What is a Christian?
Don't judge Christ by Christians. Christians are just people. Leaders fall and fail, but you don't hear that much about the ones who serve God faithfully, never cheat on their wives or husbands, never get in trouble. Believe me, these far outnumber the ones you hear about. Billy Graham is a phenomenon to have been so faithful and well known with never a hint of scandal. Get your eyes off of men, and look to God for your answers. Jesus is to be our example, not man!

Chris·tian (kr¹s“ch…n) adj. 1. Professing belief in Jesus as Christ or following the religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus. 2. Relating to or derived from Jesus or Jesus's teachings. 3. Manifesting the qualities or spirit of Jesus; Christlike. 4. Relating to or characteristic of Christianity or its adherents. 5. Showing a loving concern for others; humane. --Chris·tian n. Abbr. Chr. 1. One who professes belief in Jesus as Christ or follows the religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus. 2. One who lives according to the teachings of Jesus. [Middle English Cristen, from Old English cristen, from Latin Christi³nus, from Greek Khristianos, from Khristos, Christ. See CHRIST.] --Chris“tian·ly adj. &  adv.

The name given by the Greeks or Romans, probably in reproach, to the followers of Jesus. It was first used at Antioch. The names by which the disciples were known among themselves were "brethren," "the faithful," "elect," "saints," "believers." But as distinguishing them from the multitude without, the name "Christian" came into use, and was universally accepted. This name occurs but three times in the New Testament (Acts 11:26; 26:28; 1 Pet. 4:16). 

What is Salvation?

Salvation
sal·va·tion (s²l-v³“sh…n) n. 1.a. Preservation or deliverance from destruction, difficulty, or evil. b. A source, means, or cause of such preservation or deliverance. 2. Theology. a. Deliverance from the power or penalty of sin; redemption. b. The agent or means that brings about such deliverance. 3. Christian Science. The realization and demonstration of Life, Truth, and Love as supreme over all, carrying with it the destruction of the illusions of sin, sickness, and death. [Middle English, from Old French, from Late Latin salv³ti½, salv³ti½n-, from salv³tus, past participle of salv³re, to save. See SALVAGE.] --sal·va“tion·al adj.

This word is used of the deliverance of the Israelites from the Egyptians (Ex. 14:13), and of deliverance generally from evil or danger. In the New Testament it is specially used with reference to the great deliverance from the guilt and the pollution of sin wrought out by Jesus Christ, "the great salvation" (Heb. 2:3). (See REDEMPTION; REGENERATION.)  

The word “salvation” in the Greek language is “soteria” (so-tay-ree-a) #4991, rescue, safety, deliver, health, The word “saved” in the Greek language is “sozo”(sode’-zo) #4982, it means “ to save, deliver or protect, to be made whole (health, prosperity and peace of mind).  When we led someone into salvation (soteria), it should start him or her on a road that gives them the possibility for the first time to get redeemed; then to start walking into deliverance, prosperity, divine health, and into perfect peace. This is what we are to be offering; not only to get out of hell, but to start the process of walking into the “sozo (saved) or soteria (salvation) lifestyle.

To Read "Are You Ready" Article by Gloria Copeland click here

Born-again
born-again (bôrn“…-gµn”) adj. 1.a. Of, relating to, or being a person who has made a conversion or has renewed a commitment to Jesus Christ as his or her personal savior: a born-again Christian. b. Of or relating to evangelical Christianity: born-again evangelism. 2. Characterized by renewal, resurgence, or return: born-again patriotism; a born-again fiscal conservative. [From born again in John 3:3 and 3:7.] --born“-a·gain” or born“-a·gain”er n. 

Repent
re·pent (r¹-pµnt“) v. re·pent·ed, re·pent·ing, re·pents. --intr. 1. To feel remorse, contrition, or self-reproach for what one has done or failed to do; be contrite. 2. To feel such regret for past conduct as to change one's mind regarding it: repented of intemperate behavior. 3. To make a change for the better as a result of remorse or contrition for one's sins. --tr. 

Repentance describes one who turns from one direction unto another.  But unlike what many say, it is a lifestyle of turning or changing.

Baptism
The word "Baptism" means "immersion" or "to be completely covered by"; i.e. to be Baptized with the Holy Spirit means to be immersed or filled with the Spirit.

Water Baptism pictures our death, burial, and resurrection with Christ. As we are lowered into the water, our death and burial with Christ are symbolized. As we arise out of the water, our new Resurrection life is pictured. This is also a public statement to all those in attendance that we are committed to Christ, and have decided to follow the Lord. We are to live as though we are dead to sin but alive to God (Rom.6:1-11). Church Baptismal services are different from Church to Church. Some have Baptismals in the Church, some may use a swimming pool or a pond. Regardless, it is an important event in a Christian's life and it doesn't matter where it's done. Check with your Pastor or a friend about when the you can be Baptized.

Baptism in or of the Holy Spirit is a free gift that the Lord will give us if we ask for it. If you will ask, the Word of God promises that you shall receive: Luke 11:9-13 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asks; receives; and he that seeks; finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: HOW MUCH MORE shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?  As the Apostles went forth, having been baptized in the Holy Spirit, they began to heal, perform miracles, and many other incredible things, just as Jesus had done! 

The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is God the Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. He is co-equal and co-enternal with God the Father and God the Son (the Lord Jesus Christ). Acts 5:3-4 (also Acts 13:2, Acts 21:11)

The Holy Spirit is the Helper whom the Father sent to be with the Church after Christ ascended into heaven. John 14:16-17.  "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; [Even] the Spirit of truth"

Jesus said that it would be better for Him to leave this earth and for the Holy Spirit to come in His place.
John 16:7  "Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you."

