If you take the time to look, and perhaps you have, you will find many different people who say many different things about what it means to be “saved” and how a person may obtain that salvation. Some will tell you that salvation is through belief on Jesus Christ, some will tell you it is through baptism and belief, some through doing good works, others that no one can know how to be saved regardless. The variations are endless – But who is correct? Can we even know?

The truth is that there is not a man on the earth whose opinion matters when it comes to salvation. If you want to know how to correctly repair your car when something goes wrong, your best option would be to read the manual that was written by the manufacturer of the car. You could trust someone else who claims to know how to fix your car, but their advice is only good advice if they say the same thing that the manufacturer’s manual says. For complete assurance that you are doing it right, you need to go to the source.

Just like a car manufacturer writes a manual so that a person can know how to fix their car properly, the Author of Salvation, God Himself, has given man a written record of how he can be saved. Certainly we can listen to what others say, and some of them may even be correct in their guidance, but their teaching is only correct if they say the same thing that God says in the Bible.

So what does God say in the Bible about salvation?

Every Man Needs Salvation

1. You are a sinner



The Bible says:



• For there is not a just man upon the earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not – Ecclesiastes 7:20
• For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God – Romans 3:23
• Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. – Romans 5:12



The Bible is clear: all men are sinners. SIN is defined as anything a we say, do, or even think that offends the character, nature, or law of God.



• God’s law states: Thou shalt not bear false witness – Exodus 20:16. Have you ever lied? That makes you a liar, and a sinner.
• God’s law states: Thou shalt not steal – Exodus 20:15 . Have you ever stolen? That makes you a thief, and a sinner.
• God’s law states: Honour thy father and thy mother – Exodus 20:12 . Have you ever disobeyed your parents? God calls that rebellion, and it is sin.
• God’s law states: Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's – Exodus 20:17. Have you ever wanted something that did not belong to you? God calls that lust, and it is a sin.



It doesn’t take long to see that every man who has ever been created is a sinner. There is not a man upon this earth that has not offended God’s law. Perhaps you say, “But I’ve never done anything really bad, like murder or steal. I’m a lot better than most people.” God’s word talks about that too:




James 2:10 says – For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.




Even if you did everything right, and only one time you lied, or got angry, or stole, or disobeyed your authority, the Bible says you are just as guilty before God as any other sinner on earth.



2. Your sin condemns you to an eternity of punishment in the lake of fire



The Bible says:



• For the wages [payment] of sin is death... - Romans 6:23
• But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. - Revelation 21:8



Regardless of the good things you might have done, and regardless of whether or not you choose to believe in a literal hell, the Bible is clear: Hell is real, and Hell is the divine punishment for man's sins.



• Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. - Romans 3:20
• ...if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. But the scripture hath concluded all under sin... Galatians 3:21-22.



All men are sinners, and all sinners are condemned to the lake of fire. Nothing you can do can save you from the divine punishment for your sin

BUT...

God has provided a way for you to be saved from Hell

1. Jesus Christ died for your sins


• For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. - John 3:16



God's justice demands payment for every sin ever committed. But God loves His creation, mankind, so much that He chose to send His own Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the penalty on the cross that we could not pay ourselves. Jesus Christ purchased our sin debt with His blood on the cross, so that any man, and all men, who believe on Him can be pardoned from the penalty of their sin and have restored fellowship with God.



• For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. - Romans 5:6-8



You cannot save yourself. You can never pay the debt of sin that you owe. But you don't have to: Christ has already paid the debt! You simply need to accept the gift!



2. Jesus Christ rose again to give you eternal life


• If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. - 1 Corinthians 15:19-22
• Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. - 1 Peter 1:18-21



The death of Jesus Christ secured the pardon of all who will believe on His name. The resurrection of Jesus Christ secured eternal life for those who believe on his name.



3. Salvation is through belief on Jesus Christ alone



Jesus Christ Himself said:



• He that believeth on him [Jesus Christ] is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. - John 3:18



The great standard for salvation is belief on the name of Jesus Christ



• Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole...Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. - Acts 4:10-12
• But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. - John 20:31



What does it mean to believe?




Belief is not simply acknowledging Christ's existence. In fact, in James 2:19 the Bible say, "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble". Even the demons believe that Jesus Christ is God and that He died and rose again. When the Bible speaks of belief, it encompasses two distinct realities:



• Repentance - To believe on Jesus Christ means to "change your mind" about Christ and His authority over your life as your Savior and Creator.
• Faith - To believe on Jesus Christ means to accept as true the word of God as it has been given to you.



If you recognize that you are a sinner in need of salvation from the penalty of your sin. If you believe that Jesus Christ died for you to pay the penalty of your sin and rose again to give you eternal life, would you accept Jesus Christ as your Savior and be saved today?




The Bible says: "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13). Would you call out to God today and acknowledge your sin before Him? Tell Him that you believe His word - that Jesus died on the cross for your sins and rose again to give you eternal life. Tell Him that you accept His free gift of salvation which was purchased for you by His Son on the cross.




If you have believed on Jesus Christ today, your sins are forgiven and you are on your way to heaven! We praise God alone for His power to save, and eagerly welcome you to what we often refer to as the "family of God", with God as our Father. We would also love to hear of your decision. Please send us an email through our contact form to let us know of your salvation, and we will tell you what the "next step" is in your new Christian life. God bless!