How to be saved?
This is a follow-up article to – What is Salvation?
Salvation is about being in a proper relationship to our Creator. As such, salvation is a matter of coming to know God and trust Him.
Mankind fell from this relationship through a lack of trust in God in the garden of Eden. Every person since then was born with a nature inclined towards distrust and so, everyone sins.
God’s word tells us that if anyone claims that they have no sin they are lying and the truth is not in them.
So it could be said that salvation begins with your honest belief that your sin has separated you from God.
After you accept this truth then salvation is ONLY available through total reliance (faith) both in the person and work of Jesus – God’s physically born Son.
If you believe that God “so loved the world” that He sent His Own Son to remove sin’s power over you by His vicarious sacrifice for our sin through Jesus’ sinless life, physical death, burial and physical resurrection then you have placed yourself in agreement with God. This places you in right standing with God and is the second step of salvation.
If you believe this enough to make Jesus your forever Lord and master, and proclaim Him as such 1st in prayer to Him and then publicly throughout your life to others, beginning with baptism then you are reunited with God as His child. As a child you are SAFE or saved!
However, make no mistake – this right standing is ONLY because of Jesus Christ. You’re believing the truth and acting upon it by placing your trust in God through Jesus restores the relationship we all lost at the fall.
It IS imperative that there is an outward and public declaration of your faith in Christ (at least if such is possible). Romans 10:9-10 clearly state that not only belief with the heart but confession of Christ Jesus AS LORD is when we are saved.
In the modern church, one’s confession of Jesus as Lord has been allowed to become a rather private affair but this is NOT supported in scripture. If one is unwilling to publicly confess their allegiance in and devotion to Christ Jesus as their Lord and thus their Savior, whether it be due to embarrassment or fear of persecution – it can easily be argued from scripture that they do not know Him and are therefore not saved.
This honestly IS a relationship of knowing and trusting. True lovingly devoted relationships are something of which we are NOT ashamed. In fact, they are something which – if it is real we celebrate. As a human being you instinctively know this is true!
Salvation is not just a once and done prospect. For even once you have come to be reunited with God through relational trust in His Son, your journey isn’t over – it has just begun!
It is a journey which begins with salvation and ends with us being transformed into His likeness!
I know this can be a LOT to take in, but if you will surrender yourself to God. Seek Him in open honesty you will know in your heart that what has been written here is true.
That does not mean however, that you do not have more questions. In fact, I would greatly expect that you have more now than you did before. That’s okay! You’ve only seen the very tip of the iceberg here, so that is quite natural.
I want to invite you to reach out to us if you have ANY questions or comments. NO ONE will solicit you for church membership or money EVER AT ANY TIME! So have no fear in reaching out. We consider it as much an honor to talk to you further about the Lord as it would be for you to introduce us to your best friend. I would consider it a privilege to hear from you!
Blessings!