How do people become Christians?

[Naijagal]

I’m interested in what a wide range of people think is the turning point that makes a person a Christian.
According to the Bible, Everybody ( no matter what they are called) who trusts in Jesus (and all that He’s done) will be saved.
Christian as a name wasn’t there from the beginning but that’s what people began calling people who trusted in and practiced Jesus teachings.

A Christian is a follower of Jesus Christ. Christians should be studying how Jesus lived and trying daily to be His hands and feet and mouthpiece.
There is also a verse that says if you believe in your heart and confess with your lips then you will be saved, so it is actually important to actual declare at some point that you are following Jesus.

As a Catholic, I don't think there's one switch on-switch off moment that makes someone a Christian. If it's an infant, then baptism is the obvious 'moment', but it then has to be followed up by a personal faith later on. If someone has been brought up Christian then they might never have a big conversion event, but just gradually come to realise that they have taken ownership of the faith that was handed on to them. If someone comes to Christianity later in life then it makes more sense to talk about various steps along the way, both before and after receiving the sacraments, like when they first began to question their faith, when they first prayed in their heart, when they first publically professed the faith and so on. I don't think there's a binary moment though, it's a gradual growth in grace.

Thanks @vdbfamily It appears your key point is ‘following Jesus’ if you can share, what’s your own story?

Thanks for breaking it down @Fink where do you fall in these categories?

I used to be somewhat against baby baptism, but something touched my heart when I first attended one.

“I don't think there's a binary moment though, it's a gradual growth in grace”
this makes it sound so..sort of freeing, that there’s a space for growth and there’s not a magical moment where light shines from heaven and you become a perfect person.

I’d agree with this. And also a Catholic, which is probably relevant in that there isn’t the tradition some Protestant denominations have of a big transformative declaration moment, or not in the same way.

My story is probably similar to others in that I grew up in a Christian family and don't ever remember not believing in God/ Jesus, however there was a defining moment for me at a Christian music concert, where I realised that having Christian parents did not make me a Christian. It was a decision I had to make personally and it also involved understanding that I was far far from perfect and Christlike and for these daily failings I had to say sorry and be forgiven. And because of the grace shown to me in forgiveness, I also have to be willing to forgive others and not hold grudges.
This in itself is life-changing. I had the most difficult mother in law who refused to talk to us or meet her grandchildren for 10 years and we continued to love her and pray for her and reached out regularly. Eventually she started to see us again and my husband was at her bedside when she died last year. We could have been filled with hate and answer as she had said and done such horrible things but we chose to show love and forgiveness.
My DH grew up in difficult family circumstances with this toxic mother and had no Christian input but at University made some Christian friends and was convinced Jesus was real and relevant and got baptised in the North Sea. His mother was furious and when he then married a Christian she declared him dead to her!
For me, it cannot be a Sunday thing but has to permeate all you do and say.

I was baptised as an infant, and I was brought up Christian (although not particularly devoutly, but we went to Mass on Sundays and went to Catholic schools). I would say that I became a Christian at my baptism, but there are far more moments which mean that I'm still a Christian today. It's a choice every day to continue to say yes to God's grace and walk that path.

I became a Christian due to a rather odd experience. DS2 was seriously ill. I was sleep deprived, we were trying to move house, I was at my wits' end with worry about DS2 as he was being dismissed and misdiagnosed, and getting weaker and weaker. He was so ill that it was hard to mix with other mums and babies as he threw up everywhere, all the time, over their beautiful expensive carpets and sofas, or screamed and screamed while their fat, happy babies cooed and slept.

But a local Christian playgroup always welcomed us. I was struck by how kind and gentle the women were who ran it. So one day - a really hellish day when DS had a ragung tenmperature again, our buyers were really messing us around and the house was covered in sick, I felt on the verge of a nervous breakdown, and was crying - I just looked up at the kitchen ceiling and said, 'If you are there can you come and bear this load for me please because I can't take it any more.'

