Can God save me?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Many people think they have done things so bad that God would never save them. Yet the Bible is clear that God can and will save anyone who comes to Him by faith (John 3:16). We cannot be saved by any means, though; -we can only receive salvation through belief in Jesus alone (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). A good first step is to come to the knowledge that we are sinful (Romans 3:23) and understand the consequences of our sinful state (Romans 6:23). As such, we cannot receive salvation based on what we do; it is God’s grace alone that grants us the ability to have faith in Jesus (Ephesians 2:8-9). The process of believing in Jesus Christ is as simple as laid out in Romans 10:9: "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.” After we receive eternal salvation, we can be secure in our new standing before God (Romans 8:1) as well as our eternal destiny (1 John 5:13).

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• Faith in God saved Old Testament saints before Jesus came to Earth. For example, Abraham’s faith in God was counted “to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15:6).

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• John 3:16 reveals, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." This "whoever" includes every person—even you.
• Besides being willing to save you, Jesus is the only One who can save you. In John 14:6 Jesus taught, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
• In Acts 4:12, the apostles specifically affirmed Jesus as the only way to be saved: "There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
• To be saved, you must first realize your need for salvation. We are all sinners (Romans 3:23) and our sins deserve death (Romans 6:23).
• Salvation occurs when you accept Jesus as Lord and believe He rose again from the dead (Romans 10:9).
• When you receive salvation, your sins are forgiven. Romans 8:1 teaches, "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."
• Good works are not enough to make you spiritually right with God. Salvation is a free gift of God's grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-9).
• 1 John 5:13 adds that true believers can know for certain their eternal destiny when they die: "I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life."

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

God is “merciful and gracious” (Psalm 10:8), desiring every person to come to faith in Him, including you (2 Peter 3:9). Thankfully, getting “saved” is simple. It involves putting your full belief in Jesus Christ as described in Romans 10:9.

Have you been saved? If you have not or are uncertain if you have done so, you can decide right now to place your faith in Jesus Christ. No special prayer is needed. Salvation is a gift not based on anything we do. However, the following prayer can help if you’re unsure of what to pray to receive Jesus Christ as your Savior:

"Dear God, I realize I am a sinner and could never reach heaven by my own good deeds. I know that you are willing to save me and that only you can save me. So right now I place my faith in Jesus Christ as God's Son who died to pay the penalty for my sins and rose from the dead to give me eternal life. Please forgive me of my sins and help me to live for you. Thank you for accepting me and giving me eternal life."

Have you decided to follow Christ because of what you have read here? If so, please click on the "I have accepted Christ today" button below.

I have accepted Christ today.

UNDERSTAND

• God saves all who place their faith in His Son.
• Salvation cannot be earned through good works.
• Accepting Christ as Lord and Savior results in forgiveness of sins.

REFLECT

• How is your relationship with the Lord impacted by your knowledge that He forgives even the most egregious sins you’ve committed?
• How do you resist the pressure to do good works to “deserve” God’s grace?
• In what ways does the certainty of your salvation impact your everyday faith walk?

ENGAGE

• What are some reasons that modern-day culture may resist the biblical message of salvation through God’s grace alone?
• How can the church best communicate the idea of humankind’s sin nature to a culture that seems obsessed with self-esteem?
• What are some ways to speak to our relativistic culture about Jesus as the only way to salvation and the hope found in Him?