How to Be Saved According to the Bible: A Simple Guide to Eternal Life
"Have you ever wondered, 'What must I do to be saved?' or 'Am I truly saved?' The Bible gives a clear, hope-filled answer: Salvation is God's free gift through Jesus Christ – not earned by works, but received by faith."
In Christianity, being "saved" (or receiving salvation) means being rescued by God from the consequences of sin—primarily eternal separation from Him (spiritual death and judgment)—and instead being forgiven, reconciled to God, and granted eternal life. The Bible teaches that all people have sinned and fall short of God's glory (Romans 3:23), and the penalty for sin is death (Romans 6:23). Salvation is God's free gift of grace, made possible through Jesus Christ's death on the cross (paying the penalty for sin) and His resurrection (conquering death).
This is often described as being "born again" (from Jesus' words in John 3:3-7), meaning a spiritual rebirth where a person becomes a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17), with the Holy Spirit indwelling them, transforming their life from one dominated by sin to one oriented toward God.
How to Get Saved
According to the Bible, salvation is not earned by good works, rituals, or being religious (Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5)—it's received through faith. Key steps include:
- Recognize your need: Acknowledge that you are a sinner and cannot save yourself.
- Repent: Turn away from sin and toward God (Acts 3:19)—this involves a change of mind and heart, being sorry for sin and desiring to live differently.
- Believe/Trust in Jesus: Put your full faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior—who He is (God the Son) and what He did (died for your sins and rose again). As Romans 10:9 says: "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." (See also John 3:16; Acts 16:31.)
- Call on Him: Pray or cry out to God in faith, asking for forgiveness and salvation (Romans 10:13: "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved").
Many Christians summarize this as accepting Jesus as your personal Savior. Once saved, a person is justified (declared righteous before God), begins a process of sanctification (growing in holiness), and looks forward to glorification (full redemption in eternity).
Views vary slightly by denomination (e.g., some emphasize baptism as part of responding in faith), but the core across evangelical, Protestant, and broader Christian teaching is faith in Christ's finished work. If this resonates, a simple prayer could be: "God, I know I'm a sinner and deserve judgment. I believe Jesus died for my sins and rose again. I turn from my sin and trust Him as my Savior and Lord. Thank you for saving me."
This brings peace with God and a new life starting now (John 5:24).
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