How can I have faith
A Christian is a Christ-ian: someone who follows and puts their faith in Jesus Christ. How that happens varies enormously. For some there is a definite moment; for others it is a more gradual process.
The conversion process
When you receive Christ, you become a child of God (John 1:12). Why a child? That’s because you have received a new Father, God Himself.
Faith is a gift from God, as Ephesians 2:8 says For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast. 你们得救是靠着恩典，借着信心。这不是出于自己，而是 神所赐的
When we are presented a gift, the gift is mostly wrapped. In order to receive the gift we need to unwrap it. God eagerly waits until you have unwrapped His gift.
God wants you to be sure of your faith. The apostle Paul writes to the people in Corinth I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. 我把这些事写给你们信 神的儿子之名的人，是要你们知道自己有永生。(1 John 5:13)
Those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun! 如果有人在基督里，他就是新造的人，旧事已经过去，你看，都变成新的了！(2 Corinthians 5:17, NLT)
Faith is not a blind leap, but a step based on evidence.
Question 1
Those who put their life into Jesus’ hand, keep their same body as long as they live on earth. But what has changed immediately? And what is their perspective, right now and beyond physical death?
The Word of God
We must not only trust our feelings, which can be changeable and may even be deceptive at times, but instead rely on God’s promises, to be found in the Bible, such as
• ‘… faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the Word of God.’ (Romans 10:17)
• Jesus knocks at your door. If you respond by opening the door, He says ‘I will come in’ (Revelation 3:20)
• Jesus promises His disciples ‘I am with you always’ (Matthew 28:20) right after He gave them His mission command, and right before He ascended to Heaven.
• ‘I give them eternal life’ (John 10:2)
Question 2
If you trust the Lord, you may claim the promises, given above. Which do you claim as a personal promise to you? And why?
The work of Jesus
You come to God exactly as you are. He accepts you as you are. But … He will not let you remain as you are. He starts a work in you, to become more like Jesus. It’s not about what you do or what you can achieve; it’s about what has been done for you by Jesus on the cross.
• Free gift of God (Romans 6:23)
• It’s free but not cheap: it cost Jesus his life
• We receive it through repentance (turning away from sin) and faith (trust)
Question 3
Do you realize that your conversion from non-believer to believer needs/needed repentance and faith? Do you realize that you need to confess and repent again when you sin as a believer? Why is that?
The witness of the Holy Spirit
When someone becomes a Christian, God comes to live inside them by his Holy Spirit, as Romans 8:11 says And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. 如果那使耶稣从死人中复活者的灵住在你们里面，那使基督从死人中复活的，也必借着住在你们里面的圣灵，使你们必死的身体活过来。
What more happens?
• He transforms us from within
- Our character changes as we begin to bear fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23)
- We are going to hate our former acts of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21)
• He brings a deep personal conviction that we are God’s adopted children (Romans 8:15–16)
Question 4
Have you seen the changes in born-again Christians (compare before and after)? How about you?
Example conversion prayer
This is prayer that you can pray to open the door of you heart to Jesus Christ and invite him to come into your life by his Spirit:
Lord Jesus Christ,
I am sorry for the things I have done wrong in my life (take a few moments to ask his forgiveness for anything particular that is on your conscience). Please forgive me. I now turn from everything that I know is wrong. Thank you that you died on the cross for me so that I could be forgiven and set free. Thank you that you offer me forgiveness and the gift of your Spirit. I now receive that gift. Please come into my life by your Holy Spirit to be with me forever. Thank you, Lord Jesus.
Amen
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A Christian is a Christ-ian: someone who follows and puts their faith in Jesus Christ. How that happens varies enormously. For some there is a definite moment; for others it is a more gradual process.
The conversion process
When you receive Christ, you become a child of God (John 1:12). Why a child? That’s because you have received a new Father, God Himself.
Faith is a gift from God, as Ephesians 2:8 says For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast. 你们得救是靠着恩典，借着信心。这不是出于自己，而是 神所赐的
When we are presented a gift, the gift is mostly wrapped. In order to receive the gift we need to unwrap it. God eagerly waits until you have unwrapped His gift.
God wants you to be sure of your faith. The apostle Paul writes to the people in Corinth I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. 我把这些事写给你们信 神的儿子之名的人，是要你们知道自己有永生。(1 John 5:13)
Those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun! 如果有人在基督里，他就是新造的人，旧事已经过去，你看，都变成新的了！(2 Corinthians 5:17, NLT)
Faith is not a blind leap, but a step based on evidence.
Question 1
Those who put their life into Jesus’ hand, keep their same body as long as they live on earth. But what has changed immediately? And what is their perspective, right now and beyond physical death?
The Word of God
We must not only trust our feelings, which can be changeable and may even be deceptive at times, but instead rely on God’s promises, to be found in the Bible, such as
• ‘… faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the Word of God.’ (Romans 10:17)
• Jesus knocks at your door. If you respond by opening the door, He says ‘I will come in’ (Revelation 3:20)
• Jesus promises His disciples ‘I am with you always’ (Matthew 28:20) right after He gave them His mission command, and right before He ascended to Heaven.
• ‘I give them eternal life’ (John 10:2)
Question 2
If you trust the Lord, you may claim the promises, given above. Which do you claim as a personal promise to you? And why?
The work of Jesus
You come to God exactly as you are. He accepts you as you are. But … He will not let you remain as you are. He starts a work in you, to become more like Jesus. It’s not about what you do or what you can achieve; it’s about what has been done for you by Jesus on the cross.
• Free gift of God (Romans 6:23)
• It’s free but not cheap: it cost Jesus his life
• We receive it through repentance (turning away from sin) and faith (trust)
Question 3
Do you realize that your conversion from non-believer to believer needs/needed repentance and faith? Do you realize that you need to confess and repent again when you sin as a believer? Why is that?
The witness of the Holy Spirit
When someone becomes a Christian, God comes to live inside them by his Holy Spirit, as Romans 8:11 says And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. 如果那使耶稣从死人中复活者的灵住在你们里面，那使基督从死人中复活的，也必借着住在你们里面的圣灵，使你们必死的身体活过来。
What more happens?
• He transforms us from within
- Our character changes as we begin to bear fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23)
- We are going to hate our former acts of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21)
• He brings a deep personal conviction that we are God’s adopted children (Romans 8:15–16)
Question 4
Have you seen the changes in born-again Christians (compare before and after)? How about you?
Example conversion prayer
This is prayer that you can pray to open the door of you heart to Jesus Christ and invite him to come into your life by his Spirit:
Lord Jesus Christ,
I am sorry for the things I have done wrong in my life (take a few moments to ask his forgiveness for anything particular that is on your conscience). Please forgive me. I now turn from everything that I know is wrong. Thank you that you died on the cross for me so that I could be forgiven and set free. Thank you that you offer me forgiveness and the gift of your Spirit. I now receive that gift. Please come into my life by your Holy Spirit to be with me forever. Thank you, Lord Jesus.
Amen
Save this worksheet in your personal e-mail box, by pushing the EMAIL-button
Close in group prayer.
CLEAR EMAIL