The ABCs of Salvation
Admit. Believe. Confess.
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The ABC’s of Salvation explain the way of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ in three simple easy to remember steps. Jesus himself said clearly,
Admit you have Sinned
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.
As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one;
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
It is tough to admit that we are wrong. Even before God, we feel we are basically good, and we would like to think we are never as bad as some... The truth is we are all sinners and can never be good enough to earn our way to heaven. God’s Word, the Bible, clearly states that all have sinned (done things that are wrong and against God -Romans 3:23). God is holy and just. Sins against a Holy God deserve punishment. We are told in the Bible that the wages or payment for sin is death—eternal death in hell -Romans 6:23.
However, a loving, merciful God has provided a rescue plan!
Both John the Baptist and Jesus himself began their preaching with the word, ‘Repent’. “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” –Matthew 4:17 NKJV To repent means ‘change one’s mind’ or to turn—to go in another direction. How can we be led to repentance? The first step toward repentance is true sorrow for what we’ve done wrong. “For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.” – 2 Corinthians 7:10 NKJV. Worldly sorrow is more like the regret of a criminal who’s just been caught whereas godly sorrow is the deep remorse or conviction that produces a change in direction. Have you ever felt convicted after doing something wrong? The Bible says that the Holy Spirit is the one that convicts us of our sin. John 16:7-8
Believe on Jesus Christ
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. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
…The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.
Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.”
So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.
And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the Name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
So…what happens next?
Well, that’s up to you! If you are reading this article and want to receive this free gift of eternal life, there is NO reason to wait! God’s Word says,
Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
Not sure how to pray?
If you are not familiar with prayer, it is simply talking to God openly and honestly. In your own words, confess your sins to Him (He knows what they are anyway). Admit that you have broken God’s law. Receive God’s gift of salvation by declaring that you believe in Jesus’ finished work on the cross, His shed blood for your sin, and His resurrection from the grave on the third day. Confess Jesus as Savior and Lord of your life. Your life will be forever changed as you begin a new journey of faith in Him, surrendered to His Lordship.
Still unsure what to pray?
You can pray something like this:
Heavenly Father,
I know that I’ve sinned against You. I realize that the penalty for sin is death. Thank you for sending Your Son, Jesus, to die, shedding His own blood on the cross in my place so that I could receive His righteousness by faith. I now confess my sins to You and ask for Your forgiveness. I believe that Jesus died and rose again so that I can be forgiven and live forever with Him. Here and now, I surrender my life, my plans, my goals to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. By God’s strength, I will seek to share about what God has done in my life with each opportunity God brings my way.
In Jesus Name I pray, Amen.
Remember, the Bible says we are saved by grace through faith. God sees our heart. We are not saved by simply saying some special words in a formal prayer. We are saved when we reach out by faith, admit our sin, believe on Christ and confess Him as our Lord and Savior. Saving faith produces a forever changed life. If you have prayed this prayer, we rejoice with you. Heaven itself is even rejoicing with you!
Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents. – Luke 15:10 NKJV
I prayed to receive Christ! Is that it?
Nope. Your journey as a follower (disciple) of Jesus Christ has just begun. A newborn baby needs nourishment and care to grow, so too you will need God’s Word, the Bible, to learn and grow in your faith. You should also seek out a church (a group of other believers in Jesus Christ) that believes and teaches the unchangeable Word of God. There you find support and encouragement as your faith grows. There will be battles ahead, but you will not have to fight alone. Let us know that you have prayed this prayer and how we can pray for you!
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