We know that Jesus Christ came down to earth to save sinners (1Timothy 1:15)*. However, many of us do not know how we can be saved.
This is what the Apostle Paul said,"You have been saved by grace, through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. And this not from yourselves not by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2: 8-9).
We are not saved because of our good works. If that were so, we could boast. We have nothing to be proud of in front of God because according to the prophet Isaiah, our good works are like dirty rags in the light of God’s holiness. (Isaiah 64:6)*.
We are saved because God is gracious. He is compassionate, loving and forgiving. He saves through grace, which he gives freely. But, to be saved, we have to believe in Christ. What does this mean?
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Second, to believe in Christ is to trust Him as the only Savior. We trust no one else to save us, only Jesus, who died on the cross to pay for our sins. Not religion, not our church, not holy people, not our good works. Only Jesus.
Third, to believe in Jesus is to submit to Him. Jesus the Savior is Jesus the Lord. A big part of this belief is to turn away from sin and submit to Jesus as King or Lord of our lives. The root of sin is to live selfishly, according to our desires. But to believe in Jesus is to tell Him: Your WILL shall reign in my life!
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“Lord Jesus, thank you for your
great love for me that you paid for
my sins at Calvary. I acknowledge
you as my God who became man
to save the world. I believe that
you are the Savior and Lord of
my life. I turn my back on my sin.
Forgive me and come into my
heart and life. Amen.”
It is not the prayer that saves you but your faith in Jesus as personal Lord and Savior. If you are genuinely saved, you will see transformation in your life. As a new creation, you should bear fruit of good works for the glory of God.
But know that at that very moment you respond to Jesus-- putting your trust in Him and turning away from a life of sin-- you are given the assurance of eternal life with God. Nothing can separate you from God. If you are genuinely saved, you remain genuinely saved, a son or daughter of God.
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* Passages quoted from the Bible
1 Timothy 1:15 "Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst."
Isaiah 64:6a "All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags..."
John 1:1 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
John 1:14 "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."
John 1:18 "No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known."
Colossians 1:15 " He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation"
This article was originally written by Pastor Isabelo Magalit of the Diliman Campus Bible Church with additions by the owner of this blog.