Jesus the Baptizer is in the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 3:1 "In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,
Matthew 3:11 " I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and [with] fire:
Matthew 3:13 "Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him."

We are encouraged by scripture to be filled with the Spirit.
Ephesians 5:18 "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;"

Baptism in or of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Sprit comes upon you (Acts 1:8) and you receive power. Some immediately begin to speak in other tongues as in Acts 2. This baptism is an initially complete filling of the Holy Spirit. You are now Spirit-filled. Jesus was full of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is represented by oil in the Old Testament. Our aim is to have our cup running over and overflowing with the Holy Spirit (Psalms 23:5). As the Apostles went forth, having been baptized in the Holy Spirit, they began to heal, perform miracles, and many other incredible things, just as Jesus had done! Some avoid this baptism for various reasons, some because they fear that power brings pride. That is where the fruit of the Spirit must come into balance. There is nothing that is blasphemy in asking the Lord for power to overcome sin, temptation, lusts, etc. 

Can anyone be saved?
You don't have to wait till your life is all together before you get right with God. You do not have to clean up your act first! Jesus loves you right where you are. He's the only one who can affect real change in your life, because real change only comes from the inside out. Our attempts at making ourselves better are made with our own self control. Without the Lord's power the changes may not last, and the bottom line is that we cannot get into heaven by ourself...we need Jesus!

Don't make the mistake of thinking that you are too evil for God to forgive. The Bible says that "when we repent, He is faithful and just to forgive, and cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness. If you are truly repentant, there is nothing that cannot be forgiven. Jesus loves YOU, no matter what your past.

Don't think that if you become a Christian, that you won't have fun anymore. Hollywood, TV, books etc., have in general painted Christianity to be something for a bunch of losers...dried up prunes of people who have lost their zest for life. Not true. God will change your mind about what you think is fun, but true Christians have real joy in their lives and really know what real fun is. I'm glad the days of partying down and "having fun" without remembering what happened to me because I was passed out are over. What kind of fun is that? 

Becoming a Christian
Accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior is the most important decision you can make in your life! All you need to do is pray and believe a simple prayer like the one below... (note...there is not an official "sinner's prayer" that you must find and pray) 

Lord Jesus, I need You in my life. I believe You are the Son of God and that You died on the cross for my sins. Please forgive me for my sins and cleanse my heart. Renew my spirit so that I can hear Your voice. I accept You as my Savior! I love you Lord! In Jesus' name, Amen!

If you sincerely prayed that prayer you can rest assured that you are now a child of God! As a new Christian the devil will probably try to come against you. The Good News is you have the power of Jesus Christ within you to defeat the tricks of satan! Seek the Lord and He will give you strength!

Click here for what's next! 

What's next?
Share with someone about the step you have taken! This will help you to strengthen your faith! Feel free to email me and let me know! I will be glad to lift you up in my prayers and help along any way I can!

Next, get yourself a Bible. You can go to any Walmart and purchase one, or you can contact us and we will send you one for free.  Once you have access to a Bible, suggested reading for starters is the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John). Read some every day, and learn about Jesus.

It is important to find a good, Bible believing church where you can worship God and find support with other Christians. Hook up with a Christian friend who can have Bible studies with you.

Pray to the Lord daily and stay in constant communion with Him.

Remember, salvation is a free gift that the Lord has given you. Make Jesus Christ the Lord of your life by seeking His will and serving Him. Don't let the cares of this world or Church stuff have the priority over a personal relationship with Jesus. The number one goal is to have a close and sincere relationship with the Lord.

When your salvation is involved, you are relying on God's Word - and God doesn't lie. He has said that if you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, you will be saved. You don't base your salvation on the way you feel. You base it on the pure, unadulterated Word of Almighty God. God's Word is the only evidence you have that you are saved, but that is all the evidence you need!  Several days or weeks from now, you may not feel very saved. You may begin to wonder if you were ever really saved to start with. You will have doubts - Satan will see to that! But when those thoughts and feelings come, just go back to the Word of God. You will see that it still says the same thing. God never changes and His Word never changes. It is still just as true today as when it was first spoken. People may try to convince you that it didn't work. Temptations may come to convince you that it didn't work. Doubts will come to your mind. But all those things do not alter the fact that God's Word is true! 

Free Salvation Booklets
This includes the following from Kenneth Copeland Ministries...

Welcome to the Family - Now that you are a Christian, you are a member of God's family. In this book, Kenneth Copeland shows what God's Word says about receiving salvation, Baptism in the Holy Spirit and healing, and explains your rights and privileges as a believer.

Now Are We In Christ Jesus - It may be easy to believe that Jesus is the express image of God. But few realize that God has determined for them, as Christians, to be conformed to that image. Nothing is impossible to the man or woman who knows who they are in Christ. This book reveals the reality of being God's workmanship.

God's Will Is the Holy Spirit - Through this insightful study by Gloria Copeland, you'll learn what the Scriptures say about the Holy Spirit and the power that is available to you today.

You can order these for free from KCM. When you arrive on the site, you can print out the online versions for reading and study. This is highly recommended material for any new believer or those interested in the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. 

What about Hell?
You would of ended up in Hell without Jesus Christ as your Savior.

Matthew 25:41 "Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:

Matthew 13:41-42 "The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Luke 13:3...unless you repent you will all likewise perish. 

Salvation Scriptures

John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

John 3:36 "He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."

John 5:24 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."

Acts 3:19 "Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,

Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Acts 16:30-32 And he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" So they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household." Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.

Romans 3:10 As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one;"

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates his own live for us in this: while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 10:9-10 That, if you confess with your mouth "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

1 John 5:11-12 And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.