The ABC's of Salvation
Do you know for certain that you are a Christian and that if your life were to suddenly come to an end that you would go to heaven? If not keep reading. You see, the Bible clearly teaches that our eternal salvation is something that we can be absolutely certain of. Know that your sins are forgiven and that you are ready for heaven is as easy as following these simple steps.
A. Admit that you have sinned
This simply means that you must admit to the fact that all people, yourself included, need God. The reason that we all so desperately need God is because we are all sinners. We were all born into sin. We have all been guilty of committing sin and we will no doubt commit further sin in the future. The Bible says " For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," (Romans 3:23 NIV). In other words, no matter how good a person we may be, our best effort still falls short of God's standard of perfection. God's standard of perfection is the Lord Jesus Christ. And whenever we are compared to him, we fall woefully short of the mark.
It is very important that we admit and that we realize we have sinned. We should not be fooled into thinking that our good life and kind deeds are enough to make us worthy of heaven. Also, we must not fall into the trap of thinking that our sin does not really matter. The Bible also says, "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us." (1 John 1:8 NIV).
Because we realize we have sinned we must further accept the fact that the penalty for sin is death. "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23 NIV).
However, there is good news, we are not left without hope.
B. Believe in the Savior
The second step is to believe in the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, for salvation. The Bible says, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. "(John 3:16 NIV). To belive in the Savior means to accept the fact that Jesus Christ is God's answer for our sin and to entrust our life to Him, knowing that He is able to save us.
However, believeing in the Savior means so much more thatjust simply acknowledging that you may believe in God. Believing in God is good. That is the first step. But believeing in Jesus Christ for eternal salvation is the kind of belief that leads to commitment.
C. Confess and forsake your sin
The third step is to confess and then forsake your sin. To confess your sin actually means to agree with what God in his word says about sin. Primarily, the Bible teaches that sin is going against what God's plan and will is for our life. God's own definition of sin is in the Bible. "We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all." (Isaiah 53:6 NIV)
After confessing our sin we must also determine to repent, which means to turn around or to change your mind, and turn away from our sin.
This is how it works, "That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved." (Romans 10:9-10 NIV).
If you want to receive Jesus Christ into your heart and be saved you can do so right now. All you have to do is pray a simple prayer, asking God to forgive you of your sins and to come into your life and make you a Christian. He promises that He will save all who call upon His name.
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness!" (1 John 1:9 NIV)
Jesus said: "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." (Revelation 3:20 NIV)
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