The love of God makes salvation possible for us.
John 3:16 NKJV
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Christ’s blood paid a debt we could never pay.
1 John 1:7 NKJV
But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
The good news is that salvation is free to all who will believe and it cannot be earned by turning over a new leaf, denying ourselves or by any good works we might perform.
Titus 3:5-7 NKJV
[5] not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, [6] whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, [7] that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Salvation through Christ makes you into a new person who loves the Lord and desires to serve and obey Him with all your heart.
2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Recognition of sin
Admit that you are a sinner.
Romans 3:23 NKJV
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
1 John 1:8 NKJV
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
The wages of sin is death
Unless you recognize your sinful state and make a change, your soul will be eternally lost.
Romans 6:23 NKJV
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Believe God and receive Him by grace through faith
You cannot save yourself. You need the Savior. Believe God and His Word.
Acts 16:31 NKJV
So they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household."
Hebrews 11:6 NKJV
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Ephesians 2:8-9 NKJV
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, [9] not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Repent
Feel regret for sin, change your mind, and turn from sin to God. Demonstrate the change in your heart by your actions.
Luke 13:3 NKJV
I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.
Matthew 3:8 NKJV
Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance,
Acts 20:21 NKJV
…repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
Confession of sin and forgiveness
Confession of sin is a fruit of repentance and it brings to light those deeds that keep you in bondage.
1 John 1:9 NKJV
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
James 5:16 NKJV
Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
Be converted. . . and born again
This is what God does for you. This is the new birth – a miracle of spiritual life performed by the Holy Spirit through faith in the sacrificial, atoning blood of Jesus Christ.
Matthew 18:3 NKJV
and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
John 3:3 NKJV
Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
Acts 3:19 NKJV
Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,
Restore peace with others
Restoring peace with others means going back to someone we have offended to acknowledge our wrong doing, ask for forgiveness and if appropriate repay for the loss. Because you recognize Christ has paid the price for your sin you will desire to be at peace with man as well as with God, which includes forgiveness of others.
Romans 12:18 NKJV
If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.
Romans 14:19 NKJV
Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.
Matthew 6:14-15 NKJV
"For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. [15] But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Be baptized with water
Baptism is an outward testimony of an inward transformation and a symbol of the burial of the old nature.
Mark 16:16 NKJV
He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
Colossians 2:12 NKJV
buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.
Admit that you are a sinner.
Romans 3:23 NKJV
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
1 John 1:8 NKJV
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
The wages of sin is death
Unless you recognize your sinful state and make a change, your soul will be eternally lost.
Romans 6:23 NKJV
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Believe God and receive Him by grace through faith
You cannot save yourself. You need the Savior. Believe God and His Word.
Acts 16:31 NKJV
So they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household."
Hebrews 11:6 NKJV
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Ephesians 2:8-9 NKJV
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, [9] not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Repent
Feel regret for sin, change your mind, and turn from sin to God. Demonstrate the change in your heart by your actions.
Luke 13:3 NKJV
I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.
Matthew 3:8 NKJV
Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance,
Acts 20:21 NKJV
…repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
Confession of sin and forgiveness
Confession of sin is a fruit of repentance and it brings to light those deeds that keep you in bondage.
1 John 1:9 NKJV
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
James 5:16 NKJV
Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
Be converted. . . and born again
This is what God does for you. This is the new birth – a miracle of spiritual life performed by the Holy Spirit through faith in the sacrificial, atoning blood of Jesus Christ.
Matthew 18:3 NKJV
and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
John 3:3 NKJV
Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
Acts 3:19 NKJV
Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,
Restore peace with others
Restoring peace with others means going back to someone we have offended to acknowledge our wrong doing, ask for forgiveness and if appropriate repay for the loss. Because you recognize Christ has paid the price for your sin you will desire to be at peace with man as well as with God, which includes forgiveness of others.
Romans 12:18 NKJV
If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.
Romans 14:19 NKJV
Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.
Matthew 6:14-15 NKJV
"For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. [15] But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Be baptized with water
Baptism is an outward testimony of an inward transformation and a symbol of the burial of the old nature.
Mark 16:16 NKJV
He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
Colossians 2:12 NKJV
buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.
Dear Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner.
I believe You died for my sins. Right now, I turn from my sins and open the door of my heart and life.
I confess You as my personal Lord and Savior.
Thank You for saving me. Amen.
Attend church regularly
Associate often with God’s people. Become an active member of a like-minded, Bible believing church. In the church find fellow believers who read and live the truth that can provide accountability to your commitment to surrender totally to the will of God. Don’t try to make it on your own.
