You Now Believe in God, What Next?
Wallace (Shaun) Shaunfield Copyright 2013
Posted February 5, 2013
After study of the evidence, you now believe that God is real and does exist. That is wonderful, but be aware just believing is not sufficient. Even the Devil believes God is real. You now ask what should you do next. If the question of God’s existence is the most important question ever asked, then the question of what is next is the second most important question.
Actually, the answer is very simple and easy for you to do, but it may be the most important thing you will ever do. The answer is to accept Christ as your savior and become a Christian by your own free will. And you do that by simply repeating the Sinner’s Prayer. There are numerous versions available including the following:
The Sinner’s Prayer
“Father, I know that I have broken your laws and that I am a sinner. I am truly sorry, and now I want to turn away from my past sinful life toward you. Please forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again. I believe that your son, Jesus Christ died for my sins, was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Please send your Holy Spirit to help me obey You, and to do Your will for the rest of my life. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”
By the simple act of repeating that prayer you are now a Christian and are guaranteed the benefits of the love of God and all the rewards of heaven – you are now saved . It is worth noting that there are no works to be performed and not any work you do can enhance your position with God. You have received the gift of forgiveness by Christ dying on the cross for you. One of the most famous Bible verses says it clearly:
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 3:16, NIV
The Bible also describes your new self:
Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature ; the old has gone; the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:17, NIV
When you accept Christ you really should be able to see a difference in yourself. In my case the difference was profound. I became more at ease and less uptight about things. I became tolerant of others and forgiving of them. The big difference showed in driving. I became patient with other drivers even though they might not be driving like I thought. I learned to imagine that maybe a good friend was in the other car and that Jesus was riding with me. I now have a peace unlike any ever before. I tell people I have an advantage in that I know what it is like to be and atheist and now a believer. Being a believer is better. Finally, you will experience a joy with life unlike anything before.
Furthermore, while works are not required for salvation, there are things that you will want to do as described in one of my favorite Bible verses:
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. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:8-10, NIV
Now one other thing you will want to do is to find out more about God and that probably means study that will continue throughout your Christian life. As a start see the article on What Christians Believe and Do.