I Just Became a Christian, Now What? – Turning to Jesus
Before we get to what happens after becoming a Christian, it may make sense to discuss how we become Christians.[1] Perhaps you are reading this article, and you are exploring Christianity. Maybe you have thought about becoming a Christian but aren’t sure what that means or how to do it. It may seem like we decide to become a Christian, and there is a measure of truth in that regard. However, the decision we make is to repent or turn to Jesus Christ.
I was eight years old when I became a Christian. I sat at the dining room table with my mother, brother, and our tiny Baptist church’s pastor. People at the church thought my brother and I were too young to know what it meant to be a Christian, and we should not be considered ready to make such a crucial decision. Pastor Wolf asked us questions to see if those people were right. When the time ended, he was convinced we understood, and he prayed with us. Days or weeks later, I don’t remember exactly, we were baptized. I quoted John 3:16 as my baptism verse. As I look back on that time, I can’t precisely remember what I was thinking or experiencing. But as I recount my life, I see God’s Spirit at work in me and around me in so many ways. Part of my motivation to write to you is to present what I have learned over many years and explore our identity in Christ that God continues to reveal to me.
Jesus preached about repentance. The original language of the New Testament uses the word translated as “repent” to mean a change of mind or turning around. This change includes two aspects, turning away from something and turning toward something else. Jesus’ call to repent was focused on the kingdom of heaven being nearby. The kingdom was visible in Jesus as the King and all he was doing and would do to bring people to God. Jesus performed many miracles which were part of the evidence of the kingdom. He stated that if his miracles had been seen by people who were previously judged for their evil deeds, they would have turned to God long ago.[2]
The word repent often has a connotation of remorse and regret over bad behavior; however, that is not a requirement of the concept. Understanding sin separates us from God, and having a desire to turn to him for forgiveness may be a part of repentance. However, not everyone may be aware of their sin, only that their life is not what they desire. Or, they may see the problems of this world and want something better. Perhaps they observe the love Christians have for one another and are drawn to Jesus.[3] The most important thing about repentance is not what we turn from but to whom we turn. There is only one way to be reconciled to God and receive all he desires for us. That way is belief in Jesus Christ:
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” (John 14:6-7, NRSV)
There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12, NRSV)
I have heard several teachers state that it is imperative for those who come to Jesus to know their sinfulness and to repent from it. While it may be important to understand that sin separates us from God, repentance and confession of sin does not save us. In the New Testament, salvation is obtained by believing in Jesus and confessing who he is and what he has accomplished.[4]
The prophet John the Baptist prepared the way for the Lord Jesus. Part of this preparation was John’s message of repentance. Many people were baptized by John, confessing their sins. It is important to note that disclosing sin did not confer salvation to the people but paved the way for them to be reconciled to God through Jesus’ death and resurrection. While some people believe confession of sin is a requirement in the salvation process, I don’t see this idea consistent with the Scripture. Several accounts of people coming to God and receiving salvation through Jesus without confessing their sin are evident in the Bible.[5] When I believed in Jesus, I didn’t fully comprehend my sinfulness. I believed Jesus was God’s son, and I was drawn to him because of my mother’s love for me and her example of faith, but I wasn’t fully aware of what he was saving me from. Nonetheless, as I look back on my life, I am convinced that I became a Christian that day, and God did a wonderful thing in me and for me.
Yes, there must be a point in our lives that we understand that sin separates us from God. This understanding may prepare us for God’s saving work, or it may be integral to our growth as children of God. But it is not a requirement for salvation in the sense that if we don’t confess our sin, we can’t be saved. We turn to Jesus as the only way to God. He is the only hope we have for true life. We must give up all ideas of coming to God by any other means[6] or trying to gain life in any other way.[7] Nevertheless, turning to Jesus is only the first step of becoming a Christian. The Bible tells us the following:
But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12-13, NRSV)
When we turn to Jesus, God does a miraculous work in us. Becoming a Christian includes our decision to believe and receive Jesus. But strictly speaking, our new life in Christ is by God’s kindness and a miraculous change by the Holy Spirit.[8] The apostle Paul reminds us:
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9, NASB)
We may look at our faith in Jesus as what saves us, but Scripture seems to say our faith or belief paves the way for God’s saving work in us. If you didn’t know how to become a Christian, I hope you turn to Jesus and believe in him. No ritual must be followed, but the apostle Paul wrote:
For, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13, NRSV)
What the Bible verses referenced in this article are saying is that believing in Jesus and calling on him prepares us to receive his gracious work of salvation. Belief is understanding who Jesus is and what he has done. Calling on him is confessing that belief.[9] The only work we need to do is believe in Jesus.[10] This does not mean that Christians don’t have work to do, only that our work does not save us; only God can save.
In the next article, we will look at what happens to us after we believe and God saves us. As I stated in the previous article, please feel free to send me your comments or questions, and I will make every effort to respond. If appropriate, I may address the comments in a future article. I also would very much appreciate your prayers.
[1] I use the term Christian because it is familiar to us. The Bible only uses the word Christian three times to refer to those who are in Christ. For the most part the apostles, in their letters to the church, use the terms saint, believer, and brethren (brother/sister) to refer to members of the body of Christ. I will mainly use the words saint or believer in future articles in line with how the apostles referred to those in Christ.
[2] Matthew 11-12
[3] John 17
[4] Romans 5 and 10
[5] Luke 23, Acts 10 and 16
[6] Romans 8, Ephesians 2
[7] Matthew 10, Luke 17, Romans 5-6
[8] John 3
[9] Romans 10
[10] John 6