Within seconds my body was flooded with a warm feeling of intense happiness and peace. A sort of physical manifestation of love. It was overwhelming and I also felt as though someone had come and lifted an incredibly heavy rucksack off my back. As though my burdens had literally been taken away. I felt calm where moments before, for months on end, I had felt hysterical and furious and shattered. And `I also felt guided, on how to behave and keep going, to see through the very difficult house sale and endless meetings with medics so that DS got the help he needed. I could suddenly manage.

Then, when we moved house we started attending the local church which was very lively and very pro young families. I loved teaching DC that Jesus was always there to love and accept them and forgive them if they made mistakes and support them if they felt sad. I loved encouraging them to acknowledge a presence greater than themselves who would support them throughout life.

Both DC believe - one very actively, one rather lazily, but they do. And I feel an intense support still. I love that the central tenets of Christianity are forgiveness and love.That's a pretty strong approach to life.

I have a lot of misgivings about organised religion in practise, and am the least evangelical person I know. But faith itself is a pure and powerful thing.

Probably in a minority here, but I had an experience in church at the age of 4 or 5. It wasn't the 'swinging from the chandeliers' or 'laying on of hands' sort of place, just a fairly modest Anglican church. The congregation were singing a hymn I'd chosen for my birthday and I just remember being completely overwhelmed by a feeling of pure joy. I was in floods of tears and laughing at the same time. I remember people looking concerned for me because they thought I was upset, but it was the total opposite. Haven't had a feeling come close to it since, although there have been many happy times in my life.

I grew up in a Christian family and always knew about Jesus but I think I properly made a decision at around aged 16. I'd been a bit of a tormented youth and was struggling with loads of things and I remember walking along a beach one day, crying and talking to God. There was this moment where I somehow knew what to do, to say I was sorry for always messing up and to ask him to sort my life out. Like a couple of others said, there was this moment of clarity, peace and I guess 'rightness'. From that point, I just wanted to know more and to grow in my faith. I started reading the Bible and being active in church and it just sort of grew from there.

Not everyone has a 'moment' but I did and I know lots of others who've had something like that too. I don't think that part really matters, so much as how you live your life.

For me, my faith is the foundation stone to my life and even though major things come my way, I feel the pain like everyone else but there's this knowledge that I'm not going to entirely fall apart. It's given me the grace to walk through a horrendous relationship plus the sudden loss of someone I loved dearly.

But the biggest thing is hope! I think that a relationship with God does that.

P.S. I wasn't baptised until much later, into adulthood as my (Christian) parents didn't agree with infant baptism. Also, there's no such thing as a perfect person; "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God". The journey of faith is a life long one and there are still many bumps along the road; Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” John 16:33.

Christians should strive to live a life that would be pleasing to Jesus. Salvation is not achieved through good deeds and a 'godly life' but is rather a reflection and by-product of being saved.
“For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also” James 2:26. The faith we have as Christians should be demonstrated by the works we do (our behaviour), but the works will not in themselves lead to salvation; "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast" Ephesians 2:8-9.

The Apostle Paul teaches; "As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they should abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality” and "Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law".

To be Christian you must be baptized, that's how you enter the Church and is the first Sacrament instituted by Christ.

@Ravensclawdropout Are you Roman Catholic? I would agree a person needs to be baptised but I suspect we might differ in opinion on what exactly that involves.
Could you please explain the Sacrements and whether you believe they have to be carried out in order for a person to be saved. Generally speaking, the protestant church also disagree with concepts such as mortal/venial sins, purgatory and practices like intercessory prayer and confession to priests. Not trying to start an argument here - just interested to know where some of these beliefs originate from and point out there are different ways to 'become a Christian'.

@Ravensclawdropout
Thanks for posting this, I watched it, there’s a question in the comment that says how do you respond to the thief on the cross that never had a chance to be baptised by water but was saved.

