Your Next Step
Steps to Accepting Christ as Your Personal Savior
In the Christian faith, the journey to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ is the most significant step one can take. It's a decision that brings forgiveness, hope, and the promise of eternal life. Here are the foundational steps to accepting Christ as your personal savior, with biblical verses to illuminate the path.
Step 1: Acknowledge Your Need for a Savior
The first step is recognizing our human condition. The Bible teaches that all people have fallen short of God's perfect standard. This is what is meant by sin—not just individual wrongdoings, but a state of separation from a holy God.
Romans 3:23 (NIV): "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,"
This acknowledgment is not about dwelling in guilt, but about understanding the need for a solution beyond ourselves. The consequence of sin, according to scripture, is spiritual death, a separation from God.
Romans 6:23a (NIV): "For the wages of sin is death..."
Step 2: Understand God's Provision
In His great love for humanity, God provided a way to bridge this separation. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to live a sinless life and die on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins. This act of grace is a gift, not something that can be earned through good works.
John 3:16 (NIV): "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."
Romans 5:8 (NIV): "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
Step 3: Repent and Turn from Sin
Repentance is a change of heart that leads to a change of direction. It involves turning away from a life led by sin and turning toward God. It is a deliberate decision to relinquish the old ways and embrace the new life offered in Christ.
Acts 3:19 (NIV): "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,"
2 Corinthians 7:10 (NIV): "Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death."
Step 4: Believe in Your Heart
Belief is more than just intellectual agreement; it is placing your complete trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation. It is having faith that His death and resurrection were sufficient to pay the penalty for your sins and to offer you a new life.
Acts 16:31 (NIV): "They replied, 'Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.'"
Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV): "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast."
Step 5: Confess Your Faith in Jesus as Lord
The final step is to outwardly express your inward belief. This is often done through a prayer of commitment, confessing with your words that Jesus is Lord of your life.
Romans 10:9-10 (NIV): "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. 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."
A simple prayer to express this commitment could be:
"Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner and I need a Savior. I believe that You died on the cross for my sins and that God raised You from the dead. I now turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I confess You as my Lord and Savior. Thank you for your forgiveness and the gift of eternal life. Amen."
The Journey Ahead
Accepting Christ is the beginning of a lifelong journey of faith. The Bible promises that when you take this step, you become a new creation.
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV): "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!"
This new life is nurtured through prayer, reading the Bible, fellowship with other believers in a local church, and living a life that reflects your new commitment to Christ. It is a path of growth, learning, and experiencing the unending love and grace of God.
Now that you’ve accepted Christ as your Savior, we would love to encourage you in that decision. If you will give us a little information below we will pray for you and can even send you an email of encouragement if you like.