- Aug 4, 2013
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Welcome, Chgz!
I agree with the responder who suggested you might find all the varied answers confusing. I also agree with Percivale that starting with reading the New Testament is a good idea. Here's my take on the best things you can do for yourself:
Truly believe that God is real and that he is described accurately by the Bible. Why you should trust the Bible and not something else is a huge topic. The short answer is that "it works." Everything in it is true, and various people alive today have experienced most of the hard-to-believe (usually supernatural) things described. God speaks to millions or tens of millions of Christians around the world every day. The "mad fit" you refer to sounds similar to a supernatural experience that many (not all) Christians have. (There's also supernatural experiences that aren't from God, plus experiences that are from God but are twisted in some fashion because of human sin. Discerning which is which is a highly controversial topic among Christians.)
The first responder to your original post did a great job, and if you are reach information overload, I'd go back to that.
It is important to note that it isn't your actions that save you, but actions will always result if you are saved. Part of what it means to believe in Jesus, be born again, be saved (there's many ways to refer to it) is to yield control of every area of your life to the will of the Lord Jesus. When that results in actions, it is evidence you are born again and are on the right path.
One difficulty is when someone wants to become a Christian, but "just doesn't believe." God requires obedience (because he loves you and it is what will be best for you in the long-term), but one effect of taking obedience seriously is that he will grant you to genuinely believe in him through it.
There's a million things that will work against you continuing your path to Jesus. One way or another, it comes down to a daily decision of whether to follow (obey and imitate) the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Developing the habit of reading the Bible and praying (talking to God) frequently (every day is best) will help you grow in your knowledge of God and your strengthen (your two-way) connection to him (a relationship). By the way, it is valuable to lean on God himself when you are trying to choose a church to go to. It's worth asking where he wants you to go regularly during your daily prayer time.
Salvation is by faith. No works are needed. But eternal life is not salvation. And Jesus says that at the Last Judgment, He will reward with eternal life those who have done good works (Matthew 25: 31-46, Romans 2: 5-10, John 5: 28-29, and Rev. 20: 12-14). So you are half right. Salvation is free and without works. Eternal life is dependent upon what we do.
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