How to Be Saved from Your Sins
Quick Version
Jesus bled and died on a cross to pay for your sins. God punished Him in your place for everything you’ve ever done wrong. His body was buried, but He rose from the dead. If you call on Him to be your Lord, you will receive the forgiveness that His shed blood purchased for you. You will be “born again” – a new person on the inside. God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit will come live inside you. You will spend eternity on a heavenly new earth instead of the lake of fire that awaits sinners who never called on Jesus to save them.
Detailed Version
There is a prevailing, but incorrect, notion in the world today about how to be saved. This notion is that God will weigh your good deeds against your bad deeds when you die and then decide whether or not to admit you to heaven. In other words, He will credit you for being honest about getting too much change at the fast-food restaurant, but then He will offset that with the fact that you lied to your fourth-grade teacher once about why you didn’t do your homework. He will credit you for giving ten dollars to the Salvation Army to help the poor, but then He will offset that with the fact that you skipped church to play golf on your 23rd birthday. He will put everything on two sides of a scale and see which way it tips. Let's see – do you make it?
Fortunately, that is not how it works. You can know for sure that you are going to heaven before you face your final judgment. The fact is that God will not weigh your deeds to determine if you are “good enough” to make it into heaven. You aren’t good enough. God’s standard is perfection, and you have fallen short, as everyone else has. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
That is why God sent Jesus. Jesus lived a sinless life. But at the end of His life, He allowed Himself to be tortured and killed as punishment for your sins. God punished Him as if He had committed every sin you have committed and will ever commit. By bearing your punishment, He freed you from having to bear eternal punishment yourself – if you receive Him.
Jesus was raised from the dead and lives today, seated at the right hand of God. He is no mere historical figure, but a living Lord.
Eternal life is yours when you receive Jesus Christ. Receiving Him is not a mental assent to what He did, but a conscious decision to yield control of your life to the One who died for your sins and then rose from the dead. You are yielding your life to a living person, not to a historical figure’s set of teachings. That is where Christianity differs from other religions. It is the only religion whose founder was raised from the dead, never to see death again. When you receive Him, you become a child of God.
There is no other way to be saved. Popular culture likes to think that the world’s religions are all different roads that lead to the same destination. That is almost correct. Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and other religions are different roads that lead to the same place – the lake of fire. Only Christians go to heaven, because only Christians have forgiveness for their sins. Jesus declared plainly, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh to the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). Therefore, you cannot come to God through Buddha, Confucius, Mohammed, or anyone else. If you want to live with God eternally, you must receive Jesus. Otherwise, you will not be saved and you will be separated from God forever. As Peter so boldly preached, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Jesus has the only name by which you must be saved.
You will not be reincarnated and get another chance. It is “appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). The choice you make in this life will last forever.
Who Is Jesus?
Jesus has always existed with God and has always been God. He did not start existing when He was born of Mary.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” – John 1:1-2.
“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” – John 1:14.
“Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.” – John 8:58.
“And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.” – John 17:5.
John the Baptist was born before Jesus (see the first 2 chapters of Luke), yet declared that He who came after him (Jesus) was preferred before him, because He was before him (John 1:15, John 1:30).
Why should you trust your eternal future to the words of Jesus? Because Jesus was the Messiah, the Christ, the Anointed One. He said so Himself.
“The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.” – John 4:25-26
“And Simon Peter answered and said, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.” – Matthew 16:16-17
“Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe in the Son of God? He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. And he said, Lord I believe. And he worshipped him.” – John 9:35-38
“Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.” – Mark 14:61-62
Jesus Came to Earth to Save Us from Our Sins
“Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” – John 1:29.
“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” – 1 Timothy 1:15
“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.” – Romans 5:8-9.
“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” – Isaiah 53:5-6
You Can Know Your Eternal Future Now!
Your eternal future can be determined right now. Fortunately, if you are going to burn in hell fire, you can change your future! But where you are headed is clear. If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you are going to heaven. If you aren’t, you are currently on your way to hell. These are both temporary stops on the way to different eternal homes. Technically, your eternal home will not be either heaven or hell. It will either be the new earth (Revelation 21:1-3) or the lake of fire into which hell itself will be cast (Revelation 20:14-15). Without describing both in detail, suffice it to say that the renewed earth is the more pleasant of the two choices.
You have probably heard John 3:16, or are at least aware of the passage from bumper stickers and banners at televised sporting events. But you may not have read the next two verses, and you should!
John 3:16-18:
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
You see, you are already under a death sentence if you are not a follower of Christ. You stand condemned right now. (Or sit condemned, if you’re sitting at your computer.) It is no mystery what will happen to you.
By believing in the Son of God, you can have eternal life. This life does not start later, after you die. It starts the instant you receive Jesus Christ and are born again of the Holy Spirit. Once you do this, your eternal destiny changes. You get to be with God forever. You are no longer under the condemnation that awaits those who have not believed in the name of the Son of God. You have literally passed from spiritual death to spiritual life.
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” – John 5:24
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.” – John 8:51
You Must Be Born Again!
To be admitted into heaven, you must be “born again.” This term is used so frequently today that its obvious original meaning is often lost. You must literally be born a second time to enter heaven. This is not speaking of a physical birth, but a spiritual birth. Your spirit must be reborn. Jesus said so Himself.
John 3:3-8:
Jesus answered and said unto him [Nicodemus], Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
That which is born of flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is everyone that is born of the Spirit.
Jesus said that you must be born of the Spirit. You need to be a newly-born spirit that was never in existence before you called on Jesus to save you. You will keep the same body and the same mind, but your spirit will be reborn. This work of the Holy Spirit takes place when you receive Jesus.
This saying is popular, but wrong: “We are all brothers and sisters, and we are all God’s children.” While we are all God’s creations, only born-again Christians – people who have received God’s Son – are God’s children. “But as many as received him [Jesus Christ], to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:12). Note the word become in this passage. When you receive Jesus Christ, you become a child of God, which you previously were not. If someone says he became a professional athlete, it is obvious that he previously was not a professional athlete, then things changed and he was a professional athlete at some point. You have to believe in Jesus and be born of God. Then you become one of God’s children. If you fail to do this, you remain God’s creation but you are not God’s child. You cannot have a father-child relationship with Him without Jesus.
Eternal Life Is Free, But Only on God’s Terms
Eternal life is a gift. You receive it. You do not work for it or earn it. Your sin would earn wages, namely damnation. Nothing you can do can earn eternal life. You are completely helpless in your own strength to save yourself. The only way to receive eternal life is on God’s gift basis. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost” (Titus 3:5). “For by grace are ye saved through faith” (Ephesians 2:8).
Galatians 2:16:
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Knocking on doors does not save you. Being baptized or sprinkled as an infant does not save you. Being a member of a church and giving and serving does not save you. Many people’s names are on church membership rolls but not in the Lamb’s Book of Life, which is the only place that really counts. There is no work you can do that can save you and make you righteous. Eternal life is free, but it is available solely on a gift basis from God because of what Jesus Christ did for you. If you are trusting anything other than the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ to save you, you are not saved yet – but you can be!
You Can Be Born Again Right Now!
There is no standard “sinner’s prayer” in the Bible. You can use your own words to tell God your decision to receive Jesus Christ. You must believe that Jesus rose from the dead and make Him the Lord of your life.
Romans 10:8-10:
But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
You must believe that God raised Jesus from the dead because you cannot ask a dead man to be your Lord. You could not ask George Washington to be the Lord of your life. Only a living person can be your Lord. Jesus rose from the dead. He is seated at God’s right hand today. He is very much alive, so He is able to be your Lord if you ask Him to be.
Then you must confess Him with your mouth. That means that you must state that Jesus is your Lord. To call Him Lord, you must turn over your life to Him. You must be willing to tell anyone who asks that Jesus is Lord of your life now. If you want it to be a secret, you are not ready to get saved, because it is with your mouth that confession is made unto salvation. If you’re not willing to say it, you don’t really mean it or believe it yet.
