HOME Recommiting Your Life to Christ
How to Rededicate Your Life to Christ.Step One:
Confess Your Sins to God.
• If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. I John 1:9
• If you need help identifying sins, read Galatians 5:19-21, Ephesians 4:25 - 5:21
What sins are you struggling with right now that you need to confess to God?
Step Two:
Make Sure You Have Genuinely Repented.
• Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord. Acts 3:19 (NIV)
• What is repentance? Take a moment and read through the following paragraphs.
Before we can understand repentance we must first understand the problem we have that has separated us from God. To
gain that understanding, let’s look at Genesis 3:1-7 where we have the story of the initial separation between God and man.
gain that understanding, let’s look at Genesis 3:1-7 where we have the story of the initial separation between God and man.
3:1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman,
"Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?" 2 The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit
from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the
garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.'" 4 "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. 5 "For God
knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." 6 When the
woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she
took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of
them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for
themselves.
"Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?" 2 The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit
from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the
garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.'" 4 "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. 5 "For God
knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." 6 When the
woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she
took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of
them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for
themselves.
What was Adam and Eve’s problem? Was it eating the fruit? Or was it something deeper? The key is found in v. 6 where it
says that Adam and Eve saw the fruit was “desirable for gaining wisdom.”
says that Adam and Eve saw the fruit was “desirable for gaining wisdom.”
Why was gaining wisdom such a temptation for Adam and Eve? After all, they already had God’s wisdom. Up until this
moment they have relied on God’s wisdom to guide every aspect of their life. The reason gaining wisdom was such a
temptation was because if Adam and Eve had their own wisdom, they could be their own god. They could live life without
God. The bottom line: Adam and Eve wanted their independence.
moment they have relied on God’s wisdom to guide every aspect of their life. The reason gaining wisdom was such a
temptation was because if Adam and Eve had their own wisdom, they could be their own god. They could live life without
God. The bottom line: Adam and Eve wanted their independence.
When Adam and Eve disobeyed God and ate the fruit, Their disobedience was just the result of an interior attitude that
desired independence and rebellion against God.
desired independence and rebellion against God.
The same is true with us! Our main problem is not our actions - they simply flow out of our heart. The core problem is a
corrupt heart, an interior attitude of rebellion and independence. When there is an attitude of independence in my inner self
(“I am my own ruler.” And “I will do what I want to do.”), the consequence is that my actions and the things I do in my day
to day life are not going to please God.
corrupt heart, an interior attitude of rebellion and independence. When there is an attitude of independence in my inner self
(“I am my own ruler.” And “I will do what I want to do.”), the consequence is that my actions and the things I do in my day
to day life are not going to please God.
So let us ask this question: When someone wants to come back to Jesus, is it enough to just abandon some of the more
serious sins they have been involved in (like addictions, immorality, pornography and drugs) without ever dealing with this
fundamental problem of independence? The answer is NO! God wants us to get to the root of the problem. (See the
diagram)
serious sins they have been involved in (like addictions, immorality, pornography and drugs) without ever dealing with this
fundamental problem of independence? The answer is NO! God wants us to get to the root of the problem. (See the
diagram)
• Repentance, therefore, is a decision to change from a life lived in independence of God to one of dependance upon him.
As we make this interior change, our exterior actions will soon come to line up with God’s will.
Do you understand this?
Are you willing to do make this interior change?
Step Three:
Reclaim Jesus’ Lordship and Accept God’s Forgiveness and Healing.
• But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. I Peter 3:15 (NIV)
• "When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.'
So he got up and went to his father. "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with
compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
"The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'
"But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on
his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive
again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate. Luke 15:17-24
his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive
again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate. Luke 15:17-24
• Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. James 5:16
Would you like to reaffirm Jesus’ Lordship in your life?
If so, then use the following prayer as a model.
• “Dear Jesus, today I want to come back to you. I acknowledge that I have not submitted to your Lordship in my life. Instead I have made myself lord of my life and have followed the path that Satan wanted me to go on. I renounce all ties to the evil one and reject his authority over my life. Dear God, I confess to you that I have sinned by __________________. Today I want to ask for and receive your forgiveness. Thank you for the grace you so freely give to me. Thank you for welcoming me home! In Jesus name, amen.”
Step Four:
If You Have Never Done So Before, Express Your Faith in Christ in Believer’s Baptism.
• Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19 (NIV)
• Did you forget that all of us became part of Christ when we were baptized? We shared his death in our baptism. When we were baptized, we were buried with Christ and shared his death. So, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the wonderful power of the Father, we also can live a new life. Romans 6:3-4 (NCV)
• Baptism is an expression of your faith that God asks you to make. It expresses your faith surrender to Christ (Galatians 3:26-27) and serves to identify your participation in Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 6:3-4). By baptism, you are affirming that you want Jesus to be Lord of your life.
• In the scripture, baptism was always done by immersion. The Greek word for “Baptize” actually means, “to dip, plunge, or immerse.” This is why we ask everyone to be baptized by immersion.
• If you were baptized as a baby, we want to celebrate that moment of dedication with you. Because at that time your parents were dedicating you to God. However, in the Bible God wants baptism to be the time where we give ourselves to God. Your first baptism was done as a result of your parent’s faith. But this baptism, as a believer in Jesus, will serve to express your own faith. Don’t forget, baptism means nothing to God if it is not an expression of our own heart.
Congratulations! God and all of his angels are rejoicing at your homecoming! Today you have rekindled your relationship with God. But the journey of discipleship doesn’t end today. It is only the beginning.
