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 First
Baptist Church of Willard, Mo. |
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202
W. Jackson, P.O. Box 188, Willard, Mo. 65781 Telephone: 417-742-2751
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Willard First Baptist! To comment, please contact our church by e-mail at
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How to become a Christian
What is a Christian?You may be surprised to learn that a Christian is not just being a "good person", not just going to church every week, not just doing good things. All of these things are outward reflections of the change in your heart once you've become a Christian. Are you a Christian? First you must realize that:God Loves You"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16) Can you imagine sacrificing your child for the wrong doings of the world? Especially if you knew that most people wouldn't appreciate it and would deny you? Well, our Heavenly Father did that with His Son, Jesus Christ! That took more love than we can really understand. All People Are Sinners "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) Sin can be defined as these familiar misbehaviors: murder, sexual immorality/perversion, theft, and dishonesty. But it can also be defined as these inconspicuous behaviors: pride in your things or in yourself, selfishness, desire for what someone else has (covetousness), misuse of the name of the Lord, and spending most of your time on something other than the Lord and His work. To unbelievers, these do not appear to be sin, but they are. And no sin is any greater than another . Your Sin Must Be Paid for "The wages of sin is death." (Romans 6:23) Jesus Christ Died to Pay for Your Sins "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8) Jesus Christ died not only for the sins you committed before you trusted in Him, but for all the sins you have committed and all those you will ever commit. Salvation is a Free Gift "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -- not by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9) Salvation cannot be won or lost. The good things you do in your life will not, and cannot, earn your salvation. And doing good things will also not help you keep your salvation; it is everlasting. You Must Have Faith in Jesus Christ to Be Saved "If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved." (Romans 10:9-10) Believing (having faith) in Jesus Christ does not mean just believing that He was born of a virgin, that He lived, that He is the Son of God, that He is God, and that He died and was resurrected on the third day. It also means having the faith to trust Him, and to "Love [Him] with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." (Mark 12:30) The decision to receive Christ is yours to make. "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." (Revelation 3:20) Jesus doesn't force himself on anyone; he lets us make the decision. He is the perfect example of a true leader. Are you ready to ask Jesus Christ to save you?There is no specific prayer to speak in order to be saved. You can make up your own prayer by telling Jesus Christ that you understand all of the above, and that you want to accept the free gift of salvation. If you don't want to make one up, use this one:Dear Jesus, I know that You love me. I know that I am a sinner and my sin must be paid for. I know that You died on the cross as a sacrifice for my sin. You did this knowing all the sins I have ever committed in the past, and all the sins I will ever commit in the future. I know I didn't deserve it, but You loved me so much that You did it anyway. And I trust in You to give me eternal life. Thank You, Jesus. Amen.If you just said a prayer to receive eternal life through the Lord Jesus Christ, make that decision known to some other Christians.Join a Christian church! Be careful! Not all churches that mention the name of Jesus Christ are Christian churches. (Some do not believe that Jesus's death on the cross is enough to save you.) Get hold of a Bible (the Word of God)! You need the Word of God to help you grow as a Christian. If you can't afford to buy one, ask your church to give one to you.
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