Very nice to read your different experiences, some are quite dramatic (which I love) but the common thread is about following and trusting God/Jesus, and doing what Jesus taught on a daily basis.
Often times people see faith/belief like it’s something just floating about not based on anything but the descriptions here show that faith/belief is in a person.

@Vincitveritas how wonderful that you can remember that experience at that age. I imagine it must bring you some comfort every now and then.

@Naijagal There's nothing to say that the thief hadn't been baptized, but even if that were true, this explanation sums it up:

'The reason the thief could not receive the same baptism we do is that the terms of salvation under the gospel were not yet in effect when the thief was crucified.
Romans 10:9 - "If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved". So, to have the faith required by the gospel, we must believe that God "has raised" Jesus from the dead.
1 Corinthians 15:1-4 - Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection are the fundamental facts of the gospel that we must receive, believe, and hold fast in order to be saved. The thief on the cross could not possibly believe Jesus had been raised from the dead, because He had not yet died, let alone been buried and raised.'

@Naijagal Thank you, it was very special and still remarkably fresh in my (increasingly poor) memory. Although my parents took me to church I was in no way indoctrinated or brainwashed; my siblings also attended and did not become Christians. If there was any sadness, disappointment or disapproval around this, my parents certainly never expressed it.

Getting back to the thief, there was still hope for those who had died before the arrival of the Messiah. Jesus conquered death itself. Between His death and resurrection Jesus descended into Hades, preached the gospel and brought salvation to some of the souls of the dead held captive there:

"But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.” (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe)." Ephesians 4:7-10.

"Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay." Acts 2:31.

"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. After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits - to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built." 1 Peter 3: 18-20.

"...But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to human standards in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit." 1 Peter 4:5-6.

I grew up in the Catholic faith, but was very wishy washy. I was always very 'spiritual' but thought religion was for the narrow minded and spiritually stunted. I thought born again Christians were stupid or had psychological problems. I felt superior to them in every way, and actually thought that they didn't understand Jesus as well as I did. I mean, I thought he was just a really cool guy who came to earth to show us how to be really nice, and I was such a good person (so I thought), Jesus would be totally cool with me. Anyway, what was to say that Buddhism or Hinduism wasn't the right way? In my mind, nobody knew and as long as you didn't kick your cat or Rob your granny, you were fine.

I was always very into horoscopes and mediumship, was fascinated with witchcraft and was desperate to contact the other side. I bought tarot, angel cards, every New Age book you can imagine. I meditated, tried to contact spirit guides, consulted the tarot, angel cards and horoscopes every day. I followed a very famous New Age author called Dorewn Virtue who taught how to contact your angels, and she really believed that all roads lead to heaven as long as you're nice, and Jesus was just one ascended masters of many.

It consumed me. I was also at this point mentally spiralling into complete darkness. I was depressed, had serious anxiety, drank very heavily. I was very messed up. I had horrible nightmares. My life was one disaster after another. I was selfish and arrogant. I suspected a link between the cards and my mental health and binned them. Things got better for a while.

I met my husband and was still a real party girl and still troubled. I didn't own my own divination cards anymore but went online for readings. I descended into OCD and got referred to the mental health team but I was even too anxious to access that.

Right after I married my husband, I started thinking about Jesus a lot. I felt like I 'missed him. I looked up videos of people who had encounters with Jesus and came across lots of evangelical Christian channels. I told my atheist husband that I felt like I was being called to Jesus and he freaked out. He said he didn't want me to go down that road and so I closed the door and stopped searching. That was in 2013.

I continued on with my 'nobody knows' approach but started researching other faiths. In 2016 somebody hurt me badly. I started looking up 'how to forgive' on YouTube, and the Christian channels started coming up again. I started listening to them but still wasn't a Christian myself. In 2017 this relative hurt me again, to the point that I was utterly heartbroken and would cry every day. One morning I woke up and prayed to God to take the pain in my heart away. I closed me eyes to go back to sleep and 'saw' Jesus in my minds eye. He said something to me, a very short sentence, and I instantly forgave the person who hurt me. The pain just lifted. Gone.

