What is Salvation?

Did you know...
God loves you and created you to know him personally.

The Bible makes it clear that salvation is sola gratia — by grace alone. As Ephesians 2:8–9 says, "For it is by grace you have been saved through faith. It is not from yourself or anything you've done, but the gift of God." Salvation, therefore, is a free gift of grace from God.

The Bible Tells Us...
God created you…”you created every part of me and put me together in my mother’s womb” Ps 139:13-14

God Loves You

“For God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son so that anyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” John 3:16

What keeps us from connecting with God and knowing him personally?

Man is sinful and separated from God so we cannot know him personally or experience his love.“For all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious standard” Romans 3:23

“But the trouble is that your sins have cut you off from God” Isaiah 59:2

We were created to have a personal relationship with God, but by our own choice and self-will we have gone our own independent way and that relationship has been broken. This self-will, often seen as an attitude of active rebellion towards God or a lack of interest in Him, is an evidence of what the Bible calls sin.

Jesus Christ is God's only solution for our sin.

Through Him alone we can know God personally and experience God’s love.He died in our place “But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” Romans 5:8

Jesus said to them, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me'” John 14:6

We must personally receive Jesus Christ as our savior and Lord then we can know God personally and experience His love.

We must believe in and receive Christ “To all who received Him, He gave the right to become children of God. All they had to do was to trust [believe in] Him to save them.” John 1:12

We receive Christ by faith “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this is not from yourselves, it is a gift of God – not by works so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9

We receive Christ by personal invitation “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him” Revelation 3:20

Receiving Christ Involves:

• Recognizing our need for Christ.
• Turning to Christ and away from self (repentance).
• Trusting Christ to come into our lives, forgive our sins, and make us what He wants us to be.

Just to agree that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He died on the cross for our sins is not enough. Nor is it enough to have an emotional experience. We receive Jesus Christ by faith as a decision of our will.

Here is how you can receive CHRIST:

You can receive Christ right now by faith through prayer…prayer is talking with God. God knows your heart and is not concerned with your words as he is with the attitude of your heart.

Here is a suggested prayer:
Lord Jesus, I need you. Thank you for dying on the cross in my place for my sins. I believe in You, and I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for forgiving me of my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of the throne of my life and make me the kind of person You want me to be.

How do you know that Christ is in your life?

Did you receive Christ into your life? According to His promise in Revelation 3:20, where is Christ right now in relation to you? He said He would come into your life. Would he mislead you? How do you know He has answered your prayer? You can trust God and His word, the Bible. He will not deceive you.

Don’t depend on feelings...

Our feelings about God and about what is true may change from time to time. However the promises of God’s word, the Bible – not our feelings – is the basis of our confidence. The Christian lives by faith (trust) in God Himself and His Word.

Now that you have trusted Christ:

The moment that you received Christ by faith, many things happened, including the following:

Christ came into your life. (Revelation 3:20, John 14:20)

Your sins were forgiven (Colossians 1:14)

You received eternal life (John 5:24)

You became a child of God and a member of His family (John 1:12-13)

As God’s child you now can experience His special purpose and plan for your life. (John 10:10; 2 Corinthians 5:17)

Next steps…

Go to God in Prayer. Talk to Him each day. (Philippians 4:6-7)

Read God’s Word every day. It will build your faith. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Obey God when you know what is right. (John 14:21)

Witness – tell others about your faith in Christ by your life and words. (1 Peter 3:15-16)

Trust God with every detail of your life. (1 Peter 5:7)

Holy Spirit – This is God’s Spirit living in you. Allow Him to give you His power to live your life and tell others (Galatians 5:16; Acts 1:8)