Am I Saved?

“Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas.  And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”  So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”   Acts 16:29-31 NKJV

 

You may have heard the terms, “saved, born-again, became a Christian, gave my heart to the Lord” but you may not know what these terms really mean.

Let’s start at the beginning, if I am saved, I must need to be saved and I must need to be saved from something, or I wouldn’t need to be saved in the first place. Now that sounds confusing, so let’s try to simplify it.

 

1. The Bible says all have sinned.  Romans 3:23 states: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” We can never be good enough or earn our salvation.  We will see below that it is a gift Jesus gives to us.

2. The Bible says that anyone who has ever sinned deserves death for their sins. Romans 6:23 begins with this phrase, “For the wages of sin is death…”

3. God is holy and calls us to be holy.  Our sin separates us from God.  Someone had to pay the penalty for sin. We can choose to pay the penalty ourselves but that means we will spend eternity in Hell, eternally separated from God. Yes, hell is a real place, but God does not want to put anyone there.

4. God is full of mercy, grace and love.  He had a plan from the very beginning, that He would provide a substitute for us. God knew we could never meet His holy standards for conduct, He knew we would sin. His plan was to provide a holy substitution. We would not have to  die for our sin.  His sinless, Son, Jesus, has paid the price for the sins of all mankind.  John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only beloved Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but shall have eternal life.”

5. The full verse of Romans 6:23 states, “The wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

In summary, we are all sinners, we cannot pay for our own sin. Not only can we not pay for our sin, we can never earn our salvation simply by doing good deeds. God provided a sinless substitute for us, to pay the price for our sin.  Jesus, His sinless Son, went willingly to the cross for us and bore the punishment that we deserved.  How can we not love Him for taking our place and being our substitute?

Repentance is also a necessary part of being saved. Mark 1:15 says, “Repent and believe in the gospel.” What is repentance?  To repent from our sin means to turn away from our sin and instead to turn to God. We ask God’s forgiveness for the many ways we failed to live up to His holy standards and commit to living a life pleasing to God and within the boundaries that He has set for our lives.

When we have repented of our sin and received the Lord as our savior, we are reconciled to God. That may sound too simple, but it is simply the truth.  What does it mean to be reconciled to God?

1. He no longer holds us accountable for our sin because we have acknowledged that Jesus paid for our sin.

2. He welcomes us as His precious son or daughter – we are loved by God beyond our comprehension.

3. He has given us eternal life, that means forever and ever life with Father, Son and Holy Spirit, both here on earth and in heaven when we die.

4. He has opened the door to us to enjoy an intimate relationship with the Godhead, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Being a Christian is being in a relationship with God Himself. It is not doing a list of “religious” things.

5. Making a decision for Christ is the best choice anyone can ever make. He promises us an abundant life. John 10:10 says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”  There is no greater way to live a satisfying, peaceful life than to follow Jesus.

So, are you saved?  Have you acknowledged the price Jesus paid for your sin so that you can be forgiven? Have you repented of your sin and received Jesus as your savior?  If not, simply say this prayer from your heart and use the contact button to let us know of your decision for Christ.  We would love to talk with you and get you started in your new life in Christ.

“Dear Jesus, I confess that I am a sinner in need of Your grace and forgiveness. Please forgive my sins and cleanse my heart.  I thank You for dying on the cross in my place and forgiving my sin.  I ask that You would guide and direct me in this new life that You have given me. I yield that life to  you now, in Jesus name.”

If you have prayed this prayer for the first time please contact us and let us know of your decision so we can help you get started on your new life in Christ.