Learning the Basics of Salvation
Believe that Jesus is the Son of God. Everyone has sinned, or done something wrong, and those sins separate you from God. In the Old Testament of the Bible, people were commanded to make animal sacrifices in order to be forgiven for their sins. However, the New Testament says that God sent His son Jesus to Earth to be killed as the ultimate sacrifice, so that all people could be forgiven if they accepted him. The Bible also says that Jesus was raised from the dead 3 days after he was killed, proving his divine nature. John 3:16 describes God’s gift to humankind: “For God so loved the world, that He gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” Romans 5:8 describes the sacrifice Jesus made for sinners: "But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
Accept that you can't go to heaven unless you become saved in Christ. The Bible says in John 14:6: “Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'" This means that before you can become a follower of Jesus, you have to let go of the idea that there are any other paths to heaven. That’s the only way you can fully understand the significance of Jesus’ sacrifice and the importance of worshipping him. The Bible also makes it clear that you can not be good enough to get into heaven on your own—it is not something that can be accomplished by your “works,” or actions. Ephesians 2:8-9 says: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast."
Ask Jesus to come into your life through the prayer of salvation. Simply acknowledging that Jesus is the Son of God and he died for our sins isn’t enough to get you into heaven. You have to make a conscious decision to become a follower of Jesus, praying to God for forgiveness for your sins. This is known in Christianity as being “born again,” because your life should be different from that moment forward. In John 3:3, the Bible explicitly states that you can not go to heaven without doing this: "Jesus answered to him, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.'"
Become baptized as a sign of your commitment to Christ. Being baptized isn’t necessary to get into heaven. However, God does command His followers to be baptized as a signal to God and the world that you have undergone a significant spiritual experience. As you’re lowered into the water and lifted back up, it symbolizes that Jesus is washing away your sins and bringing you up as a new person. Acts 2:38 describes this command: “And Peter said to them, 'Repent and be baptized every one of them in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'" The fact that baptism isn’t required for salvation was made clear in Luke 23:41, when Jesus was being killed on the cross. A thief who was being executed at the same time asked Jesus, “Remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Although the man would not have time to be baptized, Jesus responded, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Saying the Prayer of Salvation
Pray when you’re ready to commit your life to Christ. This is known as the prayer of salvation. There are no set words to the prayer of salvation because the words aren't what will get you into heaven. It’s the intention in your heart to become a follower of Jesus. Because of that, don’t say the prayer of salvation unless you’re truly ready to dedicate yourself to a Christian life, or else it will be meaningless. Although you may still sin sometimes after you become a born-again Christian, you should strive to always be as much like Jesus as you can be.
Open the prayer by admitting that you have sinned. In Romans 3:23, the Bible says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Even if you’ve tried hard your whole life to be a good person, there has certainly been a time when you told a lie, disrespected your parents, envied someone else’s success, or committed some other sin. The first step in being forgiven for that sin is to admit that it occurred in the first place. For instance, you might start your prayer by saying something like, “Dear God, I know I have sinned and I’m not perfect.” Even one sin, no matter how large or small, is enough to keep you apart from God for eternity. James 2:10 says: "For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it." Romans 6:23 specifies the penalty for sin, and the gift that Jesus gave sinners: "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Repent for those sins and ask for God’s forgiveness. When you become a follower of Christ, you won’t suddenly become perfect. You’ll still face the temptation to sin, and sometimes you might even give in to that temptation. It’s human nature, which is why Jesus’ sacrifice was so powerful. It doesn’t just cover your past sins, but any future sins as well, as long as you’re sincere about following him and trying to do better. For example, you might say, “Lord, please forgive me for my sins. I’m sorry that I haven’t lived up to what you expect of me.” To repent means more than just to apologize. It means to be truly sorry for your sins and to turn away from them. 1 John 1:9 says that God will forgive you if you confess your sins and ask for His mercy: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Pledge to follow Jesus for the rest of your life. Once you’ve asked for forgiveness, tell God that you want to trust Jesus as your Lord and Savior. As your Lord, he will be the leader of your life. As your Savior, you acknowledge that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross as a sacrifice for mankind’s sins, who was raised again, and who now lives in heaven. Through this prayer, you will commit your heart to following Jesus’ teachings and His guidance in your life. For instance, you might conclude your prayer by saying, “I know that Jesus is the Son of God, and I believe that He died on the cross for my sins. Jesus, please come into my heart and help me be more like you. Amen.” The Bible has a number of passages that clearly state that this prayer is the way to be saved, such as Romans 10:9: “Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Acts 4:12 is another verse that makes it clear that this is the only way to heaven: "There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
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