This is Christ’s message of salvation for all people. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God has provided a way for sinners to be forgiven and reconciled with Him.
According to the Bible, Jesus died on the cross as payment for our sins. He took on our punishment so that we could be forgiven and live with God forever (Romans 5:8; 1 Peter 2:24).
We accept this gift by trusting in Jesus Christ and his sacrifice (Ephesians 2:8–9).
Why Does Salvation Matter?
We are all born with a sinful nature that separates us from God.
Sin means breaking God’s law, and the consequence of sin is death—both physical and spiritual (Romans 6:23).
However, God loved us so much that he sent his son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for us, so we could have eternal life with him in heaven (John 3:16).
When we accept Jesus as our Savior, we are saved from this sinful lifestyle and are given a new nature by God Himself (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Now that Jesus Christ has saved us, we must live out our salvation by following His instructions in Scripture (Matthew 28:19–20).
How to Take Your First Step Toward Salvation
The first step is accepting Jesus as your Savior. According to John 3:16, if you believe in Jesus, you will have eternal life.
If you die without accepting Jesus as your Savior, you will be separated from God forever.
You must repent of your sins and turn away from them. Repentance means turning away from your sins and toward God.
Repentance involves three steps:
First, recognize that you are a sinner in need of God’s forgiveness.
Second, confess your sins to God and ask for forgiveness.
Finally, commit to turning away from your sins and accepting Jesus as the Lord of your life (Romans 10:9-10).
What is the gospel message of salvation?
We are all sinners
The Bible says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
However, we can be forgiven because of what Jesus did on the cross. He was punished for our sins, just as we would have been if we had gone to hell. Jesus died for us, taking our punishment on himself.
When you realize that you are a sinner and that you can’t save yourself from hell by being good enough or doing enough good deeds, you will realize that you need a Savior—someone who can provide a way out of hell so that you don’t have to go there.
Regardless of our actions or identity, God offers us forgiveness. The only way to live with Him is to accept Jesus as our Savior, ask Him to come into our lives, forgive our sins, and make us His children forever.
Christ is the only way to salvation
No one is saved by their own efforts. Salvation comes from Jesus alone.
Jesus said his mission would be fulfilled after his resurrection. He rose from the dead three days later, proving that he was who he claimed to be—God incarnate, fully human and fully divine (1 Timothy 3:16; Titus 2:13).
If you believe in him, you will be saved from eternal damnation and enter eternal life, as promised by God (Hebrews 6:17–18).
God’s grace is sufficient for us
Grace is God’s unmerited favor toward us.
It also means that God declares us righteous in his sight by imputing the righteousness of Christ to us (2 Corinthians 5:21). Because of what Jesus did on the cross, we were declared righteous before God (Romans 4:5-8).
Christians are saved by grace alone, not because of anything we have done or will do. This means that nothing we do can earn our salvation because God’s grace alone saved us.
For it is by grace you have been saved through faith—not of yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast (Ephesians 2:8-9).
We can never earn God’s favor through our actions
In the Bible, Jesus tells the parable of two men who went to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed, “God, I thank you that I am not like other people—thieves, rogues, adulterers, and hypocrites.”
Meanwhile, the tax collector stood at a distance and prayed, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” Who do you think God preferred?
You cannot earn salvation by keeping the law or doing good deeds. Sin taints all our works, so they cannot save us from our sins or bring us into a right relationship with God (Romans 3:23).
God gives us everything freely because he loves us. He does not want us to earn His favor through our efforts because that would make Him indebted to us. It’s not about what we do or don’t do; it’s about who we are and how God sees us.
What are the 3 P’s of salvation?
Penitence
Jesus Christ exemplified true penitence. The Gospels recount that he spent forty days in the desert fasting and praying (cf. Mt 4:1–11; Mk 1:12–13; Lk 4:1–2).
There are also many examples of penitence in the Bible, such as those of David and Samuel (2 Samuel 12), and even Moses, who fasted for forty days (Exodus 24).
Purification
Purification is the process by which God cleanses us of sin. It’s a spiritual process that begins with our faith in Jesus Christ.
As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:11, “And such were some of you, but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”
We were sinners, but we have now been washed, sanctified, and justified by the blood of Christ.
Perseverance
Perseverance is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23). We define it as “steadfastness in doing a task despite difficulties or opposition.”
Jesus Christ was steadfast in his mission to fulfill God’s plan. He did not waver when he was persecuted and tortured; he remained faithful until his death on the cross.
The Bible teaches Christians to persevere in their faith, even during great struggles.
Sharing the Message of Salvation
The most effective way to present the gospel is to use Scripture as much as possible. As the Bible says, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God” (2 Timothy 3:16).
We must inform people that Christ died for their sins to be forgiven—not just past sins, but future ones as well, if they accept His offer of eternal life.
Conclusion
There is much more to salvation in the Bible than we thought. Salvation touches every part of our lives.
This world is the result of our sins. We must decide. Will we live immorally and likely go to hell, or will we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior?
