I can not describe the personal joy and
contentment that fills my life today after having
been saved by Jesus; it is non stop and around
the clock 24/7!
I truly feel like a new man with a new lease on
life. I see the world, God’s World differently
now. God has blessed me with a whole new
approach to life. It is a wonderful calm feeling
I live by now with more patience and
understanding to whatever issues should come
my way.
I promise you, that once you accept Jesus Christ
as your Lord and Savior you will also have a
new lease on life and things will change for you
in amazing ways.
Remember we are all sinners and Jesus gives
you through his death and resurrection a chance
to be saved and to life a fresh new life in his
glory.
Please contact me if you want spiritual
encouragement.
Write to me at:
dickmorgan@witness4jesus.com
contentment that fills my life today after having
been saved by Jesus; it is non stop and around
the clock 24/7!
I truly feel like a new man with a new lease on
life. I see the world, God’s World differently
now. God has blessed me with a whole new
approach to life. It is a wonderful calm feeling
I live by now with more patience and
understanding to whatever issues should come
my way.
I promise you, that once you accept Jesus Christ
as your Lord and Savior you will also have a
new lease on life and things will change for you
in amazing ways.
Remember we are all sinners and Jesus gives
you through his death and resurrection a chance
to be saved and to life a fresh new life in his
glory.
Please contact me if you want spiritual
encouragement.
Write to me at:
dickmorgan@witness4jesus.com
The Steps of Salvation
The Bible teaches that sin is a transgression of God’s law (1
John 3:4). All people who know the difference between right and
wrong have sinned (Romans 3:23). Our sins separate us from
God (Isaiah 59:1,2). The punishment for sin is death (Romans 6:
23). This is "the second death" which is "the lake of fire"
(Revelation 21:8)
.
God loves us. He does not want us to be punished for our sins.
Therefore, He has provided a way for us to be forgiven (John 3:
16). God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our
sins (1 John 4:10). Jesus suffered the punishment which we
should have received for our sins (Isaiah 53:4-6). He did not die
for His own sins, for He had none (2 Corinthians 5:21). He
suffered for our sins on the cross so that we can be forgiven
(Romans 5:6-8; 1 Peter 2:24).
In order for us to be forgiven of our sins, and therefore receive
eternal life, we must accept the salvation which Christ has made
possible. There are five steps which we must take to receive this
salvation.
Hear
First, we must hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Bible
teaches that "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word
of God" (Romans 10:17). One is not a Christian because his
parents are. Faith cannot be inherited (Ezekiel 18:20). Each
person must believe in Jesus Christ for himself. Christianity is a
religion of teaching (Matthew 28:19,20). Unless one has heard
the Gospel and learned that Jesus Christ died for his sins, was
buried, and arose from the dead, he cannot be saved (1
Corinthians 15:1-4). The apostle Paul wrote: "How then shall they
call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they
believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they
hear without a preacher" (Romans 10:14)? One must first hear
the Gospel before he can believe it.
Believe
Second, one must believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the
living God (Matthew 16:16). Jesus said: "...if you do not believe
that I am He, you will die in your sins" (John 8:24). The jailor at
Philippi asked Paul and Silas, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
They told him to "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will
be saved, you and your household" (Acts 16:30,31). Jesus also
said: "He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who
does not believe will be condemned" (Mark 16:16). One comes to
believe in Jesus Christ when he hears the Gospel taught. Faith
comes only by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17). This is
the reason it is so important that the Gospel be preached to the
whole world (Mark 16:15).
Repent
Third, one must repent of his sins in order to be saved (Acts 17:
30,31). Jesus commanded that "repentance and remission of
sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at
Jerusalem" (Luke 24:47). Repentance is a result of being sorry
for one’s sins (2 Corinthians 7:10). When the Jews on Pentecost
Day learned from Peter that they had crucified the Son of God,
they "were cut to the heart" ( Acts 2:37). They wanted to be
forgiven of their sins, so they asked, "What shall we do?" They
were told to "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the
name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins..." (Acts 2:37,38).
