The young boy from Vacation Bible School (VBS) kept returning for more discussion about becoming a Christian. This time his interest was about “Thinking like a Christian.”

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines THINK as: to form or have in the mind, To have an opinion, BELIEVE. So let’s think, “BELIEVES like a Christian. ” After I clarified THINK for him, he asked, “What do Christians believe?”

I explained with several examples:

When a person is joining a church, they publicly take several vows. I have selected and paraphrased some of the most common ones. They:

• Believe in Jesus Christ as the son of God and as their Lord and Savior
• Accept the Bible as the Word of God
• Will strive to be Christ-like in their daily lives.
• Will faithfully participate in the ministries of their church by their prayers, presence, gifts and their service.
• Believe that the forgiveness of sins and the gift of eternal life are promised to those who trust Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. John 3:16-17.

When one takes a vow to lead a Christian life, it is not meant to be temporary. It should be considered binding.

To list all Christian beliefs would be an onerous task. However, after reading the Bible and other publications, I came up with the following, but not an exhaustive nor non-controversial list.

• Christianity is more about a relationship than religious practices. Instead of adhering to a list of “do’s and don’ts,” the goal of a Christian is to cultivate a close walk with God. That relationship is made possible because of the work of Jesus Christ and the ministry of the Holy Spirit.
• Christians are those who are forgiven of their sins and who have entered a personal relationship with Almighty God through faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8–9; Romans 10:9–10).
• Jesus is the Son of God and is equal with God (John 1:1, 49; Luke 22:70; Mark 3:11; Philippians 2:5–11)
• Jesus was born of a virgin (Matthew 1:18; Luke 1:26–35)
• Jesus lived a perfect, sinless life (Hebrews 4:15; John 8:29)
• Jesus was crucified to pay the penalty for our sins (Matthew 26:28; 1 Corinthians 15:2–4)
• Jesus rose from the dead (Luke 24:46; Mark 16:6)
• We are saved by the grace of God; that is, we cannot add to or take away from Christ’s finished work on the cross as full payment for our sin (Ephesians 2:8–9)

The best way to begin thinking like a Christian is to read the Bible and start attending a church that is friendly, is Bible-centered, and has a worship service in which you feel comfortable.

What will you say when you meet someone who wants to become a Christian?