How to Become a Christian
A simple, Scripture-centered guide to the good news of Jesus Christ and the new life He offers.
You can begin a new life with Christ today.
Jesus Christ offers real, lasting peace with God. The following four steps explain the heart of the gospel: God’s purpose, our problem, His remedy, and the response He invites from each of us.
Explore the four stepsGod’s Purpose: Peace and Life
God loves you and wants you to know Him—to experience peace with Him and the full, eternal life He gives.
God’s desire is not distant or impersonal. Through Jesus Christ, He invites you into a restored relationship with Him—one marked by peace, forgiveness, and life that begins now and lasts forever.
“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Romans 5:1 (ESV)
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
John 3:16 (ESV)
“I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
John 10:10 (ESV)
Why, then, do so many people not experience this peace and abundant life?
The Problem: Sin Separates Us
We have all chosen our own way instead of God’s way. The Bible calls that sin, and it separates us from the God who made us.
God created us to know and love Him, not as robots but with the freedom to choose. Yet every one of us has turned from Him. No amount of effort, good works, or religion can bridge the separation sin has created.
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
Romans 3:23 (ESV)
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 6:23 (ESV)
“But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.”
Isaiah 59:2 (ESV)
There is no human bridge that reaches God—except the one He has provided.
God’s Remedy: The Cross
Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose again. Through Him alone, the separation between God and people is overcome.
Jesus did what we could never do for ourselves. By dying in our place, He paid sin’s penalty. By rising from the grave, He opened the way to new life with God. The cross is God’s loving answer to our greatest need.
“For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”
1 Timothy 2:5 (ESV)
“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God.”
1 Peter 3:18 (ESV)
“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8 (ESV)
God has provided the way. Now each person must respond.
Our Response: Receive Christ
Receive Jesus Christ by trusting Him as your Savior and surrendering to Him as your Lord.
Knowing these truths is not the same as personally receiving Christ. God calls us to turn from sin, trust in Jesus’ death and resurrection, and invite Him to lead our lives. This is a response of faith—not a formula or something we earn.
“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”
John 1:12 (ESV)
“Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Romans 10:9 (ESV)
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.”
Revelation 3:20 (ESV)
Will you receive Jesus Christ today?
How can you receive Christ?
You can respond to Jesus in faith right now. Prayer does not save you; Jesus does. But prayer is a meaningful way to express your trust in Him and your desire to follow Him.
- Admit your need. Acknowledge that you are a sinner and need God’s forgiveness.
- Turn to God. Be willing to turn from your sins and receive His mercy.
- Believe in Jesus. Trust that He died for your sins and rose from the grave.
- Receive Him. Invite Jesus Christ to lead your life as Savior and Lord.
“Dear God…”
“Dear God, I know that I am a sinner. I want to turn from my sins, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe that Jesus Christ is Your Son, that He died for my sins, and that You raised Him to life. I invite Him to come into my life and take control of it. I want to trust Jesus as my Savior and follow Him as my Lord from this day forward. In Jesus’ name, amen.”