How can you know you truly belong to Christ and have eternal life?

Chris Jolly spoke with Simon Manchester, assistant minister at All Saints Woollahra, teacher at Cornhill Bible College and host of Hope 103.2’s Christian Growth podcast, about what it means to become a Christian and how believers can know they have eternal life.

Many Christians, especially those new to faith, wonder whether they have truly been saved. Simon said the Bible offers confidence, not uncertainty, to those who trust in Jesus.

“We’re not talking about hope. We’re talking about knowing,” Simon said.

Simon’s journey to faith

Simon became a Christian during his final year of school after attending a Christian camp.

There, he said, two truths came together for the first time: his own need for forgiveness and Jesus’ offer of salvation.

“I learned that I had sinned and fallen short of the glory of God… and I learned that Christ had come into the world to save sinners,” Simon said.

That decision ultimately led him into a lifetime of ministry, teaching and helping others understand the Christian faith. It also inspired his contribution to a new guidebook designed to help new Christians navigate topics such as prayer, the Bible, family life, work and doubt.

A new heart, not a perfect life

During the conversation, Chris raised a common concern among new Christians: what happens when you still struggle with sin, doubt or failure?

Simon said becoming a Christian does not mean instantly becoming perfect.

“You’re new but you’re not perfect,” Simon said.

Instead, Christians receive what the Bible describes as a new heart and a new desire to follow Christ. While believers continue to wrestle with their old nature, they also discover a growing desire to pray, learn from Scripture and stay close to God.

Simon explained that Jesus’ teaching about abiding in the vine is ultimately about remaining close to Him and depending on Him rather than drifting away.

Assurance comes from Christ, not performance

One of Simon’s strongest messages was that assurance should not be based on how well a person thinks they are performing spiritually.

Good days and bad days come and go. Emotions change. Confidence rises and falls.

Instead, Christians are called to look to Christ.

“Forget about your performance. Ask yourself about the performance of Christ,” Simon said.

Rather than looking inward, Simon encouraged listeners to look at God’s promises in Scripture, particularly the promises given through Jesus.

When feelings fluctuate, God’s Word remains unchanged.

Adoption and baptism

To help explain assurance, Simon used the picture of adoption.

Just as an adopted child becomes part of a family through the commitment of loving parents, Christians become part of God’s family through faith in Christ.

Once adopted into God’s family, believers can live with confidence in His love and commitment to them.

The conversation also touched on baptism. Simon explained that baptism is an important public declaration of faith, but it is not what saves someone.

Rather, baptism demonstrates outwardly what God has already done inwardly through faith.

For new Christians, it becomes a visible way of declaring that they now belong to Christ and want to follow Him.

Article supplied with thanks to Hope 103.2.

Chris is the host of Hope Drive, bringing light, uplifting stories and thoughtful conversation to listeners every afternoon. Chris initially studied science before diving into an IT career before following his life-long passion (talking!) and joining the Hope team.

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Global Christianity is growing and shifting, with new challenges and opportunities shaping how believers live out their faith today.

The latest ‘Status of Global Christianity 2026’ report from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary offers a clear snapshot of how Christianity is changing around the world.

According to the report, there are now more than 2.67 billion Christians globally, up from around 2.5 billion in 2020.

Yet their share of the world’s population remains relatively steady at around 32 per cent. This points to an important reality. Christianity is not declining globally, but it is shifting.

The centre of the Church is changing

One of the most significant developments is the movement of Christianity away from the Global North and towards the Global South.

Africa alone now accounts for almost 780 million Christians, making it one of the fastest-growing regions for the faith.

At the same time, Christianity in Europe is gradually declining, with numbers projected to fall further in the coming decades. This shift does not mean the Church is weakening, but it is becoming more global.

The mission is still unfinished

Alongside growth, the report highlights a significant challenge.

Other religions are also growing, with the global Muslim population now exceeding 2.1 billion and increasing at a faster annual rate than Christianity. This is reshaping the global religious landscape and increasing the importance of Christian witness.

Growth brings both strength and responsibility

There are many encouraging signs. Pentecostal and charismatic Christianity continues to expand rapidly, with more than 670 million believers worldwide.

There has also been strong growth in Bible translation, with the New Testament now available in over 2600 languages, opening access to Scripture for more people than ever before.

At the same time, challenges remain. Global Christian giving has surpassed $1 trillion annually, yet financial misuse within church contexts is also rising. These trends highlight that growth in numbers must be matched by integrity and maturity.

What this means for Christians today

The report is not only about statistics. It is a reminder of how the Church is called to live and respond.

It shows that Christianity is no longer centred in one culture or region but expressed across diverse communities around the world. It also reinforces that the mission of sharing the Gospel is ongoing.

“Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:19 NIV)

In a world that continues to change, the call to follow Christ does not.

This article was prepared with AI assistance and then carefully reviewed, fact-checked, and edited by our Digital Team.

Article supplied with thanks to Hope Media.

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Who was Jesus? He was a remarkable man—but His true identity has occupied thinkers for centuries.

This question can actually be answered by reflecting on some of the astonishing claims Jesus made about Himself. In fact, Jesus once made the audacious claim to be able to forgive sins—something only God alone can do.

