Christianity is participatory. Jesus sacrificed Himself to save us, and now we must surrender completely to Him. He said, “those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples” (Luke 14:33). So how do you start walking the narrow path of discipleship?
Read the Bible. Begin reading God's Word daily. Get a full Bible, which includes the Old and New Testaments, in an easy-to-read translation. (This page uses the New International Version [NIV].) Start by reading Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John.
Pray. Begin speaking with God throughout each day. Whether you pray aloud or in silence, He hears you. Talk simply to Him with honesty and respect. The best way to learn prayer is from the Bible (e.g., 1 Kings 3:6–9, Psalm 51:10–12, Matthew 6:5–15, Ephesians 1:15–23, and Colossians 1:9–14).
Be baptized. Be baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (e.g., Matthew 28:19, Romans 6:3–4, and Acts 2:38–39).
Attend church. Begin attending a church that believes 1) There is one true God, the Lord; 2) Jesus is God's only Son and our only Savior, and He died for our wrongdoings and rose three days later; and 3) The Bible is God's Word, our one authoritative source of spiritual truth.
Apply what you learn. Begin applying Biblical lessons to your life. As James said, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:22). Understand that you are always a Christian, not just on Sundays or when others watch.
Endure in the faith. Persevere in your faith, no matter what happens. When you have a spiritual question, ask a pastor or a mature fellow believer. When you sin, admit it and ask God for forgiveness. If you stop taking steps of faith, then start again. Just don't give up. The Lord will help you, so keep exercising your faith. And always remember, “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him” (James 1:12).
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.