How to Become a Christian, Part One

The Most Important Questions

Modern man is known for asking all sorts of questions. The first question he usually asks is, “How can I make a lot of money?” Then, when he has made his money, he will ask, “How can I make myself more beautiful or handsome?” Then he will ask, “How can I live long enough to enjoy the fruit of my labor?” And finally he will ask, “What legacy can I create so that when I am gone people will still think about me?”

There are two questions of eternal significance found in the Holy Scriptures that, regrettably, many modern people never ask. The first is that which our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ asked his disciples in Caesarea Philippi: “Who do you say that I am?” This question is of utmost significance because our whole destiny depends upon how we answer. And if you read the gospel accounts, you find that the heavenly Father gave the answer to that question when he said, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased; hear ye him!” Peter, speaking on behalf of the disciples, told Jesus, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” and Jesus commended him for his understanding. But unless we are enlightened by the Heavenly Father, we will not answer that question correctly.

The second question is found in Acts 2:37-41 at the conclusion of Peter’s great Pentecostal Day sermon. When Peter finished preaching, the people in the crowd were pierced in their hearts as they realized the enormity of their sin and guilt before God. So they cried out in great desperation, “What must we do to be saved?” That is the second question of utmost significance.

What do you think is the answer to this second question? Is it to come to America? Is it to make a lot of money? No. Such things will not save us. We will discover the answer to this question as we study the wonderful effect of the first gospel preaching of Peter on the day of Pentecost. The Bible tells us that out of the crowd, three thousand people were saved and added to the church that day–three thousand people who cried out and asked this most profound question.

This question is the same one that Saul of Tarsus asked when he was arrested and confronted by the risen Christ. It is the same question the Philippian jailer asked in the middle of the night when a great earthquake broke open the jail. It is the same question each of us must ask. No one can escape this question.

How, then, can we be saved? How can we become Christians, in other words? How can we be saved out of this perverted, twisted, warped generation and enter into the kingdom of God and have eternal life?

God Must Call Us

First, we must realize that no one will call upon the name of the Lord unless that person is first called by God. We call upon the name of the Lord only after he calls us. We choose him because he chose us.

Salvation is God’s action from beginning to end. He accomplishes it, initially, through the gospel. Through the preaching of the word God calls and saves all those who are chosen by him before the creation of the world, all who are appointed by him to eternal life, as we read in Acts 13:48.

God must first call us. In Acts 2:39 Peter said, “The promise” meaning the promise of salvation, “is for you and your children and for all who are far off–for all whom the Lord our God will call.” And in Acts 2:21 he also said, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” We only call upon the name of the Lord for salvation when he has first called us effectually through the preaching of the gospel. Through the preaching of the gospel, God makes the dead alive and calls those who are his enemies to friendship, sonship, and fellowship with God.

This is known as the effectual call of the gospel. There is the general call, which goes out to all people, and then there is the effectual call which means that when God calls, we respond and follow him by putting our faith in him, serving him, and gladly obeying him. When God so effectually calls through the word and the Holy Spirit, those ordained to salvation shall respond and follow Christ.

What is the ultimate purpose of God’s effectual call? That we may have fellowship with his Son. Those who are effectually called will surely enjoy forever fellowship with the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. The apostle Paul speaks about this effectual call in 1 Corinthians 1, verses 9, 24, and 26, as well as in other places in the New Testament.

God Must Regenerate Us

The second step in this process of becoming a Christian is that God must regenerate us. We must understand one very important fact about this divine process of salvation: God calls sinners. The people God calls are those who are totally unresponsive and insensitive to him. They are people who have shut God out of their lives, people who are living in this world organized under the headship of Satan against God, people who are so blinded by Satan and enslaved in their wills that they only obey Satan, the god of this world.

We find this truth very clearly explained in 2 Timothy 2:25-26, “Those who oppose him,” meaning those who oppose the preacher who preaches the word, “he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth,” meaning that an unbeliever is blinded and believes a lie, and does not have knowledge of the truth “and that they will come to their senses,” implying correctly that an unbeliever is senseless, just as the prodigal son was senseless before he came to himself, “and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.”

