The process of being saved from our sins begins with hearing the truth, the gospel of Christ. One cannot know what to believe, apart from hearing the word of Christ (Rom. 10:17). The saved are urged to teach the truth (Matt. 28:18-20), and the lost are urged to hear it and believe it (Acts 2:22, 36).
Those who believe in Jesus Christ have the right to become children of God (John 1:11-13). Faith alone does not save us from our sins, but leads us to take further steps in obedience to Christ. In response to the first gospel sermon at Pentecost, those who believed asked the apostles, “What shall we do?” (Acts 2:37).
Repentance is required of the sincere believer who wishes to become a child of God. This is a change of mind, leading to a change of life. Repentance is not just sorrow, but it is prompted by godly sorrow (2 Cor. 7:10). The goodness of God also leads to repentance (Rom. 2:4).
In the biblical process of conversion, confession of Jesus Christ as the Son of God is stressed. To confess is “to say the same,” or to acknowledge the truth that Jesus is the Son of God
(Rom. 10:9-10). This confession, which precedes baptism, is called “the good confession” (1 Tim. 6:12).
Baptism into Christ is the point at which one is saved from his sins and brought into the safety of the body of Christ. Jesus taught the necessity of baptism in the great commission
(Mark 16:15-16). Peter preached the necessity of baptism at the conclusion of the first gospel sermon (Acts 2:38). Paul refers to baptism as the point at which (1) we die to sins, (2) we are buried with Christ, and (3) we are raised with him to walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:1-4). We become children of God by faith at the moment we are baptized into Christ (Gal. 3:26-27).
The same process that saves us from our sins also constitutes us members of the church, the body of Christ (Acts 2:47). When we are saved from our sins, we become Christians. In the Bible, the term “Christian” is used of those who have become disciples, or followers of Christ (Acts 11:26; 1 Pet. 4:16).
Please contact us if you would like to discuss how to be saved.