How can I be saved?

Having read this far, do you genuinely want to be saved? Do you want to get right with God — whatever the cost or consequences? If not, you have not grasped the importance of the pages you have read. You should therefore read them again, slowly and carefully, asking God to show you the truth.

If God has shown you your need, and you do want to be saved, then you must turn in repentance toward God, and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

You must repent.

This means a complete change regarding sin. There must be a change of mind. You must admit that you are a sinner, a rebel against a holy and loving God. There must be a change of heart — genuine sorrow and shame at the vileness and filthiness of your sin. Then you must be willing to forsake it and change the direction of your life. God challenges people to do works meet for repentance. You must do this. God will not forgive any sin you are not willing to forsake. To repent is to go in a new direction, seeking wholeheartedly to live in a way that pleases God.

You must have faith in Christ.

First of all, this means accepting that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God and that Christ died for the ungodly. Secondly, it means believing that in his power and love Christ is able and willing to save you. Thirdly, it means actually putting your trust in Christ, relying upon him and him alone to make you right with God. Your proud, sinful nature will fight against abandoning trust in your own ‘goodness’ or religion. Yet you have no alternative. You must stop trusting in anything else and trust only in Christ, who is able to save them to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him.

If God has shown you your need, and given you this desire, then turn to Christ — and do it now! Ideally, pray aloud to him; this may help you to be clear about what you are doing. Confess that you are a guilty, lost and helpless sinner, and with all your heart ask Christ to save you, and to take his rightful place as the Lord of your life, enabling you to turn from sin and to live for him.

The Bible says that if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved and that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. If you truly trust Christ as your Saviour and acknowledge him as your Lord, you can claim these promises as your own.

Acts 20:21, Acts 26:20, Matthew 16:16, Romans 5:6, Hebrews 7:25, Romans 10:9, Romans 10:13