by Tom Schiavon

Created on: February 09, 2009

How does a person become a Christian? The answer is far easier and more rewarding than one might think. Most Christians' stories vary widely in regard to how they came to faith. Some did so as children in Sunday School, and others not until their death bed. There are a few things that are common to nearly all of their experiences and constitute what becoming a Christian looks like.

First, they usually came to a reealization that God had created man to live in a certain way, and that they weren't living that way. For the child that might mean that they get mad and hit their sister. For the adult it might be something criminal or simply selfish and egotistical. Either way, people realize that they have rebelled against God and have been living their own way.

Second, one has to go past the realization that one has not lived as God would have them (sinned). Next there must be a desire to turn away from that sin and get back into a right relationship with God. Most people would admit that they haven't lived in a way that was pleasing to God, but very few are willing to change the way they live their life.

Third, oen must come to terms with who Christ is. A person may realize they have been doing the wrong thing and turn from ot, but that just makes them a moral person. The difference between a moral person and a Christian is that a Christian has realized they can't fix what they have already done. Their sins have already been committed and there is no way for them to take that away. This is the reason Christ lived a perfect life. By giving up on trying to "get right" with God through good works and trusting that Jesus' perfect life and death on the cross was meant to bridge the gap between God and man a person can be "born again."

Fourth, explaining what it means to be born again will change the way one thinks about their self. According to the Bible, the person who goes through the first three parts has received a new nature. The old division between them and God has been broken down and they have been united with Jesus, getting His perfect obedience to God as their own. As a result, they have new priorities, one of which is to learn who this God really is that just changed their life. This is done in two main ways, through listening to God's word preached, and to reading it on one's own. Also, as a way of showing that the old life has been washed away and that they have been brought into God's family they are baptized, since that is the way that God has said people should identify with him.

Finally, they continue to learn what it means to know and love God within the family of the church. The church is definitely not perfect, and it is filled with people who are muddling through life and trying to figure out what the Christian life means. But many of them are genuinely nice people who want to help each other get over life's hurdles in a way that pleases God. In fact, a relationship with God often is similar to other relationships in that there are sometimes misunderstandings and times where a person just can't seem to get life right, but the relationship goes on anyway, getting stronger as problems are dealt with.

Becoming a Christian is not a difficult process, but it is surely the most rewarding one that a person can ever experience.

Learn more about this author, Tom Schiavon.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.