“[and He did this] so that in the ages to come He might [clearly] show the immeasurable and unsurpassed riches of His grace in [His] kindness toward us in Christ Jesus [by providing for our redemption]. For it is by grace [God’s remarkable compassion and favor drawing you to Christ] that you have been saved [actually delivered from judgment and given eternal life] through faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [not through your own effort], but it is the [undeserved, gracious] gift of God; not as a result of [your] works [nor your attempts to keep the Law], so that no one will [be able to] boast or take credit in any way [for his salvation].”—Ephesians 2:7-9 (AMP)
Knowing that we could never do enough to earn our salvation, God allowed His own Son, Jesus, to take our place and to pay the price for our guilt.
We were guilty. We should have died for the wrong things that we did, but God loved us so much that He sent His Son Jesus from Heaven to Earth to take our place.
In our place, Jesus paid the price for all of the wrong things that we did. He died so that you might live.
There is nothing more that you can do to earn your salvation. It has all been accomplished for you. Jesus did it all. He paid the price for you.
Now you have a choice. You can accept it or reject it. If you believe and accept the sacrifice that Jesus has already made for you, then you can be saved and have your name written in God’s Book of Life.
“For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son. God gave his Son so that whoever believes in him may not be lost, but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to judge the world guilty, but to save the world through him. He who believes in God’s Son is not judged guilty. He who does not believe has already been judged guilty, because he has not believed in God’s only Son.”—John 3:16-18 (ICB)
The only good works that God accepts for our salvation and our right standing before Him are the good works of Jesus’ sacrifice for us. We can only be saved through faith, believing in these good works that Jesus’ did. Our own works have no hope of saving us. Faith in our own good works will only lead to our eternal damnation. Faith in Jesus is the only way to have eternal salvation and have our names written in God’s Book of Life.
“Now we see how God does make us acceptable to him. The Law and the Prophets tell how we become acceptable, and it isn’t by obeying the Law of Moses. God treats everyone alike. He accepts people only because they have faith in Jesus Christ. All of us have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. But God treats us much better than we deserve, and because of Christ Jesus, he freely accepts us and sets us free from our sins. God sent Christ to be our sacrifice. Christ offered his life’s blood, so that by faith in him we could come to God. And God did this to show that in the past he was right to be patient and forgive sinners. This also shows that God is right when he accepts people who have faith in Jesus.
“What is left for us to brag about? Not a thing! Is it because we obeyed some law? No! It is because of faith. We see that people are acceptable to God because they have faith, and not because they obey the Law. Does God belong only to the Jews? Isn’t he also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, he is! There is only one God, and he accepts Gentiles as well as Jews, simply because of their faith.”—Romans 3:21-30 (CEV)
There is nothing that you can do to earn your salvation and have your name written in God’s Book of Life.
If you are ready to accept what Jesus did for you, then you can declare your belief to God with a simple prayer. It is not complicated. God knows you better than you know yourself, so you can be yourself with Him and pray in your own words.
If you like, you can use this prayer as a guide:
“Dear God, I understand that I am a sinner. I ask you to forgive me for everything. I believe that Jesus took my place and paid for everything that I did wrong. He died for me and rose again from the dead. Right now, I declare that Jesus is my Savior. I ask you to make me your child and write my name in your Book of Life. Fill me with Your Spirit and guide me through life. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. I ask you in Jesus’ name, Amen.”
If you prayed that prayer sincerely, believing that Jesus died for all of the wrong things that you did, and rose to life again, then your name will be written in God’s Book of Life. You have passed from the realm of destruction to the realm of everlasting life!
“But what does it say? ‘The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart’—that is, the word [the message, the basis] of faith which we preach—because if you acknowledge and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord [recognizing His power, authority, and majesty as God], and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart a person believes [in Christ as Savior] resulting in his justification [that is, being made righteous—being freed of the guilt of sin and made acceptable to God]; and with the mouth he acknowledges and confesses [his faith openly], resulting in and confirming [his] salvation. For the Scripture says, ‘Whoever believes in Him [whoever adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Him] will not be disappointed [in his expectations].’ For there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile; for the same Lord is Lord over all [of us], and [He is] abounding in riches (blessings) for all who call on Him [in faith and prayer]. For ‘whoever calls on the name of the Lord [in prayer] will be saved.’”— Romans 10:8-13 (AMP)