I had been reading bits of scripture up until this point. Bits and bobs, and I didn't understand the Gospel or anything. I was going through something u related to the person who hurt me, a different issue, and came across a piece of Scripture and the way it came across when I read it was that it was alive. I can't think of any other way to describe it. In that moment I realised that Jesus was real, and who he said said was.

A few weeks after that, Doreen Virtue, the New Age author, came out publicly to renounce all of her previous works. She was now a born again Christian and said she had been deceived by demons into leading people away from Christ. She asked people not to buy her stuff, to burn it if they had it and was dumped by her publishing company and ended up bankrupt as a result. This was confirmation for me but the penny still hadn't fully dropped

Another year passed and I wasn't doing anything new agey, but was still drinking heavily and still making sense of my experiences. One night I got completely plastered and the next day decided enough was enough. The next day, I started reading the bible from scratch. I had started a new job 3 months prior and was working closely with a colleague. I never knew about her faith. A few weeks after I quit drinking, I mentioned I had been reading scripture. Turns out she was a born again Christian. I had so many questions and she brought me to her church a few months later. In April 2019 I realised that we are all separated from God by our sin, that Jesus lived the sinless life that we could not, was killed for our sins to take the punishment for us so that the debt is paid and we can get to heaven. There is no other way to heaven except through believing in him and making a relationship with him.

I'm a completely different person. Jesus is at the very heart of everything I do. I am kinder. I don't drink, I feel calm, safe, secure, stable, loved and loving. Jesus had changed my life and is literally the best thing that has ever happened to me, and I have had many many blessings in life.

Sorry for the essay!!!!

I don't think you'd be in a minority of having had some numinous experience in childhood, most adult Christians can describe a small number of powerful experiences of transcendence in their lives. It's just a question, getting back to the OP, of whether you would describe that as the turning point when you became a Christian. I've had experiences which changed my outlook on the faith and my commitment to the Trinity, but not one which I would say was a turning point which made me a Christian when I hadn't been one before. Would you say you became a Christian at that point?

@Vincitveritas

Struggling a bit to understand this, are you saying that dead people can be saved? Or only those that died before Jesus died

That's a beautiful conversion story @Idontknowwhatto , what a powerful witness.

If you're still interested in exploring scripture more deeply, there's a brilliant podcast called Bible in a Year with Fr Mike Schmitz. It does what it says on the tin - the entire Bible is split up into three short readings from different books per day (each book is followed all the way through from beginning to end, with a few exceptions like Psalms, but once a book is finished it doesn't necessarily go on to the next book in in the Bible, there's a logical sequence and it means you don't get bogged down in some of the repetitive and descriptive passages) and in 365 days you've read/listened to the whole Bible. I'm on my second year of following it now, and even though I've read the whole Bible through previously and studied it in depth, it still really helps to have a daily portion to listen to and to reflect on.

It seems like she's referring only to people who died before Jesus and who had an implicit faith, which is orthodox Christian doctrine, not people who have died being able to change after death.

But one of the verses says that Jesus went and preached to disobedient souls…

It was incredibly powerful and utterly transformative. Thank you for the recommendation but I've left Catholicism. Definitely don't want to get into the insurance and outs of that but every time I veer back towards it, I feel more distant from Jesus and when I step back towards my current Evangelical leanings, I feel that it's restored again. There are just a lot of doctrinal things that I feel uncomfortable with. The local parish priest had invited me to a Bible study so who knows. Being Catholic would certainly make my life a lot easier, as a lot of people found my conversion to Protestantism very weird, even if they were lapsed Catholics themselves. But I believe that Jesus find people wherever they are and I don't believe at all that being Catholic precludes anyone from Salvation so long as they put their trust in him as their saviour and develop a relationship with him where he is the centre of their lives.