Salvation

1. What does it mean to be saved?

"Being saved" is as easy as ABC. It essentially requires three things:

1. Admit: Confess that you are a sinner and that you require a Savior and that nothing you can do is enough to pay for your sins.
2. Believe: Ask Jesus to be your Savior and believe that his death paid for all your sins you've ever committed and all the sins you ever will commit.
3. Repent: Decide to do your best to turn away from your current sins and try to live your life according to the principles Jesus teaches.

In return for this, Jesus promises to walk with you throughout your life, and when you die, Jesus will tell God that your sins have already been paid for so that you can live forever in Heaven instead of suffering eternal punishment in Hell.  Look at it this way:  God is a judge, and when you stand before him in judgement as we all must do, Jesus will be your defense attorney.  That means you'll have the best (and only) lawyer around that can win your case!

2. What is a sin?

Anything you do wrong is a sin.  It's that simple.  Most people know that big things like murder are sin, but so are small things like telling a lie or stealing a pack of gum.  Jesus said that even thinking these things in your heart counts the same as actually doing them.  The rules for what is a sin are based on the Ten Commandments, as listed in Deuteronomy 5.

3. Who has sinned?

Romans 3:23 tells us that everyone has sinned.  Absolutely everyone.  Yes, that includes you and everyone you know, including the best or most religious person you've ever known.  Every single person who has ever taken a breath has sinned.  Except for Jesus.

4. What's the big deal about sin? 

God is a judge, and according to 2 Corinthians 5:10, when you die, He will judge your life and reward or punish you accordingly.  We know from Romans 6:23 that the punishment for sin is death.  ANY sin, no matter how small.  That means anyone who has sinned will be punished.  That punishment means more than just a physical death.  It also means your soul will be sent to hell to suffer for eternity.  The Bible is quite clear about hell and eternal torment.

5. Is there any way to escape the punishment?

God is very clear that the punishment for sin is death.  You must pay for your sin.  Fortunately, Jesus, God's only son, chose to pay for your sin so you don't have to.  Jesus paid the price for YOUR crimes.  He chose to be born as a human and live with us here on earth.  Being God's son, even in human form, he never sinned in the 33 years of his life on earth.  Because he never sinned, he had no punishment to pay, but he chose to take your punishment for you.  It says in John 19 that Jesus was hung on a cross like a criminal until he died.  For you.  He died and was sent to suffer in Hell as a sinner.  After 3 days, God raised Jesus from the dead to show us God has power over death.  According to Romans 10:9, in order for you to escape your punishment, you have to believe that Jesus died for you and for your sin, ask Jesus to forgive you for your sins, and publicly declare that Jesus is your Lord and Savior.  You have to claim it.  It's like having a winning lottery ticket.  If you don't claim it, you're not going to get the benefit of it.

6. Why did Jesus die for me?

Romans 5:8 says it was because of his love for you.  God created you, and like any good parent, God loves you.  He doesn't care what you've done or what you should have done.  He loves you anyway.  Completely.  Unconditionally.  He always will.  Jesus would have sacrificed himself on the cross even if you were the only one who needed it.  Yes, your sins must be paid for, but God doesn't want you to die.  Jesus gave you a way out.

7.  I'm ready. What do I do?

If you believe that Jesus is God's only son, and that he died for your sins, and you're ready to accept his gift of life instead of death, then the Bible says in Acts 16:31 that here's what you need to do:  Pray.  Praying is simply talking to God.  He is always listening.  God sees what's in your heart, so he knows if you're sincere or not. If you're sincere,  then part of that is to try not to sin, and to become a better person.  You can start with the ABC listed above in question 1.  When you pray to be saved, declare that you believe Jesus is God's only son and you believe Jesus died for your sin.  Ask God to forgive you for your sins and ask to be saved.  Ask God these things in Jesus' name. That's it.  Here is a prayer you can pray that does those things:

Why do we pray in Jesus' name? Our intent is as important as our actions. It's important that we know why we're doing things and don't get caught in the trap of just doing things for ritualistic reasons. You'll find out as you read the gospels in the Bible that Jesus wasn't a fan of rituals, and that's something "religion" often gets wrong. We pray in Jesus' name because Jesus is our conduit to God.

8.  I prayed to be saved.  What now?

First, congratulations!  According to Romans 10:13, you've been saved! In Luke 15:10, it says that the angels rejoice when someone is saved!  It's important you find someone who can guide you from here and answer any questions you may have.  Getting saved doesn't mean that all your problems will go away, but it does mean that you don't have to fight your battles alone.  There's a lot to learn, and much of it requires face-to-face guidance.  Find another person who is saved to help you.  Someone from a local church will probably be the best choice for someone to help you.  They should be able to answer many of your questions and guide you on where to go from here.  In the event they are unable to answer a question, they should know who to ask.  Even better, find a church that has small groups, and join one.  Small groups are ideal for learning more about God and growing as a Christian as well as giving you a good chance of making some Christian friends.

 

A quick note about prayer:  Prayer is simply you talking to God.  There isn't any magic formula to it and anyone can do it at any time.  When we pray, we talk to God and we pray in Jesus' name, which is why we end our prayers with "In Jesus' name, Amen."  (amen translates to "so be it")  God is always listening.  He's been watching over you since before you were born, so when you want to talk, you don't have to wonder about whether he is there:  He always has been there, and he always will be.

 

If you are unable to find someone local to help you or you need someone to talk to right now, try this prayer line where someone is available 24/7:

1-800-525-5683 (this is the prayer line for K-LOVE)

 

Have a great day, and remember that GOD LOVES YOU!