It's been 29 years since I was
called by God and gave my life to Christ, and I can tell you, the Christian
life is not an easy, 'feel good' road. It doesn't come with a benefits package
guaranteed to fix all of your problems, at least not this side of heaven. But I
wouldn't trade it now for any other path. The benefits far outweigh the
challenges. But, the only real reason to become a Christian, is because you
believe with all of your heart that God exists, that his Word—the Bible—is
true, and that Jesus Christ is who he says he is, the resurrected Son of God: "I am the way and the truth and the
life." (John 14:6)
Becoming a Christian won't
make your life easier. In fact sometimes, it may be harder. Most likely, you
won't experience sea-parting miracles every day. Yet the Bible does present
several very convincing reasons to become a Christian. Here are six
life-changing experiences worth considering as reasons to becoming a Christian.
Experience the Greatest of Loves:
There is no greater
demonstration of devotion, no greater sacrifice of love, than to lay down your
life for another. John 10:11 says, "Greater
love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."
The Christian faith is built upon this kind of love. Jesus gave his life for
us: "God demonstrates his own love
for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
(Romans 5:8).
In Romans 8:35-39 we see that
once we have realized Christ's deep, unconditional love, nothing can separate
us from it. “Who shall separate us from
the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine,
or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: “For Your sake we are
killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” Yet in all
these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am
persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor
powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any
other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is
in Christ Jesus our Lord.” And just as we freely receive Christ's love, as
his followers, we learn to love like him and spread this love to others.
Experience Spiritual Freedom from Death:
Similar to knowing God's love,
absolutely nothing compares to the freedom a child of God experiences when
released from the heaviness, guilt and shame caused by sin. Romans 8:2 says, "And because you belong to him, the
power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads
to death." At the moment of salvation through water baptism, our sins
are forgiven, or "washed away" (1 Peter 3:21). As we read God's Word and
allow his Holy Spirit to work in our hearts, we are increasingly set free from
sin's power.
And not only do we experience
freedom through forgiveness of sin, and freedom from sin's power over us, we
also begin to learn how to forgive others. As we let go of anger, bitterness
and resentment, the chains that held us captive are broken through our own acts
of forgiveness. Simply put, John 8:36 expresses it this way, "So if the Son sets you free, you will
be free indeed."
Experience Lasting Joy & Peace:
The freedom we experience in
Christ gives birth to lasting joy and abiding peace. 1 Peter 1:8-9 says, "Though you have not seen him, you love
him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled
with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your
faith, the salvation of your souls."
When we experience God's love
and forgiveness, Christ becomes the center of our joy. It doesn't seem
possible, but even in the midst of great trials, the joy of the Lord bubbles
deep within us and his peace settles over us: "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will
guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:7)
Experience True Connection with God:
God sent Jesus, his only Son,
so that we could have relationship with him. 1 John 4:9 says, "This is how God showed his love
among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live
through him." God wants to
connect with us in intimate relationship. He is ever present in our lives, to
comfort us, to strengthen us, to listen and to teach. He speaks to us through
his Word, he leads us by his Spirit. Jesus wants to be our closest friend.
Experience Your True Potential & Purpose:
We were created by God and for
God. Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we
are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God
prepared in advance for us to do." We were created for worship.
Philippians 3:3 says, “For we are the
circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have
no confidence in the flesh.” The deepest cry of our hearts is to know and
worship God. As we develop our relationship with God, he transforms us through
his Holy Spirit into the person we were created to be. And as we are changed
through his Word, we begin to exercise and develop the gifts God has placed
within us. We discover our fullest potential and true spiritual fulfillment as
we walk in the purposes and plans that God not only designed for us, but
designed us for. No earthly accomplishment compares to this experience.
Experience Eternity with God:
One of my favorite verses in
the Bible, Ecclesiastes 3:11 says that “He has put eternity in their hearts".
It is a gift from God. I believe this is the reason we experience an inner
longing, or emptiness, until our spirits are made alive in Christ. Then, as a
child of God, we receive eternal life as a gift (Romans 6:23). Eternity with
God will far exceed any earthly expectation we can begin to imagine about
heaven: "No eye has seen, no ear has
heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love
him." (1 Corinthians 2:9)
Have you for love of Jesus appropriated
the wonderful gift of forgiveness of sins on your part, obeyed the gospel of
Jesus Christ to have the hope of eternal life that he offers us out of pure
love on his part? It is quite a simple process once you have been called by
God. All one has to do is (1) believe Gods Word the bible, (2) repent of your
sins by beginning to turn around, (3) confess Christ as the Son of God, that He
died on the cross for your sins, (4) be baptized in water for the gift of remission
of your past sins and receive the Holy Spirit in your newly cleansed soul
before God. The moment you have understood Gods Word by truly obeying these
conditions in His plan of redemption, you are instantly a son of God, a new
citizen of Gods kingdom with Christ as your King of His church.
WARNING: You will hear some say, there are no conditions to be met in Gods Word to have Salvation. That all you have to do is sit there, believe in your heart Jesus is the Christ and His finished work on the cross by the shedding of His blood, and say a prayer to God is all that is required. Fortunately for you, this isn't the case. These good people are not considering the whole Word of God, (Psalm 119:160) all that He has to say (Matthew 4:4) in His word on how to become a true disciple of Christ (1 Peter 3:21) and a new citizen of His kingdom. There are many biblical lessons on this website that will help you study and come to a full and complete understanding of the gospel and its conditions.
Many blessings...
