What does the Bible say about salvation?

Step 1

If you’re here, you’re probably asking the most important question anyone can ever ask...

"How can I know for sure I'm going to heaven?"

This page will not give you opinions, traditions, or church doctrines.

This page will simply show you what the Bible says.

The Beginning

The Bible teaches that every person has a problem. That problem is sin.
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” - Romans 3:23

Sin is anything that goes against God—our thoughts, actions, and nature. As humans, we tend to think that we are better than we are, but the reality is, we are sinners. Have you ever told a lie? Did you ever steal a pencil in school? At best, you're a lying thief. With God, the size of the sin is irrelevant. God doesn't compare us to other people, he compares us to his perfect Son, Jesus Christ, who is perfect. Compared to Jesus, we have all come short of the glory of God.

So, we are all sinners... and sin has a consequence. The first part of Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death…” That death is not just physical—it is eternal separation from God in hell. In the book of Revelation, it refers to hell as the "second death." Let's break this down as simple as possible.

For the wages of sin is death...

Wages - Compensation given in exchange for work

Sin - Voluntarily breaking God's law

Death - Perpetual separation from God

Because we sin, we earn death.

God doesn't send people to hell because he hates them. He doesn't want anyone to go to hell. As mankind, we freely choose to sin and the result is hell. If I decided to rob a bank tomorrow and eventually get caught, one day, I will have to stand before a judge. That judge is going to look at all of the evidence against me and determine if I am guilty or innocent. If the judge sends me to prison, it's not because he doesn't like me... it's because I broke the law. A just judge must uphold the law.

God is the perfectly just judge. When he looks at our life and sees all of the sin, he must send us to hell. For the wages of sin is death. Every person that has ever been born has to face this reality. No matter how good we try to be, our sin has earned us a place in hell.

The Good News

Even though we are sinners, God still loves us.
“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” - Romans 5:8

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came to earth, lived a sinless life, and died on the cross. He willingly laid down his life as the sacrificial Lamb of God. God didn't just say that he loves us... he showed it.

He didn't die for His sins.
He died for yours.
He paid the price that we could never pay.

Salvation Is Not by Works
Many people believe:
“I have to be a good person”
“I need to go to church”
“I must be baptized”
“I have to turn my life around first”

But the Bible is clear...
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” - Ephesians 2:8–9
No amount of good works can remove your sin. When you stand before a judge, he's not looking at all the good that you've done in your life. He's look at the evidence for the bad that you've done. Salvation is not something you can earn. It is a gift you receive. Notice the rest of the verse that we looked at earlier.

Romans 6:23 - "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

What Must You Do to Be Saved?
Fortunately for us, someone in the Bible asked this very question...
“And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” - Acts 16:31

To be saved, you must...
1. Realize You Are a Sinner

You cannot be saved until you understand your need.

2. Understand the Penalty

Sin must be paid for—and you cannot pay it yourself.

3. Believe Jesus Paid It All

Not partly. Not mostly. Completely.

4. Trust Him Alone

Not your works.
Not your religion.
Not your effort.
Only Jesus Christ.

Right now, you are trusting in something to get you to Heaven. What is it? What are you trusting in?
Your goodness?
Your church attendance?
Your baptism?
Or Jesus Christ alone?

Only one of these can get you to heaven. Jesus is the only way!

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” - John 14:6

The Decision

You Can Know—Right Now
God does not want you to guess about eternity. He doesn't want you to be 98% sure that you're going to heaven. We need to be 100% sure.

“These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.” - 1 John 5:13

You can settle this today.

Right now.

Between you and God.

A Simple Step of Faith
Salvation is not about saying the perfect words. There is not a magical prayer that be repeated to get you into heaven. But if you understand and believe what you’ve read, you can express that faith to God right now. You can call unto Him for salvation!

I still remember the day that I got saved. I stopped trusting in my own works to get to heaven, got on my knees before God, and prayed a prayer similar to this...

“God, I know I am a sinner, and I realize that because of my sin, I'm deserving of hell. I know I cannot save myself. According to the Bible, Jesus Christ died for my sins and rose again. I believe that. Today, I am trusting in Jesus alone to save me. Not my works—only Him. Lord, please save me.”

The words didn't save me. According to the Bible, my faith and trust in Jesus for my salvation is what saves me. Today, if you're trusting in anything other than Jesus alone for your salvation, I encourage you to repent (turn away) from your current belief and turn to Jesus. Only he can save you.

What Happens Next?
If you have trusted Christ alone... you are saved. Not because of how you feel, but because of what God said in Romans 10:9, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."

One Final Question
If you died today…
Are you 100% sure you would go to Heaven?
If not—don’t wait.
Trust Christ today.

After salvation, the next step is to find a good church.

Continue to Step 2: Find a Biblical Church

We’re here to help you understand the Bible—simply and clearly.

We'd love to hear from you!

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