When one repents, he turns away from his sins (1 Thessalonians
1:9). He shows he has repented by doing good works
(Matthew 3:8).
Confess
Fourth, one must confess that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the
living God (Matthew 16:16). This great truth is the very
foundation upon which the church of Christ is built (Matthew 16:
18; Acts 4:11,12; 1 Corinthians 3:11). Jesus said that we must be
willing to confess Him before men if we want Him to confess us
before the Father (Matthew 10:32,33). The apostle Paul wrote:
"But what does it say? ‘The word is near you, in your mouth and
in your heart’ (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 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 10:8-10).
When Philip preached Jesus to the Ethiopian eunuch, the
eunuch asked, "What hinders me from being baptized?" Philip
told him he could be baptized if he believed. The eunuch then
confessed, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God" (Acts 8:
35-38). We must make this important, yet simple confession also
in order to be saved.
Be Baptized
Fifth, one must be baptized in order to be saved. Jesus said: "He
who believes and is baptized will be saved" (Mark 16:16). Please
note that baptism follows belief. One who does not believe the
Gospel cannot be truly baptized. Therefore, babies cannot be
baptized for they are too young to (1) have sin, (2) hear the
Gospel, (3) repent of sins, and (4) confess that Jesus Christ is
the Son of God. Baptism also follows repentance. On Pentecost
Day, Peter told those who asked what to do to be saved to
"Repent, and let every one of you be baptized..." (Acts 2:38).
One cannot be truly baptized who has not truly repented.
Baptism is a burial in water (Romans 6:3,4; Colossians 2:12).
Therefore, sprinkling or pouring are not proper baptism. Baptism
is in order to be saved (Mark 16:16; 1 Peter 3:21). One is not
saved before he is baptized! Baptism is "for the remission
(forgiveness) of sins" (Acts 2:38). Just as Jesus shed His blood
for the remission of sins (Matthew 26:28), so we are baptized in
order to receive the remission of sins. In baptism, the sinner’s
sins are washed away by the blood of Jesus ( Acts 22:16;
Revelation 1:5).
What does one have to do in order to be forgiven of his sins? He
must (1) Hear the Gospel of Christ; (2) Believe that Jesus Christ
is the Son of God; (3) Repent of all his past sins; (4) Confess
that Christ is God’s Son; (5) Be baptized for the remission of
sins. When he does this, he is added by the Lord to His church
(Acts 2:41,47). He is born again (John 3:3-5; 2 Corinthians 5:17).
He is in Christ where all spiritual blessings are to be found
(Ephesians 1:3; Galatians 3:26,27). In short, he is a Christian
(Acts 11:26; 26:28; 1 Peter 4:16).
Are you saved from your sins? Have
you taken these simple steps to
salvation? If not, why not do so today?
The Bible teaches that sin is a transgression of God’s law (1
John 3:4). All people who know the difference between right and
wrong have sinned (Romans 3:23). Our sins separate us from
God (Isaiah 59:1,2). The punishment for sin is death (Romans 6:
23). This is "the second death" which is "the lake of fire"
(Revelation 21:8)
.
God loves us. He does not want us to be punished for our sins.
Therefore, He has provided a way for us to be forgiven (John 3:
16). God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our
sins (1 John 4:10). Jesus suffered the punishment which we
should have received for our sins (Isaiah 53:4-6). He did not die
for His own sins, for He had none (2 Corinthians 5:21). He
suffered for our sins on the cross so that we can be forgiven
(Romans 5:6-8; 1 Peter 2:24).
In order for us to be forgiven of our sins, and therefore receive
eternal life, we must accept the salvation which Christ has made
possible. There are five steps which we must take to receive this
salvation.
Hear
First, we must hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Bible
teaches that "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word
of God" (Romans 10:17). One is not a Christian because his
parents are. Faith cannot be inherited (Ezekiel 18:20). Each
person must believe in Jesus Christ for himself. Christianity is a
religion of teaching (Matthew 28:19,20). Unless one has heard
the Gospel and learned that Jesus Christ died for his sins, was
buried, and arose from the dead, he cannot be saved (1
Corinthians 15:1-4). The apostle Paul wrote: "How then shall they
call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they
believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they
hear without a preacher" (Romans 10:14)? One must first hear
the Gospel before he can believe it.
Believe
Second, one must believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the
living God (Matthew 16:16). Jesus said: "...if you do not believe
that I am He, you will die in your sins" (John 8:24). The jailor at
Philippi asked Paul and Silas, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
They told him to "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will
be saved, you and your household" (Acts 16:30,31). Jesus also
said: "He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who
does not believe will be condemned" (Mark 16:16). One comes to
believe in Jesus Christ when he hears the Gospel taught. Faith
comes only by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17). This is
the reason it is so important that the Gospel be preached to the
whole world (Mark 16:15).
Repent
Third, one must repent of his sins in order to be saved (Acts 17:
30,31). Jesus commanded that "repentance and remission of
sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at
Jerusalem" (Luke 24:47). Repentance is a result of being sorry
for one’s sins (2 Corinthians 7:10). When the Jews on Pentecost
Day learned from Peter that they had crucified the Son of God,
they "were cut to the heart" ( Acts 2:37). They wanted to be
forgiven of their sins, so they asked, "What shall we do?" They
were told to "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the
name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins..." (Acts 2:37,38).
When one repents, he turns away from his sins (1 Thessalonians
1:9). He shows he has repented by doing good works
(Matthew 3:8).
Confess
Fourth, one must confess that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the
living God (Matthew 16:16). This great truth is the very
foundation upon which the church of Christ is built (Matthew 16:
18; Acts 4:11,12; 1 Corinthians 3:11). Jesus said that we must be
willing to confess Him before men if we want Him to confess us
before the Father (Matthew 10:32,33). The apostle Paul wrote:
"But what does it say? ‘The word is near you, in your mouth and
in your heart’ (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 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 10:8-10).
When Philip preached Jesus to the Ethiopian eunuch, the
eunuch asked, "What hinders me from being baptized?" Philip
told him he could be baptized if he believed. The eunuch then
confessed, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God" (Acts 8:
35-38). We must make this important, yet simple confession also
in order to be saved.
Be Baptized
Fifth, one must be baptized in order to be saved. Jesus said: "He
who believes and is baptized will be saved" (Mark 16:16). Please
note that baptism follows belief. One who does not believe the
Gospel cannot be truly baptized. Therefore, babies cannot be
baptized for they are too young to (1) have sin, (2) hear the
Gospel, (3) repent of sins, and (4) confess that Jesus Christ is
the Son of God. Baptism also follows repentance. On Pentecost
Day, Peter told those who asked what to do to be saved to
"Repent, and let every one of you be baptized..." (Acts 2:38).
One cannot be truly baptized who has not truly repented.
Baptism is a burial in water (Romans 6:3,4; Colossians 2:12).
Therefore, sprinkling or pouring are not proper baptism. Baptism
is in order to be saved (Mark 16:16; 1 Peter 3:21). One is not
saved before he is baptized! Baptism is "for the remission
(forgiveness) of sins" (Acts 2:38). Just as Jesus shed His blood
for the remission of sins (Matthew 26:28), so we are baptized in
order to receive the remission of sins. In baptism, the sinner’s
sins are washed away by the blood of Jesus ( Acts 22:16;
Revelation 1:5).
What does one have to do in order to be forgiven of his sins? He
must (1) Hear the Gospel of Christ; (2) Believe that Jesus Christ
is the Son of God; (3) Repent of all his past sins; (4) Confess
that Christ is God’s Son; (5) Be baptized for the remission of
sins. When he does this, he is added by the Lord to His church
(Acts 2:41,47). He is born again (John 3:3-5; 2 Corinthians 5:17).
He is in Christ where all spiritual blessings are to be found
(Ephesians 1:3; Galatians 3:26,27). In short, he is a Christian
(Acts 11:26; 26:28; 1 Peter 4:16).
Are you saved from your sins? Have
you taken these simple steps to
salvation? If not, why not do so today?