What Does it Mean to be “Saved”?

If you’re not already a Christian, you may have questions about God and eternity. Maybe you’ve heard about needing to “be saved,” but you’re not sure what that means, why you need it, and how you go about it.
 

Salvation, or “being saved,” is what Christians refer to when we talk about being with God for all eternity after we die. Let’s examine salvation together so you can understand it better.

First, you should know that everyone can be saved, and God wants everyone to be saved. The Bible tells us that God “wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:4). That includes you!

Next, you need to understand why we need to be saved in the first place. That comes from the fact that God is perfectly holy, and sinners cannot be in His presence.

So what’s the problem? The problem is that we are all sinners. “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23). No one can meet God’s standard of holiness. The Bible tells us that “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23), which means that because of our sin problem, we earn death, or eternal separation from God.

Throughout the ages, man has tried to devise ways to get around the sin problem. We’ve tried to earn our way into heaven with God by doing good works, living moral lives, devising profound philosophies, even being religious. But this has always failed. We can’t earn our way to heaven. We can’t be good enough. It is only by God’s grace that we can be saved. The Bible tells us that “it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Eph. 2:8-9).

Jesus told us that He is the only way to God. He says to us today: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6).

Some may say that doesn’t seem fair. They say that God is merciful, and he wouldn’t condemn someone to eternity in Hell if they don’t go through Jesus. That doesn’t fit their image of God as loving and Fatherly. While it’s true that God is loving and merciful, He is also a God of justice. “For the LORD is a God of justice.” (Isaiah 30:18). There is a penalty to pay for our sin, and it must be paid in order to get into heaven. The wage (what you earn) for your sin is death, but because of God’s love for you, he arranged for your price to be paid for you. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:16-17).

You can’t pay the penalty for your sin, but Jesus wants to pay your penalty for you. He died on the cross for you. “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8).

So, you see that you are a sinner, that you can’t pay the price for your sin and therefore can’t be with God in heaven for eternity, but Jesus can pay it for you. So how does that happen?

God gives us that answer: “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” (Romans 10:9).

Is it really that simple? Let’s look at an example from the Bible to see:

When Jesus was being crucified, there were two criminals on either side of him. One mocked Jesus, but the other recognized that Jesus was the Son of God. Despite the fact that all 3 of them were dying, this criminal said to Jesus: "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:42-43). That criminal professed his faith in Jesus (“remember me when you come into your kingdom”), and he was saved (“today you will be with me in paradise”).

Want another example?

The Apostle Paul and Silas were in jail, and his jailer asked them this question: “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” The response was simple: "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved - you and your household." (Acts 16:30-31). It was that simple. No long list of do’s and don’ts. No hoops to jump through. No good works to earn his way into heaven.

Salvation is a gift – God’s gift of grace to all those who believe.

It can’t be earned. God wants to give it to you. All you have to do is accept it.
If you’re ready to accept God’s free gift of salvation, if want to be saved, you must:

    •    Accept the fact that you are a sinner,
    •    Accept that your sin separates you from God for all eternity, and there is NOTHING that YOU can do about that,
    •    Believe that Jesus Christ, God’s Son, came to earth to pay the price for your sins so you can be with God forever, and
    •    Ask Jesus to forgive your sins and to be your Lord and Savior.

If you’re ready to take the step, if you truly believe, then pray to God and tell him. Profess your faith in Jesus. Accept his gift of salvation!

Once you’ve prayed to God and accepted his gift, what’s the next step?

The first thing that you’ll want to do is tell someone. Don’t keep this good news to yourself! Find another Christian, maybe the person who first talked with you about salvation, and tell them the news. Let them rejoice with you.

Next, get yourself connected with a good Church that teaches and preaches from the Bible. You’ll need to find a place where you can worship and learn more about God with other Christian brothers and sisters. You’re part of a family now – get connected with it. In a good Church, you can build on the foundation you’ve started and grow in your faith and understanding.

Finally, please let us know about it. We’d love to know about your decision so we can celebrate with you as well!

God bless you!