HOW TO BE SAVED

When talking about how to be saved, it is best to understand what it means to be saved. This can sound like so much mumbo-jumbo to people that are not familiar with Christian religious terms.

“Being saved” is actually a Biblical term and it has a very definite meaning. In the Gospel of Matthew, the first book of the New Testament, a conversation is recorded where an angel from God tells Joseph about the unusual birth of a child to be born to his wife Mary.[1] Now, Joseph and Mary were not married yet in the sense of modern marriage, so it was not possible for Mary to have a baby. The angel told Joseph that Mary would conceive the baby through a miraculous act of God, making this child the Son of God. The angel told Joseph to give the child the name Jesus. The name Jesus means deliverer and Jesus was to have this name because His purpose for being born into the world was to “save His people from their sins.”[2]

So, right from the beginning of the New Testament we are told that being saved means to be saved from sin. What, then, does it mean to be saved from sin? It simply means for God to forgive the sins you have committed; and when God forgives your sins it is the same to Him as if you had NEVER sinned.[3]

We talked about the good news, the gospel, in an earlier article and we said that the good news is that the death of Jesus made possible the forgiveness of our sins. In Romans 6:10 the Bible says, “For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all.” It goes on to say in verse 11, “Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Then in verses 17 and 18 it says:

But God be thanked that though you were slaves to sin, yet you obeyed from your heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.

From this we can understand that being saved is when God forgives our past sins and transforms our lives in such a way that we can live in a manner that pleases Him. When the Bible says that we become slaves of righteousness it is contrasting our new life against the life we lived as a sinner: a slave to sin. It was our nature to sin but as a Christian it is now our nature to live a life that is right with God. Being saved is not just going to church or trying to quit your bad habits, it is a new start in life.

Now, how to be saved? It is so simple. Jesus said, “Repent, and believe in the gospel.”[4] He asks you to do two simple things for Him.

FIRST: REPENT. Repent means to give up sinning. That sounds impossible at first hearing; but stop to think just a minute, would Jesus, who wants to forgive your sins, tell you to do something you can’t do? The good news is that Jesus will help everyone to give up sin if they really want to do that. This is called grace: God helping you to do what you can’t do on your own.

SECOND: BELIEVE. Believe the good news that Jesus suffered and died on the cross so that your sins can be forgiven. If He did that for you, why would He not forgive your sins if you want to give them up?

How do you go about getting saved? If you are willing to repent and you believe that God will forgive you because Jesus suffered and died for your sins, all you need to do is to tell God just that. In Romans 10:9 –10 the Bible says, “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Telling God these things is called prayer and the Bible promises that “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”[5]

You don’t need a preacher to help you, God will forgive your sins if you will repent, believe in what Jesus has done for you, and pray asking God to forgive you and to change your life. If you want someone to help you, there are ministers and other Christians that will be glad to help.

When you have prayed that prayer, a miracle will take place in your life. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:17 , “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” Isn’t that wonderful! So many have found it to be true in their lives.

When you have prayed and you know that God has forgiven you, start your new life by taking time every day to read some in the Bible and spend some time talking with God—He has a lot to show you. Also, seek out a Bible believing church where you can find other Christians who know God and can help you in your new life.

[1] Matthew 1:18–25

[2] Matthew 1:21

[3] This is what the Bible calls justification.

[4] Mark 1:15

[5] Romans 10:13