Getting right with God is the most important thing we can do in this life. The Bible makes it clear that we have all sinned and fallen short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). Our sin separates us from a holy God and leads to death (Romans 6:23). But God loves us so much that He made a way for us to be reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, Jesus Christ (John 3:16). Here is what the Bible teaches about how to get right with God:
Repent of Your Sins
The first step is to repent. Repentance means turning away from sin and turning to God (Acts 3:19). We must confess our sins to God and be truly sorry for them (1 John 1:9). This involves a change of heart and a commitment to go in a new direction by God’s grace.
Some signs of true repentance include:
– Feeling sorrow over your sin (2 Corinthians 7:10)
– Confessing your sins to God (1 John 1:9)
– Making restitution where possible (Luke 19:8)
– Seeking to live a changed life in obedience to God (Acts 26:20)
Repentance prepares our hearts to receive God’s gift of salvation in Christ.
Believe in Jesus
The next step is to believe in Jesus. We must put our faith and trust in Christ and His work on the cross for our salvation. Jesus said, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
Salvation is found in no one else but Jesus (Acts 4:12). He died on the cross for our sins, taking the punishment we deserve. He rose again, conquering sin and death. When we believe in Him, we are made right with God and receive eternal life.
Biblical faith involves:
– Understanding our sinful condition (Romans 3:10-12)
– Acknowledging we cannot save ourselves (Titus 3:5)
– Turning to Christ as Savior and Lord (Romans 10:9)
– Relying on His sacrifice for our forgiveness (Ephesians 1:7)
– Accepting God’s offer of salvation by grace (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Confess Jesus as Lord
The Bible says that “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” (Romans 10:9). Part of believing includes making Jesus the Lord of your life. We turn away from living for ourselves and submit to His authority. He becomes our Master and we become His servants.
Confessing Jesus as Lord means:
– Surrendering your will to follow Him (Luke 9:23)
– Making Jesus the supreme authority in your life (Acts 2:36)
– Obeying His commands and teaching (John 14:15; Matthew 28:20)
– Honoring Him with your words and life (Colossians 3:17)
When Jesus is truly Lord, it will be evidenced by life transformation as we seek to honor and obey Him.
Be Baptized
Baptism is an important step of obedience after getting right with God. It is a public declaration of our new life in Christ. Jesus himself was baptized (Matthew 3:13-17). He commanded His disciples to baptize believers as part of discipleship (Matthew 28:19). The book of Acts shows that new believers were immediately baptized as a sign of their new faith (Acts 2:41; 8:12).
While baptism does not earn salvation, it is an act of faith and obedience for believers who have been saved by grace (Acts 10:47-48). It beautifully symbolizes:
– Dying and rising with Christ (Romans 6:3-4)
– Washing away of sins (Acts 22:16)
– Being united to Jesus and other believers (Galatians 3:27)
If you have believed in Jesus, repent of your sins, and confessed Him as Lord, obey His command to be baptized as a public declaration of your new life in Him.
Rely on the Holy Spirit and God’s Grace
Getting right with God is only the beginning. From that point, we must continue to rely on the Holy Spirit and God’s grace to help us follow Jesus faithfully.
Some keys include:
– Reading the Bible and praying daily (2 Timothy 3:16-17; Philippians 4:6-7)
– Fellowshipping with other believers (Hebrews 10:24-25)
– Pursuing a lifestyle of worship (Romans 12:1)
– Trusting in God’s promises and provision (2 Peter 1:3-4)
– Seeking to obey God’s commands (John 14:21)
There will be ups and downs along the way. When we stumble, we can turn to Christ and receive His forgiveness (1 John 1:9). Getting right with God launches us into a new life of growing deeper in Him. He gives us His Spirit to guide us each step as we seek to honor Him.
Share the Gospel with Others
One joy of getting right with God is being able to share the gospel with others. Once we have received His gift of salvation, we are called to help others find that same gift. Jesus commands us to go and make disciples (Matthew 28:19-20). The early church grew as believers shared the good news (Acts 2:47).
We can share the gospel in simple ways:
– Telling people what Jesus has done for us
– Inviting friends to church
– Giving our testimony of coming to faith
– Explaining the way of salvation from the Bible
– Distributing gospel tracts
– Supporting missionaries and ministries engaged in evangelism
As we have received freely, so we should freely give (Matthew 10:8). There is no greater joy than helping others find new life in Christ!
Look Forward to Eternity with God
Getting right with God not only changes our earthly lives, but our eternal destiny. Through faith in Christ, we can know that heaven awaits all believers when this life is over. Jesus promised He is preparing a place for us (John 14:2-3). Paul said to be “away from the body” is to be “at home with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8). What joy to know we will dwell with God forever!
The hope of eternity helps us to endure struggles here on earth. Our labor in following Christ is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58). No matter what happens in this world, we can look forward to an eternity of joy and peace in God’s presence. Keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus and the hope of heaven fuels our faith each day.
Key Principles in Summary
Here are some key principles from the Bible on getting right with God:
– We must admit we are sinners deserving God’s judgment
– Repentance means turning from sin to follow God
– Salvation is found in Jesus Christ alone
– We are saved by God’s grace through faith
– Following Christ in obedience is key evidence of true faith
– Baptism publicly declares our new life in Christ
– Relying on the Spirit empowers us to follow Jesus
– Telling others the gospel is part of God’s calling for believers
– Our hope is eternal life with God after this world
Getting right with God is the most crucial decision we can make. When we turn to Jesus in repentant faith and rely on His grace, we find forgiveness, new life, and hope for eternity. God rejoices over each sinner who repents and comes home to Him (Luke 15:7). There is no greater relationship than knowing God as your Heavenly Father through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ.