"But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth." -- Acts 1: 8
Becoming a Christian

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What does it mean to be a Christian?

God created us so that we could have a relationship with Him.  He wanted us to interact with Him, talk with Him, sing with Him, and much more.  Just like you would have a relationship with a friend or family member, God desires to be our best friend and closest relative.  The Bible describes Him as "the One who lays down His life for His friends" and our "Heavenly Father" who "knows what you need even before you ask."
     Adam and Eve had that kind of close relationship with God. They disobeyed God's one simple command to not eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Because of this disobedience, which the Bible calls sin, the relationship between God and mankind was severed. God is perfect and expects nothing less than perfection. Thus, we, as imperfect humans, deserve to spend eternity separated from God -- eternity in Hell.
     There is hope, however. God gave the people of the Old Testament (those living before the time of Jesus) a way to receive forgiveness (or pardon) for our sins. This came through a sacrifice. A sacrifice, by definition, is something that is difficult to give up, but is given up anyway as a sign of devotion and/or love.
     The Old Testament sacrifice for sin was usually a lamb, pure and unblemished. This is why Jesus is called the Lamb of God. God came in the form of man (Jesus), lived among us, thought us, died for us, and rose from the dead. Not only did God sacrifice Himself for our sins, but He conquered death to prove that He was God's Son (God in the flesh) and that He has power over death.
     This begs the question: If God made the sacrifice for us, why aren't we all forgiven? The answer is, we still have to show our devotion to Him. We still have to show Him that will want, more than anything, to still have a relationship with Him. Our lives need to be committed to having a relationship with Him, being obedient to Him, worshipping Him, making Him our number one priority. Who better to have a relationship with than Perfection Himself?
     Because Jesus' sacrifice for us applies to anyone and everyone who believes in Him, God will forgive them and then can work with them and teach them how to mature and become more like Him (perfect). We will mess up, but God is there to pick us right back up, dust us off and get us going again.
     How do I show my devotion to God and let Him know that I want forgiveness and a relationship with Him? First, ask for forgiveness. He is willing to give it to you if you ask. Second, make a whole-hearted commitment to Him. These two things can be done through prayer. Some churches call this "the sinners' prayer." You also need to find a church that can help you to (1)understand how to receive forgiveness (also known as salvation, or being saved), (2)keep that commitment to God (because a commitment really isn't a commitment unless you keep it), and (3)mature as a Christian and learn more about who God is and what He expects from us.
     As you grow and mature as a Christian, you may find times when you neglect you relationship with God. This does not mean you loose your salvation or forgiveness, though. If you truly made a commitment to God, times when you are neglecting the relationship will be filled with a sense of missing Him and not a sense of guilt. Don't let anyone confuse your feeling of missing God as guilt. If you truly search your heart and take a close look inside, and if you're truly a Christian, then there won't be guilt there, just the feeling of missing that relationship with God you started. Ask God to get you back on track and He will help you pick back up where you left off.
     A Bible-based church will help you with your relationship with God. It will help you to know when you've gone astray and help you to get back right with God. Remember, a relationship with Him starts with simply asking His forgiveness.

God bless you.

I want to know more about how to receive forgiveness and salvation. I have questions

I just prayed to receive Jesus as my Lord and Savior, for Him to forgive me. I have committed my life to Him.