who can to be a christian

At the heart of what it means to be a Christian is justification—that is, being right with God (see Romans 4:20). So, another way of asking "who can be a Christian" is "who can be considered right with God?" John 1:12says that "...as many as received Him [Jesus], to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name." In other words, not everyone is automatically a child of God simply because he or she is bo into the world.

Galatians 3:1 explains that one becomes a child of God "through faith in Christ Jesus." A person is not saved by faith. We are saved by Christ, the object of faith. In other words, every person who asks to be delivered from sin and trusts Jesus Christ alone for forgiveness will receive God's forgiveness. Romans 10:9 says, "...if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."

This forgiveness also means reception into a new family relationship with God and His people. People who follow Christ gradually take on the character of Jesus. A true child of God will be known by good works, pure thoughts, and godly attitudes. These things are not the grounds for justification. Rather, they serve as evidence of being "bo again" by the Spirit of God who lives in all believers (John 3:1; Ephesians 1:1) from the very moment of salvation on.

People question the exclusivity of the Bible's claim, but it's not an arrogantstance. The gospel of Jesus Christ is no more arrogant than saying 2 + 2 = 4. Trust in Jesus Christ is the only path to a right relationship with God. Trusting who Christ is and what He did through the cross and resurrection is what we're called to do. Rejecting that shows disregard for the truth and disrespect to the most loving being in the universe. One of the most common ways people reject Christ is by thinking, "I'm good enough to get into heaven." But the Bible says no one is good enough to enter heaven (Romans 3:10). Just one sin will keep us out of God's presence. In Matthew 5:48, Jesus commands: "Be perfect, your heavenly Father is perfect."

Furthermore, this trusting in Christ is always accompanied by repentance, according to the Bible. Repentance means tuing away from sin and submitting to Jesus Christ as the ruler (Lord) of one's life. Intellectual assent to the Bible's truth without a holy patte of life is a trait of God's enemies, not His children (James 2:1).

God Promises a New Heart and Forgiveness...