1. Recognize and admit that you are a sinner.
•Psalm 51:5 says "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me." •It is not what you have done, but the position you were born in.
2. Repent of your sin.
•A change of heart, a change of mind, and a change of direction (180 - degree turn). •Repentance doesn’t mean you're sorry, it means you've CHANGED.
3. Confess and Believe
•Romans 10:9-10 says "that 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 believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” •ASK, "Do you believe that God raised Jesus from the dead?" •PRAY, "Jesus, come into my heart and be my Lord and Master."
Once you go through these three steps, you are born again, saved and have eternal life.
There are two additional steps to complete the born-again aspect of salvation.
4. Water baptism and baptism of the Holy Spirit
•Baptism in water is symbolic of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is an outward sign of an inward change. •Be baptized in the Holy Spirit. Acts 1:5 says "For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence."
5. Obedience to God’s Word is, the only way to stay in constant fellowship with the Father, and live life successfully as a Christian.
Questions Concerning Salvation
What is Salvation?
Salvation can best be defined as deliverance from all curses, including death. Thus, salvation cannot be limited to the inital stage of redemption which is the forgiveness of sins. According to the Word of God, one will be saved from enemies (Luke 1:71); saved from sins (Romans 10:1, 9-10); delivered from oppression (Acts 7:25); and saved from physical infirmity (Acts 4:12).
Salvation comes from the Greek word "soteria" which means deliverance. Salvation is used in the New Testament to describe material and temporal deliverance from danger and apprehension. Deliverance menas a release from bondage, imprisonment and liberation from captivity.
Salvation does not mean that one is perfect. However, it does mean that one has been forgiven (Romans 3:23-24).
What does salvation cost me?
The price has already been paid by the blood of Jesus Christ. The bible says in I Corinthians 6:19-20, that you are not your own, but have been bought with a price. Ephesians 2:8 says, "for by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works (your efforts), lest any man should boast."
It should be understood that savation is a process that requires effort. According to Mark 13:13 --"And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved."
Am I going to be tested? Who does the testing?
The bible says in the book of Mark, chapter four that the sower soweth the Word. As the Word is sown, Satan comes to apply the test. He comes to steal your freedom and make you stumble. The Bible says in I Peter 5:8, "the devil as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour."
We must realize that all temptation does not come from Satan, but James 1:13 says, "Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man." According to James 1:2-3, "count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience." Patience when it is finished will leave one perfect, (complete) wanting nothing.
What does knowing Jesus have to do with salvation?
Acts 4:12 says there is no other name named whereby we must be saved. In John 14:6 Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me."
What if I make a mistake?
Now that you have been born again, you are called spiritually a babe in Christ. Just like a baby in the natural, you will stumble and fall. Because you are born again of God, you will not stay down. It is the responsibility of the mature Christian to assist the babe in Christ in his/her growth, and to encourage them to get up.
How do I keep my gift of salvation?
First, you are responsible for keeping your gift. Once you have given your life to Christ, God is not responsible for you remaining saved, and Satan is not responsible for your sins. The Bible says in Hebrews 7:25, "Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him (Jesus) seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them."
Secondly, you are responsible for keeping your gift by studying God's Word. The Bible says in 1 Peter 2:2, that you are to desire the sincere milk of the Word, that you may grow. John 8:31-32, 36 says, "If you continue in my Word, then are you my disciples indeed; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. If the Son, therfore, shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed."