The most important question that we can ask ourselves is the question that Jesus asked His disciple, Peter: "Who do you say that I am?" (Matthew 16:15). We can say that Jesus was wrong about who He said that He was - the Savior of the world (John 4:25-26) - and call Him crazy. Or, through careful study of His life, teachings, death and resurrection, we can acknowledge Him as our own Savior and Lord. This isn't based on our own ideas about Jesus - it's based on what Jesus said about Himself.
We believe today that Jesus is our only hope of being made right with God because He said so Himself: "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6). We also believe that Jesus is the giver of eternal life because this was His promise: "I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying" (John 11:25).
Finding salvation and new life in Christ is simple and free. It is a gift given to us by God that we could never earn or deserve, based simply on His great love and mercy (Ephesians 2:8-9). At the same time, it requires our belief and acceptance of two fundamental, life-altering truths. It means 1) recognizing Jesus as the Lord (i.e. Master) of our lives, and 2) believing that He is who He said He is, and did what He said He did (Romans 10:9). These two simple steps of faith mark the beginning of a journey of following Jesus.
The good news is that you can start following Jesus right here, right now, today. A prayer to begin following Jesus can look something like this:
Jesus, I need you. I'm not perfect, and I know it. I understand and believe that you really lived, really died, and really rose from the dead for me. I believe that You are who You say You are, and I receive all that You've done for me to make me right with God. I recognize that I can no longer be my own lord and savior if I'm going to folllow You, so I bow my knee and name You as my Lord. You alone have the right to rule over my life and You alone can teach me how to live. I choose to follow You, and I surrender my life as a response of gratitude to You for all that You've done. Thank You for loving me at my worst. Amen.
If you began your journey of following Jesus today, we are so happy for you! You've made the most important - and best - decision of your life. As a new Christian, it's important to get off to a good start on your faith journey - and that's why we recommend you taking our Foundations Course. The Foundations Course is a course for new and growing believers, exploring the major themes of the Christian faith - the Bible, God, sin, etc. - one step at a time. Every question is welcomed and is taken to the Bible, in a safe and welcoming community, so we can learn and grow. together. It's a great place to start your spiritual journey.
We would also love to hear from you if you prayed the prayer above and began your journey of following Jesus, today. Please let us know by filling out the contact form below and one of our pastors will be sure to get in touch with you. We'd love to hear more of your story!