Are there steps to salvation?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Salvation is not earned through a series of steps but comes entirely through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Salvation has always been based on faith, not the keeping of the Law. Since Jesus came to Earth as a human, died, and rose again, faith in the gospel for forgiveness is the single step to salvation. Repentance and baptism are part of the expression of that faith, but they do not save us. True faith results in a changed life that reflects God’s grace and empowers believers to live out their salvation in obedience and love.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• Before God gave the Law at Mount Sinai, He had already established a covenant relationship with His people, demonstrating that salvation and blessing come from His initiative rather than human effort. The first covenant is seen with Abraham, where God promised to make him a great nation and to bless all nations through his offspring (Genesis 12:1-3; 15:1-6).
• Abraham’s faith in God was “counted to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15:6), showing that covenant relationship was based on faith, not obedience to a written law.
• The covenantal relationship was reaffirmed with Isaac and Jacob (Genesis 26:2-5; 28:13-15). Again, we see God’s faithfulness and initiative before the Law existed. Later, God gave the Law to Moses (Exodus 19–20) as a guide for living in the covenant, not as the basis for it. The covenant relationship with God precedes legal requirements and is rooted in His grace and promises. Salvation has always come by believing in God’s covenant relationship and promise of redemption through His provision.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• God’s promise of covenant relationship and redemption was ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:6-14; John 3:16). Faith, not the Law, has been the means by which God’s people enter into His covenant and receive His blessings.
• Only one step to salvation exists: faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 16:31).
• Believing and confessing that Jesus is Lord leads to salvation (Romans 10:9-10).
• Repenting and being baptized are part of what happens when we believe in Jesus for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). Repenting means recognizing you are a sinner in need of a Savior while baptism shows that you have believed in Jesus’ death and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins. Both come as part of believing in Jesus.
• Baptism symbolizes identification with Christ and the start of a transformed life, but it is not what saves us (Acts 22:16; Matthew 28:19-20).
• The thief on the cross who Jesus promised would see Him in paradise that very day was saved through faith in Christ, not through baptism because he wasn’t baptized (Luke 23:43).
• God's grace freely offers salvation by faith alone in Jesus Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-9). We don't need to wait to make our life better before believing in Jesus. All we need to do is trust in Jesus. This means believing that He died and resurrected so that we could be saved to give our lives to Him.
• While works don’t earn salvation, a true faith results in a changed life that reflects God’s grace (James 2:17; Ephesians 2:8-10).

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

If we believe in Jesus, and that is the only “step” to salvation, does that mean we don’t need to do anything else? Well, kind of. When we trust in Jesus’ death and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins, we are immediately saved. We are forgiven of all of our sins, past, present, and future. We receive the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of our salvation, and He begins to transform us from the inside out. But we rely on Him and His Word to know what is good and to empower us to live according to God’s ways. We seek to grow in Christlikeness as we surrender to God, die to self, and live according to God’s ways as a result of our salvation. The Bible also teaches that those who follow Jesus should be baptized (Matthew 28:18-20). Baptism does not save us, but it is an important step in publicly expressing our faith in Jesus.

If you are uncertain about your salvation, you can settle your doubts right now. Are you willing to place your faith in Jesus Christ as your Savior and receive this free gift of eternal life? You can do it now. No special prayer is needed, but the you can use to the following prayer to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior now:

"Dear God, I realize I am a sinner and could never reach heaven by my own good deeds. Right now I place my faith in Jesus Christ as God's Son who died 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."

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UNDERSTAND

• Salvation is received through faith, not by following steps or laws.
• Faith in Jesus is the only requirement for salvation.
• Repentance, baptism, and obedience are expressions of that faith, but they do not earn us salvation.

REFLECT

• How confident are you that your faith in Jesus is the one step needed for your salvation?
• How does your faith in Jesus shape your decisions and actions?
• How do you know if you are fully trusting Jesus for forgiveness and eternal life?

ENGAGE

• What are some concerns people have when you say there are no steps to salvation?
• How can we clearly explain to others that salvation is received through faith, not earned through works while also explaining the significance of our actions?
• What role do repentance and baptism play in expressing faith without confusing them as steps to earn salvation?