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Christians use many different phrases to describe their salvation (that is, becoming a true Christian). Each describes the same process: the point at which we decide to turn from our sins (that is, the wrong things that we have done against God) and choose to follow God. There are many different phrases, because the Bible uses different words to describe this experience. The Bible uses different words because many things happen at this point in our lives. So, if we understand the different phrases, we will understand salvation better.
This experience is not just for people who think that they are already Christians. This is for everyone. Whatever your religious background, whatever your nationality, this experience is for you. God will change your life. God will guarantee you a place in heaven. You can have your sins forgiven, and know it.
'... it is by grace you have been saved.' (Ephesians 2:5 NIV)
When we followed God, he changed our lives. Previously, we were in rebellion against God. We were enemies of God. But, when we chose to follow God, God rescued us (that is, he saved us). He saved us from hell, which is the just punishment for our evil deeds. He saves us from the devil, who is our enemy and who wants to destroy us. He also saves us from death. Of course, we will still die physically (unless Jesus returns to this earth first). But our spirits will not die. When our bodies die, we will go to live with God in heaven.
'Salvation' means the same as being saved. God saves us, so we receive his salvation. Grammatically, 'save' is a verb, 'salvation' is a noun.
'You must be born again.' (John 3:7 NIV)
Everybody is born naturally. But this is not enough. We have rebelled against God. We have not obeyed his commands. We are his enemies. God will punish us. The only way that we can avoid this punishment, is to be born again. Of course, we cannot do this naturally. Our bodies do not need to be born again. But our spirits - the part of us which continues to live after our bodies have died - need to be born again. This means that we need to become friends of God.
There is no way that we can be born again through our own efforts. Religion, good works, politics, caring for people - these things cannot make us born again. We can only be born again by God's power.
But if we became true Christians, then God gives to us a new start, and a new life. He transforms our lives, and he transforms our future. We are born again.
'Then Agrippa said to Paul, "Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?"' (Acts 26:28 NIV).
Many people around the world think that they are Christians, but they are not. Perhaps they think that they are Christians because they were born in a so-called Christian country or their parents were Christians. They are wrong. These things do not make you into a Christian.
You can only become a Christian when you decide to turn from your sins and choose to follow God.
Some people say, 'I am a Christian, but I am not born again.' You are entitled to call yourself whatever you wish - but you are not a true Christian; not a Christian as the Bible describes it. Because, a true Christian must be saved, and a true Christian must be born again - they are all the same thing.
The word 'Christian' was originally an insult. It means a 'little Christ', or alternatively, someone who has a little of God's anointing. But the first Christians were glad to be called Christians. They were glad to be given a nickname which reminded them about Jesus. And they knew that the nickname was true - God had given to them the same anointing that he gave to Jesus, but in a lesser way.
'Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people.' (Luke 1:68 NIV)
God does so many things for us when we trust in him!
The word 'redeem' means that God paid the price for our freedom. The price that God paid was that he sent Jesus to die for us. Jesus suffered, so that we would not have to suffer the punishment for our sins. We could not redeem ourselves. But God did this, because he loves us.
'Yet to all who received him (Jesus), to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.' (John 1:12 NIV)
When we are born again, we are born into God's family. We become the children of God. We did not acquire this right by natural descent - we became children of God because God allowed us so to do.
So, God is our father. The Lord's Prayer begins, 'Our father...' (Matthew 6:9). And we receive an inheritance - the promise of sins forgiven, and a place in heaven (Galatians 4:7).
We even belong to God's royal family. 'But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.' (1 Peter 2:9 NIV)
'He (Jesus) came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.' (Ephesians 2:17)
Before we trusted God, we were the enemies of God. God was justly angry with us, because everybody has broken God's law. Everybody has rebelled against God. Nobody respects God properly.
But Jesus came to bring us peace with God. If we trust him, we will become the friends of God. We will even join the family of God.
'Yet to all who received him (Jesus), to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.' (John 1:12 NIV)
The phrase 'accept Christ' is a simple instruction. We can accept Christ or we can refuse him. We can do the things he wants; or we can disobey him. Jesus can be part of our lives; or we can reject Jesus.
If we receive Jesus into our lives, God makes us his children. We become children of God.
'In him (Jesus) we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins...' (Ephesians 1:7)
This is good news. We have rebelled against God. We have done many wrong things against God (that is, many sins). But God wants to forgive us. God cares about us. God sent Jesus to suffer the punishment for our sins. By his death, Jesus paid the price for our sins to be forgiven. We don't have to suffer to obtain God's forgiveness. We don't have to go to purgatory or hell. God forgives us, freely, because he loves us! We only need to confess our sins to God, and accept Jesus into our lives.
Then, our sins will be forgiven. God transforms our lives. We are born again. God makes us his children. We will have peace with God.
'I (God) will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.' (Ezekiel 11:19b NIV)
This is a simple encouragement to turn to God, like the instruction 'accept Christ'.
The Bible uses the word 'heart' to describe the part of us from which our deepest desires come. In the above passage, God is explaining that he will transform people who were once hard-hearted into people who care about the right things. They will become people who want to do the right things, and want to follow God.
When we become true Christians, God transforms our lives. We do not continue to do evil things (1 John 2:1) - although sometimes we still do some evil things. Then, we confess our sinful acts to God, and God will forgive us.
If we are sincere, God will help us to change our attitudes and change our behaviour. Sometimes this change is sudden, but sometimes it is more gradual. We must trust God more, and receive more of his Holy Spirit in our hearts and lives. Then, we will do the right things. '... Live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature' (Galatians 5:16 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.' (John 3:16 NIV).
This is a very important passage. Everybody must believe in Jesus Christ, God's son.
God loves everybody. God loves you, whatever your nationality or religion. So, he wants you to believe in Christ.
There are many words to describe becoming a true Christian, but they all describe the same thing. If you have not become a true Christian, then you should act now. This is important, so do not delay. You need to:
'Yet to all who received him (that is, Jesus), he gave the right to become children of God.' (John 1:12 NIV)
This article comes from the website of Stockport Elim church. For more information that will help you, visit our homepage. For more articles, see the index.