Anyone ever to be Saved will be so because of their faith in the person Jesus, not because of anyone or anything else – not because of following the rules of God (except to believe in His Son Jesus, the only Person Who will Save you from your sin against God), or because of attending Church, or because of the actions of any priest or pastor or minister, or because of any confessions, special prayers or penance. Those things have been added on by men, not God – otherwise He would have told us so. We are Saved because of a Person, not because of rules or an ideal. If you are now Saved, the Bible says it is a gift from Him if you’ve acknowledged Who He is (God), who you are (a sinner against Him), and asked Him to forgive you, knowing He said He would. The Bible tells us any other way to peace with God is a lie.
The Bible tells us Jesus said: 6 …“I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. John 14:6
More specifically, if in a full belief (faith) you’ve said (prayed) to God that you know you’ve disobeyed (sinned) against Him, and you’ve asked Jesus His Son Who died and came back from the dead, to forgive you, the Bible says God has now adopted you into His family. This is known as being Saved by Jesus through faith alone, not because you’ve tried to do anything to earn His forgiveness. This is possible because Jesus is God and a person, alive and attending to you today.
These are a few Scriptures that address this:
23 …for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God Romans 3:23
23a For the wages of sin is death Romans 6:23a
23b …but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23b
8 But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8
9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. Romans 10:9-10
Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Romans 10:13
1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ Romans 5:1
38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord Romans 8:38-39
Instead, because we have faith in our relationship with God through Jesus, we will want to strive to follow His expectations, attend Church to worship and learn with others under the care of a godly leader, confess our failures to Him, be changed inwardly with His help, and grow in our relationship through experience and prayer.
This is a spiritual reality that has a great number of amazing consequences. It does not necessarily mean you will never have troubles again, or that your physical or economic circumstances will improve. That isn’t what Salvation is for. The incredible gift of God’s blessings center around His new presence in you through the Holy Spirit, which is proof of your belonging to Him. Your belonging to Him through Jesus means you can know He will keep your soul, which can never die, with Him. It also means you will not be lost to Him in Hell, specifically the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:15). You are forgiven, adopted, and safe in Him now. Belonging to Jesus means more than avoiding Hell, It means from now on He is always with you, watching over you, comforting you and guiding you. But you have to learn to keep Him in your sight and follow closely behind.
Everything we know about God has been given to us in the Bible. We believe it was written by men across 1500 years as it was breathed out through them by God’s Holy Spirit. This means He (the Holy Spirit, God) spoke through the authors, even through their human personalities. Men wrote, driven by the Holy Spirit, Who is the unchanging author. The Scripture is the Holy Spirit’s thoughts, not the writers’.
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17
20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1:20-21
The Bible tells us the truth about God and ourselves. Scripture is special because it alone can be used by the Holy Spirit in us as believers to cut through our wrong perceptions (due to our sinful nature) and show us truth. It was Scripture and the Holy Spirit that showed you your sin and that Jesus would Save you if you believed in Him and asked Him for help. He (The Holy Spirit is a Person of what’s called the Godhead or Triune God, three Persons in one God) is also Who now comforts you in the truth that you are Saved and can have peace.
12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12
From here on, your study of Scripture and your prayer life with God will be how you continue to see where you are not seeing things God’s way so you can change to be more like Jesus. You won’t do this to keep your Salvation because the gift was given by Him – and no one, including you, can take it away. Instead, He will help you work towards change because you’ll grow in wanting to be like Jesus. These are changes to your ‘heart’ that only He can help you with. This is called Sanctification.
What’s next?
To set yourself on a good footing, there’s a few things to do next.
First, find a good Church that is led by men who know Jesus and the Scriptures. This is where you’ll find people who also belong to Jesus, and if they are also growing in their relationship with Him, will be able to help you grow under Him too. This sort of Church is usually called non-denominational, meaning it is an independent Church, not held to the curriculum of a larger organizing body. This can matter because Jesus said His Church’s organizational chart is very short. We have direct access to Him, and He has given the Church others who are gifted to help us. Some have a responsibility to govern us to protect the Church, but they do not govern our access to Jesus.
11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Ephesians 4:11-13
Second, get a Bible in a readable translation that you can read and make notes in. Options include a paper book, Kindle (or a device with the Kindle reader app), or Olive Tree’s free version. Starting with the Gospel of John is a great way to begin understanding Jesus. There are many versions/translations, and many are terrific – ESV (English Standard Version) and NIV (New International Version) are in plain English and easy to understand. When you read the Bible, the Holy Spirit is with you to help you understand. Learn to pray to Him for help when you’re reading the Bible. The person helping you at the Church will explain how to navigate the Bible’s Books, Chapters, and Verses. Grow in a Biblical worldview, checking everything in your life against the Truth of the Scripture. It’s always reliable.
Third, be Baptized. Baptism is a public declaration of your following Jesus. It’s usually done in a Church by either a Pastor or someone significant to you who belongs to Jesus. Baptism is not a step in Salvation, it’s one of the two “Ordinances” (not sacraments, see HERE) given by Jesus. The other is Communion, the taking of bread and wine or grape juice. Both Ordinances are for believers only in worship of Jesus. The Bible states they do not convey Grace or forgiveness – that only comes from Jesus as a gift to us as underserving but thankful people.
Fourth, understand He is the main priority and order your life accordingly. Make Church, study and prayer a priority. Like anything else in your life, you pay attention to what matters to you. As you grow in your relationship with Him – the Person Who has rescued you – your priorities will change as He is so important to you. No one is more important than God the Father, the Son Jesus, and His Holy Spirit.
Fifth, learn Who Jesus is, what He commands, and how to follow Him. One of our main jobs is to work towards understanding Him, to pay attention to where we are not like Him, and with His help be changed. Another job is to pay attention to opportunities around us and share His Gospel, the good news of His gift. Some Scripture that speaks of this includes:
36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40
27 My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.” John 10:27-30
21 Whoever has My commands and keeps them is the one who loves Me. The one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I too will love them and show Myself to them.” John 14:21
5 I (Jesus) am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him,he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. John 15:5
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:8-10
Sixth, learn to weigh everything against the Bible and gain a Biblical worldview. The Bible, God’s Word to us, is absolutely correct. He uses it to inform us and guide us. As we consider the world around us – personally, relationally, financially, politically, everything – all of our opinions and actions should be compared to the Scriptures to understand how to see things His way and respond accordingly. His Grace relieves us of the punishment for mistakes, but Jesus also expects us to learn and grow to be more and more like Him. He helps us through His Holy Spirit. Learn to hear Him and obey, be Sanctified (changed).
Finally, show this to the person helping you at the Church, and remember Proverbs 4:23:
23 Watch over your heart with all diligence,
For from it flow the springs of life.
