So not a single Christian here can explain how they became christian
I fell in love with the Gospels at a very young age (around 8 or 9) and was captivated by Jesus' teachings and example. For whatever reason I related and connected with it, it just resonated deeply with me. I was already thinking about God and talking with God as far back as I can recall, well before I decided to apply the Gospels to my life.
It was not "foisted" on me at infancy, though of course the Bible was introduced to me, it was always in my house. My parents had rough lives and weren't really the church going type until much later in our life. Most of the folks in my culture growing up labeled themselves "Christian" regardless of how they lived their lives, it was just what everybody was at that time, if their parents went to church on Sundays they thought they were Christians lol.
That never agreed with me much, because I would read the Bible often on my own accord and it was in stark contrast to what I saw everyone doing, how they acted, how they treated each other. Most kids my age at that time were little selfish brats, back stabbers, horrible to their parents and into all kinds of mischief and dangerous behaviors. I always had a soft heart, was very giving and loyal to my friends. I thought about God all the time, applied all of Jesus' teachings and tried to live that way. To this day I have kept my passion and love for God despite an uncertain path and a lot of hardship.
I wasn't perfect of course, not saying that at all but I knew I was different then those that surrounded me. Plus I had already had several spiritual/paranormal encounters before I was even ten years old.
Anyways to answer the question directly, I became fascinated with the Gospels like I said about 8 years old or so and just basically followed them. IMO to be a Christian simply means to abide in the Gospels, apply them and be willing and pliable before God. As I got older I had been to many churches, home groups, prayer meetings ect ect....was baptized in a Baptist church and would do anything I thought would get me closer to God.
I went through a bit of a rebel stage during my teenage years, got real loose with my actions and lifestyle. By the time I reached 17 years of age is when I fully committed my life to what I thought was acceptable to God. This is about when the scriptures really came to life in my world, all the verses and passages I had been reading during my childhood were exploding within me and I fell back in love with them and began honoring God with all that did once again.
I had a reciprocal relationship with God, if I held nothing back from God.....God held nothing back from me. I would give to God and God would give in return. So basically God has been the anchor in my life, I've sacrificed many parts of myself to know God on deeper levels and I can honestly say the Gospels have been the single most influential thing in my life.
other than having it foisted on them in infancy without their permission.
Tradition gets in the way sometimes but that doesn't mean at some point in a persons life they will not connect with those teachings. I don't think it matters if families attempt to pass on their beliefs to their kids, I mean it's only natural right? does it make someone Christian? not necessarily no, but it could. It just depends on the individual I would say. A lot of kids grew up in Christian households and probably didn't put much emphasis in doctrines and spiritual principles, because they had yet to really connect with those teachings, but that doesn't mean they won't at some point in their lives reflect on them in a much deeper way and begin to apply them and observe the fruit of doing so. IDK I'm just speaking for myself really and I know many people who were raised "Christian" but really never lived Christian lives, they ended up connecting with it much later in life. And again, I think being a Christian is simply applying those teachings to oneself, and so it is surely a conscious effort/choice. It is between the individual and God, what their parents were is basically irrelevant although it may serve a purpose at some point in their lives.
