Know God

How to Be Saved

God wants you for a friend.

You were made by God, and you were made for God. Until you understand that, life will never make sense. The first purpose of your life is to learn to love God and let him love you back. It’s the most important thing you can do. God wants to have a real friendship with you. Jesus said, “I no longer call you servants. . . . Instead, I have called you friends” (John 15:15 NIV). That’s a radical statement. The God who created the entire universe wants you to know him—and he wants you in heaven with him for eternity.

How do you get to heaven? You’ll hear people say, “Work really hard,” “Do more good than bad,” or “Be nice to people.” But what’s the truth?

How can you be certain you’re going to heaven?

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Why am I here?

To understand what life is all about, you have to begin with God’s nature. God is love. The Bible doesn’t say God has love. It says God is love. Love is the essence of his nature. And before he even created the universe, you were the focus of his love. In fact, God created you so he could love you. The reason your heart is beating right now and the reason you’ll take your next breath is because God wants to love you. It’s the whole reason you’re alive. And God wants you to know him and love him in return—he wants to have a relationship with you.

“I have loved you with an everlasting love.”

- Jeremiah 31:3 (NIV)

What went wrong?

Nobody’s perfect. Most of us don’t live up to our own standards, much less those of a holy God. The Bible says it like this: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23 ESV). Our sin breaks our close relationship with God. When our relationship with him is not right, it causes problems in every area of our lives: in our marriages, careers, relationships, and finances. And we often try many different ways of coping—indulging in alcohol, having an affair, or relying only on ourselves—before turning to God.

But what we’re really longing for is a relationship with God. Nothing else will ever satisfy. It’s why God made us.

“The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

- Romans 6:23 (NIV)

What's the solution?

Look to Jesus. He is the only way to heaven. God himself came to earth as a human being to restore our relationship with him. He says, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6 NIV). Notice Jesus didn’t say, “I might be the way,” “I point to the way,” or “I teach the way.” He said, “I’m it!” The Way is not a religion. The Way is not a path. The Way is the person of Jesus Christ. And God wants you to know him personally and spend eternity with him in heaven.

You see, God is both holy and just, so he has to punish sin. But here's the amazing part: Because he loves us deeply, he made a way for us to be forgiven when Jesus went to the cross. Thankfully, the story doesn’t end there. The Bible says, “He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit” (1 Peter 3:18 NLT). Jesus didn’t stay dead; he was raised to life! Romans 4:25 puts it like this: “He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification” (NIV). Isn’t that incredible?

“By grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.”

- Ephesians 2:8 (ESV)

How do I accept God's gift of salvation?

Some people think because they grew up in church, joined a church, or got baptized, they’re going to heaven. But it takes more than just knowing about God. Even the devil knows there’s a God, but you won’t find him in heaven. It’s not just believing the facts about God, either. Faith means to put your trust in Christ and what he did for you.

If you already know Jesus and have a relationship with him, that’s great news! If not, invite Jesus into your life by praying this prayer:

Dear God,

I'm amazed that you would want me for a friend and that you sent your Son Jesus to make a relationship with you possible. I confess I have sinned, and I ask for your forgiveness. I believe that Jesus died to take away my sins and that you raised him to life. I want to trust Jesus as my Savior and follow him as Lord from this day forward. God, I want to know you more and more and to live my life following your purposes for me.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

The Bible says, “Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13 GW). Did you call on the name of the Lord? Then you are saved. Welcome to the family of God!

What are my next steps?

Did you just accept Jesus as your Savior? If you did, praise God and welcome to a new life in Christ! We want to support you as you begin your journey with Jesus.

Please complete this confidential form, and we'll email you some free resources to guide and encourage you as you grow in your faith. We look forward to the opportunity to pray for you and support you on your journey.

Together We Can Reach the Whole World for Jesus Christ

Pastor Rick’s Daily Hope brings biblical hope and encouragement to people around the world. Through his daily audio and written devotional Bible teaching, Pastor Rick shares the hope of Christ and the biblical truths people need to live a truly purpose driven life.

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