Become a Christian

1. Christians believe that God created everything.

○ Genesis 1:1 - “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”

○ See also Genesis 1-2

○ God created everything for his glory, including humans. Everything God created was good.

2. Christians also believe we have sinned against God

○ Romans 3:23 - “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”

○ People have rejected God, and caused all kinds of pain and suffering here on earth.

○ Romans 6:23 - “the wages of sin is death...”

○ Our relationship with God is broken, and we have to answer to our Creator God for our sins. We cannot save ourselves.

3. Christians believe that God saves us

○ Romans 5:8 says that God loves us, and: “...while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

○ The second half of Romans 6:23 says that, “...the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord.”

○ When we place our faith in Jesus and follow him faithfully, God is working in us and we are saved because of Jesus.

4. Christians believe that Jesus is the only sufficient answer to their sin.

○ Jesus is the only way we can be saved.

○ Acts 4:12 records one of Jesus’ disciples saying, “...there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

○ Jesus lived a perfect sinless life and died a horrible death in our place in order to take away our sin.

○ Jesus rose from the grave, defeating sin and death, and he is in heaven awaiting those who believe in him.

5. Christians have placed their faith in Jesus.

○ Romans 10:9–10 tells us that, “...if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

6. Christians are reborn spiritually by the same power that raised Jesus from the dead. That means you have been brought from death to life.

○ In John chapter 3 Jesus talks about becoming a follower of Jesus as being “born again.”

○ 2 Corinthians 5:17 says it a little differently, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

○ This means that you have a new life that is marked by following Jesus.

CREATION:

○ God, I believe you created the world out of love, and it was good.

FALL:

○ God, I have turned away from you, and I am a sinner.

○ God, I am not able to reconcile with you, or to be free from sin and death.

REDEMPTION:

○ Jesus, I believe that out of love you came to earth to live a perfect life.

○ Jesus, I believe that you died to pay for my sin on the cross, and rose again to defeat death.

○ Jesus, I surrender my life to you, and I trust you alone to forgive my sins and give me a new heart.

○ Jesus, I choose today to follow you and spend the rest of my life for your glory.

○ Jesus, I look forward to being with you in heaven forever.

Be Baptized

Baptism is: a public declaration of our faith in Jesus Christ, and a step of obedience that celebrates new life and freedom in Christ. People who have professed faith in Jesus should be baptized as an outward expression of that inward transformation.

*Learn more about Baptism

Join a Church

God calls us to live out our faith in community; we are not meant to walk alone. The local church is where believers

love one another (1 John 4:12), encourage one another (Hebrews 3:13), and spur one another on toward love and good works (Hebrews 10:24). Committing to a local church body is a key aspect of fulfilling these responsibilities.

At Paradox, we gather weekly for Sunday worship gatherings, we meet throughout the week in City Groups, and we serve together in various ministry efforts. In community we reflect the body of Christ at work (1 Corinthians 12:14–27), help each other grow, and serve one another (Galatians 5:13).

*Learn more about: becoming a Partner of Paradox, joining a City Group, and finding a Serve Team

Grow in Your Faith

Spiritual growth is a lifelong journey of becoming more like Jesus. Spiritual disciplines, such as Bible reading, prayer, worship, and practicing obedience, help us grow in maturity in our relationship with God (2 Corinthians 5:17).

God also gives each believer spiritual gifts to build up the body of Christ. Every member has a role to play, and the church functions best when each person uses their gifts to serve others (Ephesians 4:11–13). We are active participants, equipped by God to serve, love, and glorify Him together.

*Learn more about our online classes on these topics.

Resources to Help You Grow

There are many other wonderful tools to help you grow in your walk with Jesus. The resources below offer ways to read Scripture, watch helpful videos, explore illustrations, and find biblical answers on a variety of topics.Our church also has a Bible reading plan (called PRDX365) which aligns with our Sunday sermons and Bible studies, and is designed to help us read God’s Word intentionally throughout the year.

*Learn more about the PRDX365 reading plan

*Learn how to read and study the Bible with the REAP Method

Bible App - a free Bible for your phone

GotQuestionsBible.com - a website with helpful answer to many questions

Bible Project - a website with many resources to help people understand and learn about the Bible