Know God

Would you like to know more about what it means to be saved? Or perhaps you just aren’t sure you are a Christian? Here’s how you can come to know God in a personal way!

All have sinned

To understand what it means to be saved, we first need to understand what exactly we are being saved from. The Bible says that we are all born sinners.

Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned."
- Romans 5:12

Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me."
- Psalm 51:5

And it's not just that sin was passed down to us, but each one of us has sinned, and fall short of God's glory."

For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God."
- Romans 3:23

All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all."
- Isaiah 53:6

God is a just and Holy Judge

When we breathe our last breath in this life, we will have to stand before God as our Judge. Not only will we be judged by actions, but we will also be judged by words and by the intentions of our hearts.

And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,"
- Hebrews 9:27

in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel."
- Romans 2:16

But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment."
- Matthew 12:36

You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY.' But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart."
- Matthew 5:27-28

God made a way

When we begin to understand our own sinfulness, and God's holiness, we realize that no amount of good we could ever do would ever give us confidence to stand before God on the Day of Judgement. This is why God sent His Son Jesus Christ. He came to live a sinless life to provide for us a righteousness that we could never earn, and take the punishment of our sins upon Himself.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
- John 3:16

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
- Romans 5:8

The work that Jesus accomplished on the cross brings us into a relationship with God, and imparts to us a perfect righteousness!

And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight—"
- Colossians 1:21-22

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
- Ephesians 2:8-9

Repent and Confess

Having understood that we are sinners in need of salvation from sin and its death penalty, and realizing that Jesus paid the price for that sin, we now simply turn from sin to God in repentant faith, and receive the free gift of salvation offered to us in Christ.

Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,"
- Acts 3:19

That 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.
- Romans 10:9-10

For whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.
- Romans 10:13

Receive the gift!

You can become a Christian right now, wherever you are. Simply confess to God that you know you are a sinner in need of salvation, turn away from your sin (repentance), and that you accept God’s gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. You can pray something like this:

Lord Jesus, Thank you for dying on the cross for me. I confess that I am a sinner and I need your salvation. I turn away from my sin and turn toward You, my Savior. Come into my life right now, and forgive me for my sin. Change my heart and life and fill me with your Holy Spirit. I commit my life to you now, in Jesus name. Amen.

There is no secret formula, so even if your words are a little different, know that God hears your heart. If you have prayed this prayer, confessing your sins to God, repenting and believing in Jesus Christ, you ARE a Christian!

Now What?

If you have prayed this prayer, or have questions, please send us a note, and we would love to help you on the next steps in your walk with Christ. Meanwhile, to help you grow in your walk with the Lord, you should:

Get a Bible and read it every day – If you don’t have one, by all means contact us and we would be happy to send you one free of charge!
Pray daily – The Word of God (the Bible) is God speaking to you. Prayer is you speaking back to God. Even if you aren’t sure how to pray, talk to God about your hopes, fears, everything! Your Heavenly Father is listening.
Begin attending a Bible-teaching church – The best way to grow as a disciple of Christ is to have a steady diet of healthy teaching. Try to find a solid bible teaching church in your area. You could also use the CCA church locato r to find a Calvary Chapel in your area.