How to Believe In Jesus

We've all seen the pamphlets or read the tracts that explain how to become a Christian--how to be saved--but for the majority of people, it wasn't a publication that led someone to their salvation...this blog included.

For most of us, we were led by another person.  Think back in your life--was it a family member, a friend, a preacher or teacher, or even indirectly by hearing another person's testimony?  The first lesson I want you to remember is how hugely important it is for you to communicate with people.  Don't depend on tools and presentations.  You are the light in this world.  With this calling also comes the responsibility of making sure the people you talk to about your faith are properly educated.  This is where the second lesson comes in.

Building on the ideas in the last entry here, I've requested that you forget everything you were ever taught from some other source about your faith other than the Bible.  This is a vital first step for none other than the fact that you've most likely already learned in your life that secondhand and thirdhand information is quite often incorrect.  There are a ton of issues that have divided the followers of Jesus today--and we'll touch on many of these issues in the future--but once you realize these divisions have been born out of interpretations of certain people defending their own beliefs or agendas, you'll also realize why so many people today want nothing to do with anything that wears the label of "Christianity."  I already know this article can also be accused of being just another interpretation, but I promise I will only present the Scripture here, and if we ever come to an issue that has questionable interpretations, I will plainly state that "I'm not sure," and we'll openly discuss these issues together.

However this topic--Becoming a Christian--is the most basic and the firmest foundation of everything we believe, and if we can't agree on how to become a child of God, then we really aren't fit to be His children at all.  He has plainly told us, and if we can't obey Him and do it His way, then we can't be called His followers.  While we're on the topic of obedience, keep that word on the tip of your brain...but as I said before...forget everything else you've ever known.  Drop the labels you've put on yourself, stop associating yourself with something that Jesus would see as a division, and let's dive into the Scripture together:

HOW TO BECOME A FOLLOWER OF JESUS

1. Believe He is the Son of God that was sent to save the people of this world.
2. Follow His command and be baptized to bury your old life and cleanse the new one.
3. Pray without ceasing in order to form a real relationship with Him.
4. Study the Bible in order to understand what YOU are and what your responsibilities are.
5. Do what He asks you to do and don't look back.
6. When you sin, confess the sin to Him and turn away from it.
7. Love and serve others every chance you get.

There are several different beliefs out there on "how to make it into Heaven", but using the outline above I will update the site over the next few weeks to explain each example with Scripture to follow.  We have to first agree that Jesus was telling the truth during His time on earth, and once that's established, it's all about following the commands He gave us on how to follow in His footsteps.  These topics will be open to discussion, but it is vitally important we only focus on the Scripture to support this journey. Until the next update, think about each of the points above and compare them to what you currently believe.

Love you buddies,

Russ