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| SALVATION How To Be Saved REPENT This is the first and most critical step towards salvation: be genuinely sorry for your sins. Confess them to God (name all that come to mind) and ask Him to forgive you. Tell Him that you are sorry for the wrongs you have done and that from this point forward you want a new life in Christ. TURN FROM YOUR SINS Once you ask God's forgiveness, you have it, but you must turn from your old ways. "Repent" means just that: a turning away from the old. To follow Christ means to do as He did and to act as He did. This is the hard part and you will fail many times! Christian friends and mentors can help you in your new walk with Christ, but remember that everyone is human and no one is perfect except Christ. When you do fail, ask for God's forgiveness and help and then proceed on your journey. Remember, the race often is not won by the swift but by the persistent. BE BAPTIZED Jesus told Nicodemus that His followers must be "born again" "of water and of spirit." Jesus simply meant that true conversion comes when the Holy Spirit comes to live inside you ("of spirit") after genuine repentance, which will result in your baptism ("of water"). Jesus was baptized in the Jordan river by John the Baptist - not because He needed to be baptized! - but because He did everything as an example to His followers. The immersion baptism of the true believer shows the death of the old way of living (death to the old self) while raising up out of the water symbolizes Christ's resurrection and the believer's subsequent new life in Him. CHURCH MEMBERSHIP Baptism usually always enrolls the new believer into the fellowship of a church. Very important: find a church where Christ is the center of salvation and praise, one that studies the Bible, one that teaches and follows the biblical ten commandments [there are versions other than those found in Exodus 20], and where sin and repentance are still preached in Christian love. Ice cold churches that have nothing but "the law" and a critical attitude or those "feel good" congregations with little substance should be avoided. Let the Holy Spirit "guide you into all truth." BIBLE STUDY Get into a daily routine of studying God's Word, the Holy Bible. Find a good beginner's Bible study group and study on your own time every day as well. Go to a Christian book store and read several passages from a number of different translations then buy the one you feel most comfortable with. Several translations help in understanding difficult verses so buy more than one if you can. It is still often recommended that you have a copy of the King James version as your primary Bible with other translations added as you can afford them. Read a portion of the Psalms or perhaps Proverbs every day as well as one of the Gospels (Matthew, Luke, Mark, John) then expand your reading as you learn more. PRAYER Make prayer a daily part of your life together with your Bible study. Learn to be in an "attitude of prayer" at all times. This is nothing more than being "connected" to God. You should pray early in the morning to ask for strength and guidance for the day; thank God before your meals; pray about problems that arise during the day and decisions that need to be made; and end the day with prayer. You don't need anything long or fancy: just talk to God as you would a friend. Remember, Jesus is your BEST Friend! STAY IN IT FOR THE LONG HAUL Don't give up! New life in Christ is a rough road and it won't always be easy taking those first baby steps! Always remember that God loves you and sent His Son, Jesus, to die in your place for your sins. Believe Him and trust Him, and know that your sins are forgiven. Heaven and eternity with Christ awaits you - hang in there! Praise the Lord always! SCRIPTURE HELP These verses will be a help to you: John 3 (whole chapter; note 3:16) John 4:23,24 John 16:13 Matthew 6:9-13 Mark 7:20-23 Luke 15:26-33 Revelation 2:17 Revelation 3:11,12 Revelation 21 and 22 (whole chapters) |
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