Become a Christian

Receive and believe

Receiving Jesus means to welcome him into your life. He wants to come and live within your life by his Spirit. Jesus stands at the door of your life and knocks, waiting for you to open the door and invite him in. He says:

‘Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him and he with me’ (Revelation 3:20).

To receive Jesus means to no longer live your life without him. It involves receiving his ways and purposes for your life. In other words receive him gladly as your Lord. Let him have his way.

Thirdly you need to believe that God so loved the world that he gave his only son to be crucified for your sins. It also means believing in God’s risen son, Jesus the Saviour. Will you put your trust in the cross of Christ. Embrace Christ as your personal Saviour. For those who repent, receive and believe, a miracle happens - they experience the new birth, they are born again.

Think of Jesus knocking now, asking to come into your life. You want him to come into your life or perhaps you want to make sure he has come into your life. It may help you to say this prayer quietly, phrase by phrase, thinking carefully what you are saying, what you are doing.

Lord Jesus Christ, I know I have sinned in my thoughts, words and actions. There are so many good things I have not done. There are so many sinful things I have done. I am sorry for my sins and turn from everything I know to be wrong. You gave your life upon the cross for me. Gratefully I give my life back to you. Now I ask you to come into my life. Come in as my Saviour to cleanse me. Come in as my Lord to control me. Come in as my Friend and to be with me. And I will serve you all the remaining years of my life in complete obedience. Amen.

Asking Jesus into your life is just the first step - like greeting someone you have just met. Getting to know someone well takes time and effort. It is the same with Jesus. We can get to know Jesus better through the Bible, through prayer and through the local church. Most importantly God has given you the Holy Spirit to enable and empower you. The Holy Spirit is a wonderful person available to you, to help you become like Jesus. The Holy Spirit will comfort, strengthen and guide you.

Thanks to UK evangelist Andy Economides for writing this page. For more information about the Christian life, visit websites www.philotrust.com or www.soteriatrust.org.uk