Hebrews 10:25 NKJV
not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
Read and obey God’s Word
God’s Word is the source of faith and hope. Read it often, believe it and obey it.
Romans 10:17 NKJV
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
John 15:10 NKJV
If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.
Speak with God in prayer
Prayer is conversation and communion with God.
1 John 5:14-15 NKJV
[14] Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. [15] And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.
Matthew 6:6 NKJV
But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
Resist the devil
Temptation is not sin but yielding to temptation is sin. We are called to be overcomers of sin.
1 Corinthians 10:13 NKJV
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
Revelation 21:7 NKJV
He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.
James 4:7 NKJV
Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
Be separated from the sin of the world
As he instructed his chosen people, Israel, to remain apart from the world, He also instructed His church in the New Testament to “come out from among them, and be ye separate.” (2 Corinthians 6:17) The Bible knows nothing of salvation apart from obedience. A superficial decision to “accept the Lord” while retaining a love for the pleasures of the sin of the world will not yield the power that transforms the soul and consistently overcomes sin.
1 John 2:15 NKJV
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
Be transformed (fundamentally changed) within
A born again believer considers self-denial and self-discipline a privilege.
Romans 12:1-2 NKJV
[1] I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. [2] And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Come out from among sinful men
Christ loved the sinners but not the sin. He was sinless as we should strive to be. How can we be ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20) if we participate in sinful activities?
2 Corinthians 6:17-18 NKJV
[17] Therefore "Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you." [18] "I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the LORD Almighty."
Practice holiness in your life
By the power of Christ through the Holy Spirit, seek to live an overcoming, pure life in all your thoughts, motives, conversation and actions.
1 Peter 1:15-16 NKJV
[15] but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, [16] because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy."
Hebrews 12:14 NKJV
Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:
Philippians 4:13 NKJV
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Come boldly and with confidence in God, looking forward to the eternal reward
The Bible is the word of truth. If we read it, believe it, and live it we have a promise of heaven forever. We must never give up in this race. As Christ was resurrected from the grave so shall we be resurrected and live with him forever in heaven if we have repented, been redeemed by the blood of Christ, and remain faithful to death.
Hebrews 4:16 NKJV
Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Hebrews 3:14 NKJV
For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end,
Revelation 22:17 NKJV
…And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.
Associate often with God’s people. Become an active member of a like-minded, Bible believing church. In the church find fellow believers who read and live the truth that can provide accountability to your commitment to surrender totally to the will of God. Don’t try to make it on your own.
Hebrews 10:25 NKJV
not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
Read and obey God’s Word
God’s Word is the source of faith and hope. Read it often, believe it and obey it.
Romans 10:17 NKJV
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
John 15:10 NKJV
If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.
Speak with God in prayer
Prayer is conversation and communion with God.
1 John 5:14-15 NKJV
[14] Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. [15] And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.
Matthew 6:6 NKJV
But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
Resist the devil
Temptation is not sin but yielding to temptation is sin. We are called to be overcomers of sin.
1 Corinthians 10:13 NKJV
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
Revelation 21:7 NKJV
He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.
James 4:7 NKJV
Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
Be separated from the sin of the world
As he instructed his chosen people, Israel, to remain apart from the world, He also instructed His church in the New Testament to “come out from among them, and be ye separate.” (2 Corinthians 6:17) The Bible knows nothing of salvation apart from obedience. A superficial decision to “accept the Lord” while retaining a love for the pleasures of the sin of the world will not yield the power that transforms the soul and consistently overcomes sin.
1 John 2:15 NKJV
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
Be transformed (fundamentally changed) within
A born again believer considers self-denial and self-discipline a privilege.
Romans 12:1-2 NKJV
[1] I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. [2] And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Come out from among sinful men
Christ loved the sinners but not the sin. He was sinless as we should strive to be. How can we be ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20) if we participate in sinful activities?
2 Corinthians 6:17-18 NKJV
[17] Therefore "Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you." [18] "I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the LORD Almighty."
Practice holiness in your life
By the power of Christ through the Holy Spirit, seek to live an overcoming, pure life in all your thoughts, motives, conversation and actions.
1 Peter 1:15-16 NKJV
[15] but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, [16] because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy."
Hebrews 12:14 NKJV
Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:
Philippians 4:13 NKJV
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Come boldly and with confidence in God, looking forward to the eternal reward
The Bible is the word of truth. If we read it, believe it, and live it we have a promise of heaven forever. We must never give up in this race. As Christ was resurrected from the grave so shall we be resurrected and live with him forever in heaven if we have repented, been redeemed by the blood of Christ, and remain faithful to death.
Hebrews 4:16 NKJV
Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Hebrews 3:14 NKJV
For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end,
Revelation 22:17 NKJV
…And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.