Things You'll Need:
- Realization that we all sin and fall short
- Desire to believe in Jesus and be saved
- Humility to repent sincerely
- Patience and determination to truly repent and walk out your salvation
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Step 1
Realize that we all sin and fall short. We have all strayed and we cannot be perfect enough on our own. Yet, God loves us very much and wants to reconcile with us.
"If a man had many sheep and one got lost, he would look everywhere until he found it. God would rejoice more for the one found sheep than for all the others that stayed close to home." Luke 15:1-17
Have you ever told a lie before? Yes, me too. Have you ever dishonored your parents? Yes, I have too. Have you ever put other people, places, things, ideas, or hobbies before God? Have you ever use the Lord's name vain? (This includes using God, Jesus, Christ, etc. in ways that are not respectful or necessary e.g. "Oh my God")
Have you ever stolen something? Whether it was a $1 or $1,000,000 matters not - it would still be theft. People who still thousands or millions don't start off that way, they start small and keep going. Have you ever coveted your neighbor's goods (jealousy)?
Have you ever committed adultery? Have you ever murdered someone? Jesus said that if you lust after a woman (or man) in your heart (like undressing someone in your mind) then this is adultery too. And if you have wished someone serious harm or death this would be murder in the heart. If you have ever experience unfair evil circumstances like a spouse committing adultery, a drunk driver killing a family member, public unjust slander of an honest person, a loved one being brutally attacked or raped, or the murder of a child whether accidental or through abortion - then you may have in your heart experienced some murderous or revengeful thoughts. It is only human to do so - very few can go through a spouse committing adultery, brutal rape, unfair murder of a loved one with a smile and extended peace & forgiveness the whole time from start to finish. Anger is a well accepted stage of the grieving process.
Do you always keep the Sabbath holy? Most don't. In fact, most who are not saved commit a lot of sin on the Sabbath. And the world provides a lot of opportunities to forget the Sabbath or to distract us from keeping the Sabbath. Keeping it is for our own benefit - to honor God, connect with Him, and to rest and rejuvenate for the following week. -
Step 2
Repent out of a pure motivation.
Pure motivation would be realizing that you have sinned, fall short of perfect, and are sincerely sorry. Repent means to be truly sorry for your sin, feeling this in your heart and gut as well as understanding in your mind that your sins will separate you from God. Repent also means that you hate your former sins and sinful life so much that you are willing to turn from it completely - doing a 180 from your sins.
Repent is not just a thought, prayer, confession, or quick fix - true repentance is hating your sin and turning from it. This means to stop the sin - do ALL in your power to stop the sin. Turn from it, run from it, and if it is an addiction or a deep rooted sin - like an iniquity from your family line [alcohol, drugs, anger, pornography, self pity, depression, lust, gluttony - something that has been passed down] - then get help from a pastor, counselor, addictions center, accountable bible study leader, and do all you can to stop - read books on how to break it, avoid the people who pull you into it, stop hanging out at the places where the sin occurs, etc.
Draw the line in the sand and do what you need to do to stop the sin as well as enlist all the help and assistance you need to stop. Draw the line in sand that you will STOP the sin, do whatever it takes to stop, and don't give up. God can deliver from all kinds of sin and addiction; however, you must do your part and that requires exercising your own will (freedom of choice) and self control as well as running AWAY from people and situations that will drag you back.
John the Baptist called people to repentance before the arrival of Jesus Christ. We must repent and then call on the name of Jesus. -
Step 3
Call on the name of Jesus - ask Him to forgive you of your sins, come into your heart, and TELL someone else - a pastor, a friend, etc.
John 3:16 For God so greatly loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, so that whoever believes on Him (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish but have eternal (everlasting) life.
An example of a prayer that could be said out loud:
Father, please forgive me for my sins and former sinful lifestyle. I am truly sorry and I desire to change and become a new person in You. I believe and accept Jesus into my heart. I choose to make Him my Savior and the Lord of my life. I lay down my life and selfish desires to live a new life through You. Guide me to the right bible believing church and to the right friends who will help me grow. Give me the strength and the way to break all my sins and bondage. I ask this in Jesus name. Amen.
The bible says that you must believe in your heart, mind, soul, and spirit in Jesus. It also says that you must confess Jesus is our Lord and Savior - confess means saying it out loud to someone else. -
Step 4
Get baptised in water. Jesus himself was baptised and he did this as an example for his followers to follow. This is an outward expression of the symbolic washing away of sins and becoming a new person in Christ.
