Following Jesus
The Basics
What does it mean to put one’s faith in Jesus?
They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” -Acts 16:31
Faith in Jesus is about more than simply believing of his existence. Faith is about believing who he is as Lord and savior of our lives. This also means believing what he has done, is doing, and will do. Some 2,000 years ago Jesus came to this earth and was kill, buried, and resurrected. Today, he is operating through his Spirit to cause change in peoples’ lives and bring them to himself. One day Jesus is going to return and gather those who have put their faith in him.
Why did Jesus die for us?
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. -1 Peter 3:18
In our lives we have all chosen to do wrong. This is what we call “sin”. Sin has caused separation between us and God. The only way to remove this separation is for us to pay the penalty for our sin, which the Bible says is death. Jesus died in order to pay that penalty in our place. His action of dying on the cross saves us and give us the ability to have new life.
What does it look like to follow Jesus?
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. -John 10:27
Jesus is the shepherd and we are his sheep. To follow him is to go where he leads. How do we follow someone we cannot see? We may not be able to physically see Jesus but we can still hear his voice. This does not have to mean an audible voice. The Bible is the word of God given to us. In studying it we learn more about the voice of our shepherd and how he leads us. Another way we can hear his voice is through the work of his Spirit in our lives that helps act as a guide in life.
What do I do if I want to put my faith in Jesus?
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. -Romans 10:9
The first step of deciding to accept Jesus in your life can be a simple prayer like this: “Dear God, I realize I am a sinner and could never reach heaven by my own good deeds. Right now I place my faith in Jesus Christ as your son who died and rose again to give me eternal life. I trust in Jesus alone. Please forgive me of my sins and help me to live for you. Thank you for accepting me and giving me eternal life.”