In other words, the call of God comes to people who are enslaved in their wills to Satan and spiritually unable to respond to God. They are dead in their transgressions, as we read in Ephesians 2:4. How can such people respond to God’s invitation to enjoy fellowship at the heavenly banquet of his Son? It is impossible with man, but with God all things are possible. Therefore, God supernaturally and unilaterally regenerates those who are spiritually dead, even as the Lord Jesus Christ brought to life Lazarus from the tomb.

Jesus spoke about regeneration when he told Nicodemus, “You must be born again,” meaning born again of the Spirit of the living God, the Spirit who is the author and giver of life. And so Paul tells us in Ephesians 2:4, “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions.” Through regeneration God enlightens us and opens our minds so that we appreciate the gospel and respond to God’s call.

Only by the saving operation of the Holy Spirit can anyone receive the gospel. In Luke 24:47 the Bible tells us how the risen Lord opened the minds of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus so that they could understand the scriptures. In Acts 16 we read that the Lord opened the heart of Lydia in Europe to respond positively to the gospel as preached by Paul.

We can receive the gospel only by the Spirit of the living God. A natural man cannot understand things that are spiritual. He may be quite capable of making money, achieving great scientific feats, and providing us with new technology, but he is dead and incapable of understanding eternal issues or responding to the gospel. That is why most people do not read the Bible or ask who Jesus Christ is. Blinded and enslaved, they would rather believe lies than the truth of the gospel.

At this point, let me make one comment about Peter’s preaching. When we examine Peter’s great Pentecostal Day sermon, we notice one very unusual thing: Peter preached only the facts. He did not tell one joke to engage his audience. He did not give one illustration to make his point. He did not cite one personal experience, such as how he denied Christ three times, to draw people in.

Why do you think Peter did not say any of these things? Because they are irrelevant. Jokes, illustrations, and personal anecdotes are all a part of modern preaching, but they cannot save anyone. Let us understand that when we witness to sinners, we must preach the gospel. We must give the facts!

Peter preached the facts relating to Jesus of Nazareth whom God accredited with miracles, wonders and signs, whom God anointed with the Holy Spirit, and who went about doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil. Peter declared how Jesus was handed over by God according to his determinate counsel and foreknowledge for our salvation. He told of how the Romans nailed Jesus to the cross and killed him. He proclaimed that God raised Jesus from the dead and pointed out that Jesus’ body did not see corruption in the grave according to prophecy. He said that God exalted Jesus Christ and seated him at his right hand, where he remains even to this moment, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name and every title that can be given, not only in this present age, but also in the age to come.

Do you have this conception of Jesus of Nazareth, who is King of kings and Lord of lords, who is appointed by the Father as Lord and Christ, who is God and Lord of all, and who will come again to judge the living and the dead. If so, that is what you must preach to others.

Peter preached Jesus, not his own subjective experience. We need to preach the objective facts relating to the person of Jesus Christ and his redemptive work. How can we do that? First, we ourselves must know Jesus Christ and understand him, and, second, we must know doctrine and speak about it, not experiences. Many, many cults in America speak about experiences and subjectivity. They speak about the warmth in the bosom, but we speak about Jesus Christ and him crucified. Why? Because he alone is Lord and King and Savior and Christ, and no else can save us.

We Must Be Convicted of Sin

In the process of becoming a Christian, we must first be effectually called by God; second, we must be regenerated by God; and, third, we must be convicted by God of sin.

In Acts 2:22 Peter says, “Men of Israel, listen to this . . .” and in verse 37 we read, “When the people heard this. . .” What did Peter mean when he said, “Listen to this”? He was telling them to listen to the gospel. And at the conclusion of Peter’s sermon about the person and work of Jesus Christ, what happened? The gospel, like a long sword, pierced their consciences through. They were cut to the heart–katenygēsan–pierced through completely and totally.

