be seen (not just to those whom you love or call friend).
  • In addition to the Holy Bible, some recommend you read other Christian writings, such as the Church Fathers, commentaries, etc.
  • In the Bible Jesus proved who He said He was with fulfilled prophecies, signs and miracles. The Bible says Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). But not all Christian agree that signs and miracles are continuing today as they did in the days' of Christ's earthly ministry. Some believe special miracles and wonders were given in the early days of the Church to validate Christianity and the writings of the Apostles, and therefore are no longer necessary since we have the Bible. Others, particularly the Charismatic and Pentecostal Christians, believe such miracles are still occurring (See Acts 8:5,17). Despite these differences, all Christians agree that Jesus Christ can still heal people today and work miracles, if it is God's will. God works in mysterious ways to perform His wonders, and God hears the prayers of the faithful, those who believe His promises.
  • Try to get the most out of your conversion. Participate in worship with believers as in Church: "where two or three gathered, in my name, agreeing, there I am among you", and in Christian fellowship events and become involved inviting others to visit with you. Involvement in the Church is highly encouraged because it will help to enrich your faith.
  • Note: Arian Belief: Arianism (named for Arius, a heretic [false teacher], who was Presbyter in Alexandria, Egypt) was an ancient Christian heresy, which was non-trinitarian, denied the divinity (distinct Godhood) of both Christ and the Holy Spirit, denying "the-three-in-one". Some modern Protestant sects have readopted this belief (though most likely unaware of it), such as the Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, etc.[1]
  • Beware idolatry. "Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry." 1 Corinthians 10:14. Some churches have continued old practices including idolatry, idolizing people/authority figures, and tried to mix them into Christianity. This is improper, but widely tolerated in some of the largest sects that call themselves Christian. Be on your guard against appearing to worship/pay homage, undue high honor, to people, angels, or objects regarded as sacred, etc.

Wikipedia: Arianism -- not to be confused with Aryanism, a racial theory</ref>

  • The Sacraments (baptism, communion/The Lord's Supper, confessing sins,...) are considered by some as essentials in one's faith with Christ.
  • Some Christians pray for divine mercy at 3 pm, as the time when Jesus Christ died.

Warnings

  • Some people (family, friends, co-workers, etc.) will not accept the change you've made, but don't let their feelings negatively impact your relationship with the Lord.
  • You will be tempted, but remember that Jesus Christ is always there for you as Advocate, being your Mediator with God the Father. Try not to fall, but if and when you do, get right back up again, confess, and keep following Jesus Christ!
  • Don't imagine that God is surprised that you are a sinner. He knew all about it, and that's why he sent Jesus Christ who died in your place to save you. You are the repentant sinner, Christ is the willing savior. So you are "washed" spotless by His precious (costly) blood, by His willing sacrifice.
  • If you ever feel condemned and hopeless as a Christian, then you've lost sight of what Christianity is all about: for by grace you are saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast... [you are made new] unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:8--10).

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ wikipedia:Arianism
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