“How do you become a Christian (in words/terms understandable to an unbeliever)?”
To become a Christian, one should believe in the highest, ultimate power and name called God. One’s belief of God should be according to the Holy Bible. God should be perceived as purely good, perfect and without fault. One’s conscience, feeling or realization should be that one has done wrong, evil really, in life. God as purely good hates not the person, but that evil, and must judge it and punish it as righteous justice. One must believe they are guilty before good God, yet that our same loving God has provided the only solution. This being Jesus Christ, God walking the Earth as a man. As payment for the evil committed in one’s life, God’s wrath crucified and killed Jesus, so that we may live. Eternally alive now, one need not fear the default fate of suffering unimaginable torture forever when one dies. Instead, one looks forward to heaven with Jesus and all who believe God’s Holy Bible.
“How did you become a Christian (in words/terms understandable to an unbeliever)?”
Acts 11:26
Authorized (King James) Version
26 and when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
The best and simplest way to present the Gospel to an unbeliever is the righteous judge analogy. Here is the 60 second version:
Memorize it.
And if you come across anyone preaching that becoming a Christian is as simple as ABC, then correct them. I've seen way too many false converts, and would never use this without adding the D.
God loves us so much that He sent his son to pay our fine. We’ve earned the death penalty because of our sins, but Jesus took our punishment by dying on the cross for us. So, you and I broke God's law, the 10 Commandments, Jesus came and paid the fine.
It is a bit like, if you are in a court of law and someone pays your fine, you can legally be set free. The Judge can say, “You're guilty, but someone paid the fine, and you are out of here”. God paid the fine by sending his son, Jesus. He died, in your place, for your sin.
Then after Jesus paid the fine, he defeated death and rose again. And now, we no longer have to come under condemnation. God can give us grace because of what Jesus did.
So, to be saved, you need to do two things. First, you need to believe that Jesus died on the cross for you, and then, you need to repent. That is, to tell God how sorry you are and then turn from your sins. Don’t be the hypocrite who says he is a changed man but then continues in his sin. Truly mean it.
If you do this, and you truly mean it, God can wash you clean and grant you everlasting life as a free gift.
“How do you become a Christian (in words/terms understandable to an unbeliever)?”
To become a Christian, one should believe in the highest, ultimate power and name called God. One’s belief of God should be according to the Holy Bible. God should be perceived as purely good, perfect and without fault. One’s conscience, feeling or realization should be that one has done wrong, evil really, in life. God as purely good hates not the person, but that evil, and must judge it and punish it as righteous justice. One must believe they are guilty before good God, yet that our same loving God has provided the only solution. This being Jesus Christ, God walking the Earth as a man. As payment for the evil committed in one’s life, God’s wrath crucified and killed Jesus, so that we may live. Eternally alive now, one need not fear the default fate of suffering unimaginable torture forever when one dies. Instead, one looks forward to heaven with Jesus and all who believe God’s Holy Bible.
“How did you become a Christian (in words/terms understandable to an unbeliever)?”
Acts 11:26
Authorized (King James) Version
26 and when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
You are confusing wording, if your address is to an unbeliever. I would focus on becoming a believer or even better a born again child of God.
There are many more verses addressing becoming a believer than verses addressing becoming a Christian. Plus they are not the same thing. A person can become a believer or a born again child of God and still not be a Christian. Which is a person who follows Christ in their lives.
The Gospel of John is the perfect guide to tell unbelievers what they must do to become a believer, a permanent born again child of God. Which is to believe in Jesus; that is believing Jesus is who He says He is the resurrection and the life, The promised Messiah/The Son of God
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”
--------------- And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.
The order for a person is, first to become a born again believer. Then after becoming a believer and they are given proper Biblical instruction they may become a disciple or another word as your verse (11:26) points out Christian
“How do you become a Christian (in words/terms understandable to an unbeliever)?”
