Salvation

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

How does a person become saved?

The Scripture is very clear on what it takes to become saved. Romans 10:9 -10 states, "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." Salvation comes by confessing with your mouth and believing in your heart that Jesus died on the cross and was raised from the dead. Salvation does not come through going to church or being water baptized. While these things are good and we encourage you to partake in them, partaking in them does not make you saved. Going to church and being water baptized doesn't make you saved anymore than walking into a garage makes you a car.

Who can receive salvation?

Anyone who confesses Jesus Christ as stated in the Scripture can receive salvation. Jesus said in John 6:37 that those who come to him, "he will in no wise cast them out."

In fact, God loves you so much that He has given you choice. You can choose to believe in Him and have life, or not to believe in Him and have death. He will not force either choice on you, but know that when you do not choose God you are indeed making the choice not to believe in Him.

Can I get saved through other means or religions?

Many people often notice the similarities between Christianity and other religions. However, the one distinction is the major separation. Christianity is not about religion, it is about a relationship between God and man - a relationship that is only attainable through Jesus Christ. In John 14:6 Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man come unto the Father, but by me." The only means of receiving salvation is through Jesus Christ. I Corinthians 15:22 says that, "for as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." (For more study see Romans 5:14-21). Through one man's (Adam) one sin all were condemned. Through one man's (Jesus Christ) one sacrifice all sin was forgiven.

I'm not a bad person, why do I need salvation?

The need for salvation is not based on what you do or don't do. The Scripture says in Ephesians 2:8 -9 that it is, "by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast." Therefore, salvation is not based on good works or bad works. Salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ.

Everyday people are trying to answer the question of why am I here? What was I placed on earth to do? True answers to these questions and others like them can only be found in relationship with God through Jesus Christ. We try other things, and other religions, yet the void is never filled.

Do you know that God wants to be involved in every detail, every area of your life? In the 8th chapter of Psalm, David speaks of how excellent is the Name of the Lord. He goes on to say, how can the God, who created the heavens and the earth be so concerned about mankind. In Psalm 8:4, he writes, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? He continues to speak about how God has given man dominion over all of the works of his hand or all of the things he created. David is amazed that God, so majestic and so powerful, is concerned with man. So concerned that He thinks about man and that he takes time to pay attention to man or attend to man. That is what the writer meant by the word visit. God is so concerned about us that He devised a plan of salvation for us, when we were not concerned about our own salvation. God was thinking about us when we were not thinking about him.

I WANT TO BE SAVED.... RIGHT NOW!

Prayer of Salvation
(Pray this prayer with your mouth and believe it with your heart):

Lord Jesus I come to you now confessing that I am a sinner. Jesus I confess with my mouth and believe in my heart that you died on the cross for my sins and that you were raised from the dead. You took the punishment I deserve. Jesus I invite you into my heart and into my life. I accept you as my Lord and Savior. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

If you prayed this prayer you have just become a partaker of the gift of salvation offered by God through Jesus Christ. You might not physically feel different right now, but you are saved and when you leave this life heaven is your home.

Now that I am saved, where do I go from here?

Now that you are "heaven bound", get to know the heart and character of God. Most people, when asked do they believe in God respond with a definite yes. Yet many of them are clueless when it comes to who God is and the existence of His character. Most people contribute a belief in God to that which is equal to a higher power, a force in the universe, or something outside of human existence. Yet, none of these sum up to a belief in God. And yet, even those who are confessing Christians and state a strong belief in God, tend to know very little about the character and heart of God. Many people have some knowledge of God, but don't know God. They have not taken time to develop a relationship with God. For example, you probably can name several facts about the President of the United States. You can give me his name, his wife's name, and the names of his daughters. You probably know background information about his education, and even his wife. Yet, if I were to ask you if you knew him, you would have to answer no. You see all of the information you have on the President is public knowledge. It's information that anyone can obtain. However, there are other things that only his parents, wife, children, family and close friends would know about him. They have access to his heart. They are acquainted with his character. It is the same way with God. Many of us have a general knowledge about God, yet we have not become acquainted with His character. We have not entered into personal relationship with Him, in order that we may come to know His thoughts and His heart. I speak with Christians on a daily basis who attend church, serve in an auxiliary, attend seminary or Bible training, but don't know God. I listen to them blame things on God that He would never do. For example, people often blame God for death and tragedy. However, this is not a part of the character of God. Nor is it the heart of God to see His people suffer. God is the giver of life. In John 14:6, Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. He also said in John 10:10 that He came that we might have life and have it abundantly. God's desire is to give us abundant life while we are on earth. God is not sitting in heaven waiting to inflict pain and suffering on us. Instead, our tears and afflictions touch God. 3 John 1:2 tells us that God wants us to prosper and be in health even as our soul, which is given eternal life through salvation in Jesus Christ, prospers.

And so you may ask, how can one know the character and heart of God?

1. Study the Word of God
God's character and His heart are revealed in His word. He gives us a clear picture of who He is and how He operates. In the Word of God you will find knowledge about God's grace, His mercy, His longsuffering, His love, His temperance, His patience, and other attributes. God is our Father. Unlike some to the earthly fathers we may know, God longs to show his love to His children. He longs to showering them with His abundant grace and mercy. He is not looking for ways to punish you. He is looking for opportunities to show His love toward you.

2. Fellowship with God
You will learn to hear God's voice as you spend time in fellowship with Him. We fellowship with God through prayer, praise and worship, and soaking in His Presence. These elements allow us to experience the character of God and to develop an intimate relationship with Him. Prayer is two-way communication between you and God. It is through prayer that you speak to God and God speaks to you. Prayer allows you to become acquainted with the Spirit of God. The Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, speaks to your spirit and leads you in the things of God. Praise allows you to experience the goodness of God and to express your gratitude for the things He has done. It is in our praise that we thank God for the numerous blessings He has bestowed upon us. Praise is expressed in our hands, in our feet and with our mouth. The Bible says let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Worship allows us to thank God for who He is opposed to what He has done. In worship we acknowledge with reverence His presence. It is in that we are able to surrender and submit - a surrendering and a submission that releases the power of God in our life. And then there is soaking: the process of becoming softened and saturated as a consequence of being immersed in God's presence! As we soak in the presence of God, we connect with the Holy Spirit, and we allow the Spirit of God to work in us and through us, renewing and repairing any area of our life- physical, spiritual, or emotional.

3. Fellowship with Man
Your relationship with God is most manifested in your relationship with your fellow mankind. You cannot say you love God and hate your brother/sister. Your love for God should be evident in how you interact with other human beings. Fellowship with God through Jesus Christ will enable you to love your neighbor as yourself. It will enable you to be patient and longsuffering. The patience and longsuffering that God shows to you will manifest in your relationship with others.

Lastly, we would like to hear from you so that we can rejoice with you in your decision to make Jesus Lord of your life. Please click here to have your name added to our prayer request list.

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