What was the essence of Peter’s sermon? “This Jesus whom you crucified and disposed of in the grave has been raised up and made Lord and Christ! In fact, he now rules the universe as the King of kings and Lord of lords. He is no longer in the grave; he is seated on his throne, ruling over you and exercising his total sovereignty over you–you who are mere grass and mist and whose glory is like the flower of the grass!”

These people listened to Peter’s sermon carefully and understood the implications of it. They realized that by rejecting Jesus Christ and participating in his death, they had committed treason against the great and mighty Sovereign Lord and Christ and were now under his wrath and judgment. This gospel Peter preached was not only logical and convincing, but it was also convicting. As they considered their actions and who Jesus Christ was, guilt, like a heavy iron girder, began to rest upon their consciences.

This was deep, deep conviction. These people were brokenhearted. However, that is not a negative state in which to find oneself. Why? Because if we are to be saved through God’s word, it must first cause us pain. Like a skilled physician, God’s word must cut before it heals. In fact, if we have never been stabbed by the word of God, we have probably never been healed by it either. People are baptized and join a church, but many of them have not been cut through with the word of God and felt the true guilt of their sin. If we have never experienced such deep conviction of sin, we must examine ourselves and question our own salvation.

Such heartfelt pain is also good because without experiencing the pain of deep conviction of sin, we will not praise God very much. We will not render much loving obedience to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ if we have never seen our hell, our depravity, our guilt, or the wrath of God that was against us. Therefore, I pray that God may cut all of us through and give us an understanding of the heinousness of the treasonous sin we committed against God and his only Son Jesus Christ, just as he did on the day of Pentecost to the members of this crowd.

Are You Pierced by the Word?

Let us examine the thinking of these people. As they listened to Peter, I am sure they began to think like this: “If Jesus of Nazareth whom we crucified is risen and is Lord and Christ, then we committed treason when we rejected him and called for his death.” What else did they conclude? “It is not he who blasphemed. We blasphemed him, and because of that, we are doomed. As Sovereign Lord of the universe, he must justly destroy us. He would only be just if he wipes us off of the face of the universe and sends us to hell for all eternity.”

These people’s hearts were pierced by the word of God as preached by Peter and their guilt was exposed. We read about this ministry of the word in Hebrews 4:12-13, “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give an account.” If the word of God does not pierce your heart, if the word of God slides off of you like water from a duck’s back, you are in deep and serious danger.

The word of God exposed the guilt of these people and forced them to see the enormity of their actions. This is the work of the sword of the Spirit, which Paul says is the word of God.

This is the kind of conviction Zechariah spoke of in Zechariah 12:10 when he prophesied, “They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.” That is what deep conviction and feeling pain in our conscience means.

Have you ever felt this type of pain we are speaking about? Let me assure you, most modern conversions lack this work of the Spirit called conviction. People may say they want to be saved even while they do not know what they want to be saved from. Such people will never praise God or obey him readily. In fact, for them the Christian life will be a continual struggle and pain in the neck. Conviction of sin is a work of the Holy Spirit, as Jesus said in John 16:8, “When [the Holy Spirit] comes, he will convict the world of guilt.” God himself must convict, cut through, and pierce through our consciences.

The Greatest Sin

This crowd had pierced Jesus Christ by participating in his death on the cross. Now the word of God was piercing their consciences and they were convicted of their great sin. As Jesus said, when the Holy Spirit comes he will convict the world of guilt “in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment,” and sin is defined there as refusal to believe in Christ.

What is the greatest sin we can commit? It is to reject the claims of Christ, the gospel, the Bible and the Savior, who happens to be the King of kings and Lord of lords–God himself–and who happens to be the only Savior for us, sent to us by the Father.

Anyone who rejects the gospel is really treating Jesus as an enemy. Now, many people may say, “I had nothing to do with crucifying Jesus Christ. In fact, I consider him to be a good, ethical man. I think he is the greatest teacher who ever lived.” If that is what you really think about Jesus Christ, then you really are rejecting him and crucifying him. Why? Because you are not acknowledging who he really is. Jesus Christ is God, and he alone is able to save us. He is our Lord, our Messiah, and our King. Additionally, he is the Judge to whom all judgment is given by the Father, and the moment you die, you will have to face him. No one can escape this final appointment.

