This article is addressed to all those people who want to convert to Christianity. The reasons can be very different – like every person, every path to God is very different. In any case, I say right at the beginning:
Converting to Christianity is the most important step into the Kingdom of God! Here you will find a step by step guide to convert to Christianity at your home.
Although this decision for God is a decision for eternity, and the best thing that has ever happened to man, this guide begins with a safeguard. A safeguard for you – so that you know exactly what it is all about.
Table of Contents
Step 1: Understand Christianity
Before you convert to Christianity, you should at least have a basic understanding of what Christianity is. The core of Christianity of the resurrected Jesus Christ and the redemption of sins through his death.
This is followed by a common confession of faith. Can you say “yes” to everything this confession says, or is there something you doubt?
I believe in God, the Father
the Almighty,
the creator of heaven and earth.And in Jesus Christ,
his only begotten Son, our Lord,
conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
crucified, died and was buried,
descended into the kingdom of death,
rose from the dead on the third day,
ascended into heaven;
He is seated at the right hand of God,
the Father Almighty;
from there he will come
to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Christian Church,
communion of saints,
forgiveness of sins,
resurrection of the dead
and eternal life.
Of course, I am not God and ultimately decide whether you have truly believed or not. But my strong recommendation before converting is: You should understand this confession and believe it all, without compromise, to be the truth.
This may sound hard – and I don’t want to keep you from eternal paradise – but you should have understood the basics! And these are summarized in this confession.
Important: It does not say that everything in your life will be fine from now on. It does not say that you will become rich. It does not say that you will always be healthy.
If you are very sure in your inner being that you believe in it, it can go on.
Step 2: Renounce your old religion
The vast majority of people switch from one religion to Christianity. That is great! But unfortunately, there is always something “resonating” from the old religion that is not Christian.
Somewhere in the back of your mind, the devil will then sit and remind you of the “old” you. Therefore it is important to renounce from the old/false religion. Even if you were an atheist before – renounce the most harmful things!
The following is a list of “common” things that should/must be renounced:
- In Islam, renounce Muhammad and the Quran. Mohammed and the Koran are not messages from God! For women: Take off your headscarf. (Note: There are very strict congregations that require women to wear headscarves within the worship service – in this case, talk to the pastor or one of the elders; most are rather relaxed about the rule).
- In Buddhism: renounce the doctrine of rebirth and throw all Buddhist symbols out of the house!
- In Hinduism: Renounce all false gods and call them “false”.
- Esotericism and spirits: Get rid of them! There is another spectrum of different currents, renounce everything and burn everything that is not Christian!
- Ask God, through prayer, what you should banish from your life – and then do just that! Leave all false gods and false from your life. Throw it away or burn it!
Do not give away any materials to others – you will only help the spread of false teachings and false religions.
Step 3: Surrender your life to Jesus Christ
Steps 1 and 2 were only in preparation for what follows: Tell Jesus Christ that you want to follow Him! Don’t let it be a magic formula, but use your own words.
Promise Jesus that you will follow Him and keep His commandments and ask Him for forgiveness of your sins.
Pay attention to the impressions you get from God. If you have the feeling that you still have to renounce something – then do it! Have you sinned with other people? Then tell this to God!
This step can be different from person to person. My tip: Enjoy it and let the Holy Spirit work and take effect.
Step 4: Get baptized
The previous steps you could do alone, in your closet – but at the latest step 4 you need another Christian. Unfortunately, there is no other way. Nevertheless, most believers will already recognize you as a Christian. But life as a Christian does not work without a church.
At the latest now you should look for a church that preaches the Word of God. It is even better if you are already a regular member of a church. They can certainly help you with the first two steps, for example.
Depending on the church, the practice of baptism is different: Some still do a baptism course to underpin the meaning of baptism – and thus a step into a new life. In other congregations, this is done spontaneously in the bathtub – whatever the case may be:
Be baptized in the name of Jesus!
In free churches, the whole body is immersed underwater, while national churches occasionally baptize children.
I am not God and of course do not decide what is right or wrong. However, the view in the vast majority of free churches regarding infant baptisms is uniform: it is not a biblical baptism. Coming from a free church background, I recommend baptism in a lake or river – and as an adult.
Step 5: Ask for the Holy Spirit
I have tried to answer the question of when exactly one receives the Holy Spirit (and thus has absolute assurance of heaven)… even the Bible does not give a clear answer.
Some get in at the life surrender prayer, others only at baptism. Others somewhere in between. But now is the latest time you should get the Holy Spirit – have other Christians who already have the Holy Spirit pray for you for the Holy Spirit best and also pray for it yourself.
Again, the effects can vary greatly. Many people feel an absolute salvation in themselves and the feeling of having “arrived”.
Conversion finished
Congratulations! Now you are in God’s hands and have converted to Christianity. Now find a church and become a member there.
One more thing: As in so many places, different churches have different approaches and interpretations of when someone is converted to Christianity and when they are not.
The path shown here, and the steps to get there, are the most important stages. Catholics, for example, put another communion in between. Others count you already as a “Christian”, if you “only” gave your life to Jesus and then catch up the baptism at some point; others consider the baptism more essential…. welcome in the Christian family, I just say!
