Studying the material on this website will help you know the truth about Christ. But knowing the truth about Him and following Him are different things. Knowledge merely engages our minds, following Christ is a choice we make with our wills. If you want to follow Him, please ask yourself these questions:
1) Do you believe that God exists and the He rewards those who earnestly seek Him? (Hebrews 11:6)
This is the most basic question of all. If you do not believe in God; if you do not believe that God will reward you for seeking to know Him, you are not ready to follow Christ. In fact, it is impossible for you to do so.
2) Do you believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God? (Matthew 16:17-18)
If you are not willing to acknowledge Jesus as the Christ, and that He is God’s Son, you are not capable of following Him.
3) When we say that Jesus is God’s Son, we acknowledge that He is divine. Do you believe that Jesus is God in the flesh? (Colossians 1:15, 2:9, Hebrews 1:3)
4) When we confess that Jesus is the Christ, we accept Him as our prophet. Do you believe that Jesus is God’s spokesman? (John 14:24) Do you agree that you will not follow any message which does not agree with what Jesus taught?
5) As Christ, Jesus is also our High Priest. Do you accept the sacrifice of his own life which Jesus made on your behalf so that your sins may be forgiven? (Hebrews 10:11-12)
Do you believe that after Jesus died for our sins He rose from the dead? (1 Corinthians 15:17-19)
Jesus our High Priest also presents our requests to God. Are you willing to pray in His name and no other? (1 Timothy 2:5)
6) Jesus has also been anointed King. Are you willing to place your life under His control? Are you willing for Him to be your Lord? (Romans 10:9-10)
7) Do you repent of your sins? (Luke 13:1-5) Are you willing to turn away from wickedness and live a righteous life? (Hebrews 12:14)
8) Jesus told those who wished to follow Him to first count the cost (Luke 14:26-33). It may mean that your family turns against you. It may mean financial loss or the loss of your job or social status. It may mean you will be persecuted (2 Timothy 3:12). Are you willing to face hardship, difficulties and loss in order to follow Christ? (1 Peter 4:14-15)
If you can sincerely answer “Yes!” to all these questions, then you are ready to be baptized into Christ. It is upon your baptism that you will be counted as one of His followers. To be baptized means to be immersed completely in water. Just as Christ was buried in a tomb, you will be buried in water, so that just as Christ rose from the grave, you will rise from the water into a new life (Romans 6:3-4).
When you are baptized your sins will be forgiven (Acts2:38). You will receive the pledge of a good conscience (1 Peter 3:21). Your old sinful nature will be taken away (Colossians 2:11-12) and you will receive the presence of the Holy Spirit living in you (Acts 2:38-39). You will also be included in God’s household (Ephesians 2:19).
If you are ready to take this step, then ask someone who is already a follower to help you complete it. Any follower of Christ may baptize you. You do not need to go to a bishop or a priest, or even to a church building. As long as there is enough water to completely immerse you, you may be baptized anywhere – even in the privacy of your home.
As soon as you are baptized you may legitimately call yourself a follower of Christ. Welcome to the family of God!