Have you ever wondered why Jesus came to die? Have you ever asked your family members what they think about Jesus? Have you ever asked, “Grandma, have you ever wondered about this person of Jesus?”

The greatest event that took place in history, the central event which gives meaning to all history, is the incarnation of Jesus Christ and his life, death, burial, resurrection, ascension and session at the right hand of God the Father. Why is this the greatest event? Because it speaks of our salvation. God so loved the world that he wants to save us, and, therefore, neglect of this Jesus Christ, God’s only way of salvation, is our greatest sin.

What about you? Have you ever read his book–the book which alone is the book of truth, life, salvation, and knowledge of God? Or do you, like so many people, spend hours a day listening to people on television who do not know which end is up? Have you paid heed to the claims Jesus Christ made about himself? If not, why not? Don’t you know that the wrath of God abides upon you? Oh, I pray that God’s Holy Spirit will convict all of us that we may feel the full weight of our infinite guilt and cry out, like these people in Jerusalem, “What must we do?”

How Not to Be Saved

The people listening to Peter were cut to their hearts and cried out, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Oh, these people were not just mumbling some words. When you are set on fire and convicted by the mighty operation of the Holy Spirit, you will not mumble. This cry came from the very depths of their hearts: “What shall we do?”

What was Peter’s answer? “Men and brethren, perform righteousness and save yourself by doing a lot of work”? No! To be saved by these means would be legalism. A Pharisee may say, “I am blameless,” but the Bible tells us that no man can be justified by the works of the law. If we tell people, “To be saved you must do righteousness,” we will be giving them a counsel of despair.

What about moralism? “Oh, well,” you might say, “I try to live a good life. I do little good deeds here and there.” We recently heard of someone who makes $200,000 a year but he gave only about $350 a year to charity. By my calculations that is about two-tenths of one percent of his income, yet this man frequently tells others how charitable they should be.

But can anyone be saved by giving more money, being more charitable, regularly attending a church or living a moral life? No! It is impossible. Nor can anyone be saved by engaging in ritualism, meaning observing the external trappings of religion–candles, incense, stained glass windows and so on. To pretend that such things will result in salvation is false and superstitious.

What Must We Do to Be Saved?

What, then, must we do to be saved? “Repent,” Peter said, “and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.”

“What do you mean, ‘Repent?'” you might ask. “Peter, don’t you understand that we are Americans? We are Western people. Our wallets are swollen with money. Why should we repent? Besides, we don’t like the word ‘repent.’ It has such negative connotations. You should only say nice things to us.”

If we find ourselves saying such things, we have joined the ranks of the “cultured despisers of the gospel.” Cultured despisers are those who do not want anyone to tell them to repent. They do not believe that they are sinners or that the wrath of God is revealed against them. Cultured despisers are those who want their ministers to tell them how nice they are, how good they are, how great they are, how American they are, how civilized they are and how they are citizens of the most powerful nation in the world. Such people certainly do not want anyone to tell them to repent.

The truth is, the only way to be saved out of this bent, warped, twisted, adulterous generation is to repent. There is no other way. We will speak in our next study about what it means to repent, but simply it means that you have to hate and forsake your sin. You have to lay down your sin and lay hold of Christ, once and forever.

Do you remember that we said salvation is from God from beginning to end? Even repentance is a gift of God. In the process of repentance, God gives us such profound understanding of the rottenness, corruption and filth of our sin that we will gladly let go of it and lay hold of Christ. That is true repentance and faith.

May God help us to understand truly our sin and guilt as well as the wrath of God, hell and this world which is twisted, warped and organized against Almighty God! May he give us such conviction of sin that we will cry out, “What must we do to be saved?” If so, God’s answer to us will be, “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people.” There is salvation to be found in Jesus Christ alone. Amen.