When you give Jesus lordship over your life, you are born again at that moment. Your old sinful nature is destroyed and replaced with a new nature that wants to serve and please God. Jesus comes to dwell in your heart. You become (literally) God’s temple in the earth. God Himself moves in and lives in you! As awesome and impossible as it may sound, the Creator of all things comes and dwells in you.
Then What?
Being part of the Body of Christ is not something you do on your own. You need to find a local fellowship where you can be taught God’s Word, be with other believers, and have a place to serve Jesus and take part in His Great Commission to tell the world the gospel. Do not even consider a church that does not explicitly believe that you must be born again, as Jesus taught. I would seek out a church that believes that healing was provided in Christ’s atonement as well. Otherwise, it is hard to get healed while being taught that healing is not for everyone today. (Beware: Many churches say they “believe in healing” if you ask it that way. Find out if they really believe that Jesus paid for healing to be made available to everyone or if they just believe that God wants to heal some people some of the time.) Good churches have popped up all over the place and are not nearly as hard to find as they used to be. If your church does not teach that you can be born again, leave it. Do not stay thinking that you will enlighten the others. I have seen people try to do this, and you won’t affect them – they will just drag you down. If they are not preaching the gospel, they have no right to expect that you will support them with your finances, even if Great Grandpa went to the same church.
Read your Bible. You probably have one, but if you don’t, you can get one almost anywhere, and you can always read it online, too. I’ve used different versions over the years. The original King James Version is very faithful to the original language, but I doth find that the old-style wording annoyeth and confuseth at times. The New King James Version is similar but uses more modern language. When you’re first starting out, I would use one of these so that you can get close to what was originally written in Greek and Hebrew. While there are many “paraphrases” out there, they are more useful as commentaries than they are in telling you exactly what God said through the different authors. I’m not against them, but if you’re going to seriously study Scripture, use something that sticks as closely as possible to the original text without trying to tell you the interpretations of the particular author. (If perhap thou wonderdst, I didst use the original King James Version in this book because verily, it hath no copyright restrictions; one must needs make no royalty payment as with others if thou exceedeth a legal verse count limit that I verily did exceed in this book for the New King James Version.) Perhaps the ultimate in literalness would be Young’s Literal Translation, but reading transliterated Hebrew and Greek text using the word order that Hebrew and Greek people would speak can be tedious and it doesn’t “flow” too well if you’re trying to read through the Bible. It’s useful for referencing the original-language text but it’s not so great for bedtime reading.
I suggest that you start with the book of Romans and the gospel of John, although any of the other gospels would be fine. I would read the entire New Testament before venturing into the Old Testament. I know a fellow who got saved and figured he would read his Bible, so he started with Genesis. About halfway through Leviticus, he said he thought he got the wrong Bible – a Jewish Bible or something – because of all the Jewish sacrifice laws. He got confused! The Old Testament will make more sense to you after you have read the comments on the Old Testament found in the New Testament. Then you won’t wonder if you can eat ham and lobster and you won’t think that you need to slaughter a sheep on an altar somewhere.
In this electronic age, I must point out that no online forum is a substitute for Christian fellowship in a local body of believers. No TV personality is a substitute for a local pastor who is there when you need him. I am not against Christian TV or online Christian chats, but they are supplements, not substitutes, for involvement in a local church.
Look up things for yourself in the Bible. Never take anyone’s word (including mine) for something until you can see it in the Bible. Before you accept it, you must know that God said it in the Bible, not just that some man said it from a pulpit. If you adopt this attitude, it will keep you from believing a lot of junk that circulates in the Body of Christ.
Healing is only one part of your redemption. You won’t grow just by reading about healing in this book, although I would encourage you to learn all that you can about it. In the local church, you will learn about walking in love, and you’ll surely have opportunities to put it into practice! (The other people there did not become mature Christians overnight any more than you will.) You will learn what belongs to you in Christ. You will have a place to serve and honor God and be with people who will love you and care about your well-being.
Once you are born again, you should now receive the baptism with the Holy Spirit. That is something separate that is covered in the discussion below.
See also: