What must we do to come into a relationship with Christ?

In order to come into a relationship with Jesus we must do what Jesus and his divinely-guided apostles said or wrote as recorded in the Bible, the Word of God. “Being saved by God’s grace through faith in Jesus” (Ephesians 2:8-9) means believing in Jesus as the Son of God and trusting him to save us from our sins, repenting of our sins, and being baptized into the benefits of his death and resurrection in total surrender to him. Jesus said,

For  God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. (John 3:16-18)

Twenty verses later, the chapter concludes, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him” (3:36). Jesus told some unbelievers, “I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins” (8:24).

Believing in Jesus includes turning from our sins. Jesus said, “Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3). The Apostle Paul made it plain:

The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead. (Acts 17:30-31)

Believing in Jesus includes being baptized “into the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:18-20). When we trust Jesus as Lord and Savior, and repent and are baptized in his name, then God grants the forgiveness of our sins and gives his Holy Spirit to be with us (Acts 2:38). The Apostle Paul explained that baptism is “into Christ Jesus and into his death.” We are “buried with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:3-4).

Paul writes that “newness of life” comes as a result of our union with Christ in his death and resurrection. This faith response to Jesus is called “obeying the gospel” (2 Thessalonians 1:8). Paul explained the change that results: “But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness” (Romans 6:17-18). Paul writes that we are “set free from sin and become slaves of righteousness” when we “obey from the heart the teaching” about the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.

Believing, repenting and being baptized bring “the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5). This is the same as what Jesus called being “born again of water and Spirit” (John 3:3-5).

If you have responded in faith and obedience to the good news of Jesus as explained in these Scriptures, then you have come into a relationship with Jesus. On the other hand, if you have not responded in faith and obedience to the teachings of these Scriptures, then you have not come into a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Ask yourself: “Have I responded to Jesus by believing in him with all my heart, turning from my sins and being baptized in his name into his death and resurrection?” If you have not yet obeyed the gospel, your mentor and teacher will be pleased to assist you in surrendering your life to Jesus. If someone is not available to help you, please write us at help@mathetis.org and we will contact someone to assist you. Nothing is more important in all the world than knowing Jesus Christ and having a saving relationship with him.