To become a Christian, one should believe in the highest, ultimate power and name called God. One’s belief of God should be according to the Holy Bible. God should be perceived as purely good, perfect and without fault. One’s conscience, feeling or realization should be that one has done wrong, evil really, in life. God as purely good hates not the person, but that evil, and must judge it and punish it as righteous justice. One must believe they are guilty before good God, yet that our same loving God has provided the only solution. This being Jesus Christ, God walking the Earth as a man. As payment for the evil committed in one’s life, God’s wrath crucified and killed Jesus, so that we may live. Eternally alive now, one need not fear the default fate of suffering unimaginable torture forever when one dies. Instead, one looks forward to heaven with Jesus and all who believe God’s Holy Bible.
“How did you become a Christian (in words/terms understandable to an unbeliever)?”
Acts 11:26
Authorized (King James) Version
26 and when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
To the world - that is, people who do not know God, but are led by the spirit of this world, Christianity is made up of people who curse like pirates, and follow the world's disgusting practices, condemned in the Bible,
Which musicians swear the most in their song lyrics? Who uses curse words the least?
The use of profanity in music does seem to be more common than in the past.
And music fans certainly have an idea of which artists are more likely to swear in their music than others.
...the artist who cursed the least in song lyrics is - Bruno Mars.
In second place is Justin Bieber followed by Taylor Swift in third. (Yep, T-Swift swears more than the Biebs).
The rest of the Top 10 on that list were - Olivia Rodrigo, Dua Lip, Billie Eilish, Morgan Wallen, The Weeknd, The Neighbourhood and Kanye West.
including grabbing women in inappropriate areas.
They do say they believe in God, and that Jesus Christ died for their sins.
Some would testify to being staunch Catholic, Anglican, and so forth.
Is believing in God and Jesus Christ what makes one a Christian?
That's how the world sees it.
God sees it differently.
In God's word, we read, in part, as quoted in the OP, at Acts 26:11 The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch. The scriptures tell us that a Christian is a disciple of Jesus Christ.
How does one identify a disciple of Jesus Christ?
Jesus answers at John 8:31... “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples." (NIV) The scriptures tell us that a true disciple of Jesus Christ - a real Christian, is one who holds to Jesus' teachings. In other words, one who lives by Jesus' teachings.
Where do we find Jesus teachings?
We find Jesus teachings in the same word he upheld. John 17:17
According to the scriptures, a true Christian then, believes the Bible, and live their life according to what is written in the Bible for our instruction - Christian living1 Thessalonians 4:1, 2, which includes following Christ's example.
I really hope Kanye West, Justen Bieber, and the whole lot of other professed Christians are reading this, because, right now, they are unbelievers, even if they say otherwise.
I became a Christian by first learning what the Bible really teaches, conforming my ways to those teaching, and then becoming a disciple of Christ - that is, following Christ's example, and his teachings.
When we use the Bible, as Jesus did, to answer questions, we are sure to get the correct answer, because it's God's word, and so, it's God's view, and not our own.
I live by that example of always using the scriptures.
Matthew 4:4
Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”
Matthew 4:7
Jesus replied, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ”
Matthew 4:10
“Away from Me, Satan!” Jesus declared. “For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’ ”
Matthew 21:13
And He declared to them, “It is written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer.’ But you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’ ”
Matthew 26:31
Then Jesus said to them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of Me. For it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’
Mark 7:6
Jesus answered them, “Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me.
Luke 4:17
the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. Unrolling it, He found the place where it was written:
Luke 10:26
“What is written in the Law?” Jesus replied. “How do you read it?”
Luke 20:17
But Jesus looked directly at them and said, “Then what is the meaning of that which is written: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’?
Luke 24:44-46; John 6:31; John 6:44, 45; John 8:17; John 10:34
PS
I forgot to mention... Your question "How do you become a Christian?", is one of the most important I have seen on these forums.
Thank you.
The best and simplest way to present the Gospel to an unbeliever is the righteous judge analogy. Here is the 60 second version:
Memorize it.
And if you come across anyone preaching that becoming a Christian is as simple as ABC, then correct them. I've seen way too many false converts, and would never use this without adding the D.