Those who are baptised immediately after asking Jesus into their hearts and receiving salvation usually find it easier to lay aside the sins and lifestyle that previously snared them.
The human being is naturally stubborn and prideful. Living a life following Jesus requires effort make the choice to follow Christ in all ways, accepting Him, being baptised, obeying the commands, and laying aside selfish desires for more altruistic ones. -
Step 5
Now read the manual for your life and the faith. Read the bible daily, even if just a little daily. It is better to understand a few scriptures than to read the whole bible in a month but remember nothing.
Read the Gospels in the New Testament which are Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John because these give you an in-depth picture of Jesus, His life and sacrifice, and what He taught.
Read James - very, very short - because it will help you grow so much as it explains the seriousness about our words. James 3:2 For we all often stumble and offend in many things. And if anyone does not offend in speech [never says the wrong things], he is a fully developed character and a perfect man, able to control hi whole body and to curb his entire nature. James 1:26 If anyone thinks himself to be religious (piously observant of the external duties of his faith) and does not bridle his tongue but deludes his own heart this person's religious service is worthless (futile, barren).
Read Proverbs - this is full of wisdom and learning this wisdom will help to keep you from sinning. It is easy to read 1 Proverb per day of the month, like Proverbs 1 for the 1st day, Proverbs 10 on the 10th day, etc. If you get behind just move to the day your are on. There is so much wisdom in Proverbs you can read it 100 times and still learn more.
Read the old testament for a historical and background prospective. -
Step 6
Get a bible concordance like Strong's to study, this is VERY helpful. Look for one that comes with a CD that has several versions of the bible - this way you can look up the words in a book or on the computer and you can read several versions without having to purchase several versions.
Use the concordance to look up walking in love, staying out of strife, fruit of the spirit, and other issues that you might need healing or more information on - like healing, forgiveness, patience, the tongue, words, faith, gifts, finances, sin, etc. Use the concordance to help study what you need - if I was sick, I would look up healing or if I was in debt, I would look up information in the bible on how to handle my finances. If I have an anger problem and get involved in a lot of strife, then I would need to study self-control and walking in love (also fruit of the spirit) before financial prosperity. -
Step 7
Find a bible-believing church to attend and if they have a bible study group for new believers, use this to learn and get in the Word. Your faith will only be as strong as the Word you know - the Word is your sword according to the bible, it will help you cut through the tough battles in life so that you will end up as a victor and not a victim.
The Word is the truth and Jesus said the truth will set you free. The bible says not to forsake the fellowship (gathering) of believers (the church). -
Step 8
Pray daily and take a few minutes of quite time to just listen - be still and peaceful before God. Ask for prayer as needed and confess your sins as needed.
If you have an addiction, iniquity (family sins being passed down like smoking, drinking, pornography addition, lust, anger, rage, mental illness, depression, etc.), or a health problem or another problem, then ask for prayer. James 5:14 Is anyone among you sick? He should call in the church elders. And they should pray over him, anointing him with oil in the Lord's name.
Confess your sins to a trust Christian person and asked for prayer that you might be delivered and healed. James 5:16 Confess to one another your faults (your slips, your false steps, your offenses, you sins) and pray for one another, that you may be healed and restored [to a spiritual tone of mind and heart]. The earnest prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available.
Comments
heatherinks said
on 8/29/2009 Thanks for the positive comments on How to Be Saved through Jesus Christ. God bless.
lighthouse1958 said
on 8/12/2009 I was thinking of writing a article on this same subject but I'm sure after reading yours mine would have taken 2nd place to yours. Hope you reach alot of people through ehow. You are doing God's work here also. Thanks for loving Jesus.
heatherinks said
on 7/23/2009 Realizing and understanding the need for a savior [Step 1] and repenting out of pure motivation [Step 2] will prevent the phenomenon of "false conversions" that are prevalent today. God bless.
heatherinks said
on 6/27/2009 If it were not for Jesus and the supernatural protection of God, I would not be here today. God protects and miracles are real. God bless.
heatherinks said
on 4/30/2009 True repentance is an often overlooked but very important part of coming to Jesus. Being Saved by Jesus is more than just reciting a prayer - it must be sincere. Thanks for your positive comment on How to Be Saved.