So, at this point, Jesus was effectively claiming to be God.

So who did Jesus really think He was? Well, there are three ways of assessing Jesus’ astonishing claim:

• First, Jesus was wrong about being God and he knew it, so he was a liar.
• Second, Jesus was wrong and he didn’t know it, so he was crazy.
• Or third, He wasn’t wrong at all. He was speaking the truth, and if so, then He would truly be the Lord.

Liar, lunatic, or the Lord — the only three options.

So, who do you think Jesus was?

Article supplied with thanks to City Bible Forum.

Feature image: Photo by Sára Sedlmajerová on Unsplash

About the author: Robert Martin oversees the work of City Bible Forum in Melbourne and is the host of the Bigger Questions radio show / podcast.

While headlines often paint a picture of religious decline in Australia, new research is highlighting a different—and surprising—story: Australians are returning to Christianity in unexpected numbers.

Social research group McCrindle has just released An Undercurrent of Faith: Exploring Australians’ renewed relationship with Christianity, a study combining analysis of Census data with a nationally representative survey of over 3,000 Australians. 

The findings reveal that nearly 800,000 people who identified as having “no religion” in 2016 listed Christianity as their faith by the 2021 Census. That number jumps to 2.4 million over the past three Census periods.

Mark McCrindle, social researcher and founder of McCrindle, shares about the findings of their new report.

“Most people are aware of the headline story over the last decade has been the decline in Christianity,” Mark said.

“In fact, in 10 years from census data, it went from 61% of the population down to 44%. So that’s a pretty big drop. But amidst that, we’re seeing changes.”

One key driver of this shift is how Australians now define religion. People are less likely to claim Christianity based solely on upbringing or tradition and more likely to do so from a place of personal belief.

“Cultural Christianity is dissipating,” Mark said. 

“People who tick the Christianity box are more likely ticking up because of a personal conviction rather than sort of an ancestral connection with that faith.”

Not Just Migrants, and Not Just the Elderly

The report breaks common assumptions. 

While it’s often thought that migration is the major source of religious growth, the largest increase came from older Australians—those aged 55 and over. This group experienced a 48% increase in people moving from no religion to Christianity between 2016 and 2021, far outpacing their 15% population growth.

Younger generations are also navigating their spiritual journeys in nuanced ways. While Gen Z and Gen Y are less likely to identify as Christian overall, those who do are far more likely to be regular churchgoers. More than 70% of Gen Y and 68% of Gen Z Christians attend church at least monthly, compared to just 26% of Boomers.

“If you look at all of the baby boomers… only 26% of them go to church”, Mark said.

“They’re more likely to tick the box and not go to church than actually go to church. But when you get down to the youngest generation Generation Z… 68% of them go to church, so the point is at least 2/3 of young people who tick Christian in the census form follow that up by regular church attendance.”

Openness and Opportunity

The study also found that nearly half of Australians are open to spiritual conversations, especially among Gen Z and Gen Y. Religion may no longer be the taboo subject it once was.

Mark explained that churches and other ministries should be encouraged to see the number of young people who went from no religion to Christianity.

“One in six of them had had no Christian background at all… they clearly aren’t ticking the Christianity box because of the family influence.” Mark said.

“I think that highlights the fruitfulness of ministry in Australia even amongst young people”.

The data suggests that early exposure to faith can have a lasting impact, even if it takes years to bear fruit or if people drift away from their religious upbringing.

“Even if young people walk away from [faith] as they move from their teenage years into their 20-something years… that seed may be something they come back to… and reengage in the Christian faith.”

“Based on this data, there is going to be a drift away from that Christian faith if it’s not grounded in something solid in terms of belief and lifestyle”

While the decline in Christian identification is widely reported, the deeper story points to a nation still spiritually curious. 

Top reasons Australians are turning to Christianity include a desire for personal meaning, connection to something greater, and answers to life’s biggest questions.

Article supplied with thanks to 96five.

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Easter is celebrated in various ways: indulging in chocolate, enjoying the company of family and friends, taking time to relax on the public holiday, and (or) the remembrance of the most brutal death in history.

Whether one believes Jesus to be the Son of God or simply a man, it is undeniable that his death, the crucifixion, was like no other.

“And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him,  and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’” Matthew 8:28-29.

The crucifixion was the most shameful way to die, reserved for the worst non-Roman criminals. To hang naked on a cross exposed to onlookers and the stigma in being a criminal.

Despite the horror of Jesus’s death, there is a message of hope and joy. Through the torture, Jesus sacrificed himself for humanity. A sacrifice that spans through eternity. The gift of repentance, forgiveness, and therefore, salvation. Easter’s everlasting gift.

So, this Easter, I hope you feel God’s presence and experience his love. That you may come to realise, like the Roman centurion did, that:

“Truly this man was the Son of God.” Mark 15:39, Matthew 27:54.

Article supplied with thanks to Life FM in Adelaide.

Feature image: Golden sunlight casts a warm glow on the rippled dunes of White Sands National Park, New Mexico, USA. Photo by Joseph Corl on Unsplash