YOU MIGHT WONDER HOW DO YOU BECOME A CHRISTIAN?

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Let’s begin with a simple but searching question: Do you consider yourself a good person? Many of us would quickly answer yes, but let’s pause and take a closer look. God’s Law, given in the Ten Commandments, isn’t merely a feel-good list of suggestions. It serves as a divine spotlight, exposing the true condition of our hearts. In our modern, 21st-century world, let’s walk through these commandments honestly and see how we truly measure up.

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1. “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3, ESV). Have you ever placed money, popularity, success, or even a good time ahead of God? That is idolatry, and every one of us has been guilty of it at some point.
2. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image” (Exodus 20:4). You may not have literal idols stored away, but we often worship screens, social status, possessions, or personal ambitions in place of the living God.
3. “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain” (Exodus 20:7). How often have we used God’s name carelessly; as a casual exclamation or swear word? That is blasphemy, and it has become far too common.
4. “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8). When was the last time you truly set aside a day to honor God? More often, we fill our time with endless scrolling or entertainment, leaving little room for Him.
5. “Honor your father and your mother” (Exodus 20:12). Have you ever spoken harshly to your parents, ignored them, or treated them with disrespect? Dishonor toward our parents runs deep in human nature.
6. “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13). Jesus takes this further, teaching that “everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment” (Matthew 5:22). Unresolved hatred in the heart is murder without the physical act.
7. “You shall not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14). Again, Jesus explains that “everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28). Lust is adultery carried out in the mind.
8. “You shall not steal” (Exodus 20:15). Have you ever taken something that didn’t belong to you; even something small? In God’s eyes, we are all thieves in one way or another.
9. “You shall not bear false witness” (Exodus 20:16). Have you lied to protect your image, exaggerated a story, or deceived someone? We are all guilty of falsehood.
10. “You shall not covet” (Exodus 20:17). Have you ever envied someone else’s possessions, relationships, or lifestyle? Coveting has become a quiet but constant habit for many.

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If we are honest, the scorecard is sobering: zero. We are not merely “decent” people; we stand condemned as wicked in God’s perfect courtroom. We are liars, thieves, adulterers, and murderers at heart. The penalty Scripture declares is clear and serious: “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23); eternal separation from God. That truth is heavy, but please stay with me.

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Consider the life of King David, one of the greatest figures in the Bible. He defeated Goliath, led Israel to victory, and was called a man after God’s own heart. Yet even he fell dramatically. One evening, from his palace roof, he saw Bathsheba bathing. She was married, but David gave in to desire. He summoned her, slept with her, and she became pregnant. To cover his sin, he tried to deceive her husband, Uriah, a loyal soldier away at war. David brought Uriah home, plied him with wine, and hoped he would sleep with Bathsheba to pass off the child as his own. Uriah, however, refused out of loyalty to his comrades and slept at the palace gate instead.

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In desperation, David sent a letter to his general with instructions: “Set Uriah in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, that he may be struck down, and die” (2 Samuel 11:15). Uriah carried his own death warrant, and he was killed. David then married Bathsheba, believing the matter was settled.

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But God sent the prophet Nathan. Nathan told David a parable about a rich man who stole a poor man’s only lamb; a cherished pet; to feed a guest. David burned with righteous anger: “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves to die” (2 Samuel 12:5). Then Nathan delivered the blow: “You are the man!” (2 Samuel 12:7). He laid bare David’s adultery, murder, and betrayal. Crushed by the truth, David confessed, “I have sinned against the Lord” (2 Samuel 12:13). In that moment of genuine repentance, Nathan declared God’s mercy: “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die” (2 Samuel 12:13). Conviction led to repentance, and repentance opened the door to forgiveness.

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The same principle applies to us: we cannot experience rescue until we recognize the depth of our ruin. You are not “okay” on your own; you are a sinner in need of a Savior. That is precisely why Jesus came. On the cross, He took the full weight of your sin; every lie, every lustful thought, every moment of hatred; and paid the penalty in your place. “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). When you place your trust in Him, the free gift becomes yours: “the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). You are forgiven. You are made clean.

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Yet salvation is far more than a ticket out of hell. Jesus inaugurated a kingdom. This present world operates under the domain of darkness, where sin and death hold sway. Through His death and Resurrection, Jesus shattered that power. “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son” (Colossians 1:13). He conquered death so that you can live under His rule of light; right now. When we pray, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:9-10), we are asking God to reign fully in our lives today.

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Jesus illustrated this truth in a powerful parable. A landowner planted a vineyard and entrusted it to tenants while he traveled. When harvest time came, he sent servants to collect his share of the fruit. The tenants beat the servants, killed some, and drove others away. Finally, the owner sent his own son, thinking, “They will respect my son.” Instead, the tenants plotted: “This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance” (Matthew 21:38). They murdered him. When Jesus asked what the owner would do, the answer was clear: he would destroy those wicked tenants and give the vineyard to others who would produce fruit (Matthew 21:41). In the same way, God sent His Son, and humanity rejected and crucified Him. To reject Jesus is to invite judgment.

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Jesus is not finished. He will return. His first coming was marked by a call to repentance and grace. His second coming will bring judgment. “When the Son of Man comes in his glory… he will sit on his glorious throne” (Matthew 25:31), separating the faithful from the unfaithful. Scripture warns that “the Lord Jesus [will be] revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the Gospel” (2 Thessalonians 1:7-8). He will defeat His enemies and establish His kingdom forever. There will be no further opportunity; just final justice.

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The choice is yours, and it must be made now. Jesus calls you to “repent and believe in the Gospel” (Mark 1:15) and enter the light of His kingdom. To turn away is to bear the consequences. “Now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2). You are a sinner. Jesus saves. Respond before it is too late.

What Now?

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If you have placed your faith in Jesus and received Him as your Savior, you are now a believer. But becoming a Christian is not the end; it is the beginning. You do not simply wait for heaven; you begin living as a citizen of His kingdom today. That means actively pointing others toward Christ, helping them move from darkness into light, just as someone once did for you. You are no longer a spectator; you are a soldier in the service of the King of Kings. Jesus commissions every follower: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20). A great place to start is by reading the Gospels; Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John; to learn directly from Jesus what He calls us to do.

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Here is an important reality: you will still stumble. Even David, who loved God deeply and wrote beautiful psalms in His honor, fell into grievous sin. When confronted, he did not defend himself or walk away from God. He confessed openly: “I have sinned against the Lord” (2 Samuel 12:13). That humble repentance marks the heart of a true disciple. When sin is exposed, you turn back to God, confess, and grow. David faced painful consequences; family turmoil and a troubled reign; but he continued walking with God rather than abandoning Him.

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The same will be true for you. You may feel afraid to share your faith, lose your temper with another believer, or hesitate to join a church community. You will fall short. Yet God’s grace is not a license to remain stagnant; it is the power that enables you to keep pressing forward. The Christian life is not about instant perfection; that awaits the next world. It is a daily journey of repentance, dependence on Jesus, and rising again after every failure. As Paul urged, “Fight the good fight of the faith” (1 Timothy 6:12). You are now a soldier, called to live fully for Christ and to advance His kingdom by drawing others to Him. When you stumble, repent quickly, rest in His mercy, and keep moving forward. That is your calling until the King returns.

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If you have fully embraced Jesus as your Savior, let this truth strengthen and embolden you: you are now a soldier in the army of Christ. Advance His Kingdom today by boldly proclaiming the truth of the Gospel.

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For more on this topic, check out the podcast episode linked below.

May God bless you today in Christ.