The Christian life is centered around having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Who is Jesus?
Jesus was God Himself come to Earth. He entered the scene around 4 BCE. He was born of a virgin, Mary, and was 100% man; yet 100% God. Born into a Jewish household, as Jesus grew up, he began teaching in the synagogues at a young age. Often times other leaders remarked how amazing it was that He knew so much. Throughout his ministry, Jesus explained that He was God’s son, that he had come to seek and save lost people, to usher in the Kingdom of God and fulfill Old Testament prophesies – prophesies that foretold that God would send a savior into the world. As Jesus taught, he performed many food-related and healing miracles. He loved on children. He gathered disciples. He proved to the world that He was fully God, and that He was on a mission. His mission was to share that He was the Savior of the world.
What did Jesus Do?
Religious leaders found fault with Jesus because He proclaimed to be God’s son (making Him equal to God). They disagreed with Jesus, and one night, they captured Him, beat him and brought charges to local authorities against Him. Despite no one being able to find any guilt in him he was condemned to death and forced to carry his cross (the Roman version of the electric chair) through the streets while being mocked. He carried the cross up on a hill and it was on that hill that the authorities nailed Jesus to the cross. After a pain-staking process to death, Jesus died on the cross.
The Old Testament prophesies didn’t only forecast Jesus coming to the world, but they also told about His brutal death that was to come. Before Jesus entered the scene, the Jews operated under Jewish law. A system of sacrifices and atonement was required in order to find favor with God and forgiveness of sins. Jesus lived a perfect life, loving God with all His heart, soul and mind, fulfilling all human obligation to God. He lived the life you owed—a perfect record. Then, instead of receiving His deserved reward (eternal life), Jesus gave His life as a sacrifice for our sins, taking the punishment and death you owed onto the cross.
When we believe in Him:
- Our sins are paid for by His death, and
- His perfect life record is transferred to our account.So God accepts and regards us as if we had done all Christ has done.
After Jesus died, they removed Him from the cross and placed him in a rich man’s tomb. The tomb was sealed, and guards stood by, making sure that nobody could take his body. But, then something miraculous happened. Three days after his death, women came with spices to prepare his body for burial and found the tomb opened, with Jesus’ body gone. The women began proclaiming, “He is Risen!” – remembering what Jesus had foretold them about what was to come. Later that day, Jesus revealed himself to the women and the disciples, showing them that all of His prophesies had come true. He had died on the cross, but then rose up from the dead several days later. He then ascended into Heaven, where He sits at the right hand of the Father and was given a name above every other name. Jesus is the savior of the world and the rightful king over all things.
How does the Story of Jesus Impact my life?
The story of Jesus impacts our lives in several ways. The story of Jesus (the Gospel) invites anyone who believes in Jesus into a personal, living faith with the Living God. The Gospel is “good news” for the world but it is also a very personal story to you, that Jesus died for your sin! He had you in mind as he suffered, died and rose from death to bring you into his kingdom.
What Christians Believe
Christians believe that:
- Jesus is God incarnate.
- Jesus was fully God, and full man.
- Jesus was born of a virgin and lived a sinless life.
- Jesus performed many miracles during his ministry on Earth.
- Jesus died a brutal death on the cross.
- Jesus rose from the dead.
- Jesus now resides in Heaven at the right hand of the Father.
- Jesus died on behalf of each of us, for our sins.
Read more about what Christians believe in our Statement of Faith.
Becoming a Christian
Becoming a Christian involves believing that the Bible is true, and that Jesus is God’s son. Once you accept the facts of the faith, it’s then taking a step to make it personal. Becoming a Christian involves realizing that Jesus died for you, and for your sins. It’s asking Him to forgive you of your sins and inviting Him into your heart. Below are a few key steps:
- Admit that you’re a sinner, in need of a Savior.
- Acknowledge that (from birth) you have been separated from God by sin.
- Turn away from your sin.
- Believe in your heart that Jesus died on the cross for your sin and rose again.
- Receive Christ into your heart by accepting them.
- Pray after this fashion: “I see that I am more flawed and sinful than I ever dared believe, but that I am even more loved and accepted than I ever dared hope. I turn from my old life of living for myself. I have nothing in my record to merit Your approval, but I now rest in what Jesus did and ask to be accepted into God’s family for His sake.” When you make this transaction, two things happen at once: 1) your accounts are cleared, your sins are wiped out permanently, you are adopted legally into God’s family, and 2) the Holy Spirit enters your heart and begins to change you into the character of Jesus.
- Follow through. Tell a Christian friend about your commitment.
I have prayed and believe now what?
The Story of Jesus is what we call the Gospel. The Gospel is the power of God in which saves us from spiritual darkness and into God’s kingdom of spiritual life. The Gospel is the beginning of your new life with God, you are now part of God’s eternal kingdom and you will spend the rest of your life growing in your knowledge of him and growing to be more like him. Despite this wonderful future we never move past the Gospel because the Gospel is now the very power in which we live our lives. The old self has passed away and has been buried with Christ and the new self is raised and lives with Christ. The New Testament speaks of this and the new Gospel community “the church” that God intends for us to grow with.
If you’d like to know more about becoming a Christian, or how to invite Jesus into your heart, please email us. One of our pastors would love to speak with you.
