The Life Hound 8 Minute Challenge is a quick overview of the basic teachings of Biblical Christianity. It’s purpose is to give you an opportunity to make a decision about the New Testament claims about Christ. These life changing truths can be considered in 8 minutes ...

What does it mean to be saved?

To understand salvation you first have to understand God's love for mankind. God loves you and has a plan for your life. The Bible records that Jesus said: "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." (John 10:10)

God is perfect, holy, and sinless. Mankind falls short of God's standard. Romans 3:23 says: "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

This sin separates us from God. "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23) The ultimate result of sin is death and separation from God for eternity.

But God, who Francis Thompson described as the 'Hound of Heaven', loves us and wants that broken relationship to be mended. God desires to fill our lives with His grace, love, and presence. He has provided a way for us to experience forgiveness of sin, abundant life here on earth during this life, and everlasting life in heaven. God's remedy for our sin problem was to send His Son, Jesus, to earth. Jesus is God's eternal Son but for our sake He left heaven and became a man. The Bible says:

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God ... And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us" John 1:1-2, 14

Why is Jesus important?

God's plan for our salvation was that Jesus would die on the cross for us. The Bible says: "Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures" 1 Corinthians 15:3-4

Jesus is the only way to God. He said "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)

It is not enough to just know the facts about Jesus! When you learn about Jesus sacrificial gift you are forced to make a decision .... to accept or reject Him.

To be reconciled to God we must individually receive Jesus Christ as our Saviour and Lord. We receive Jesus into our lives just as we would receive a guest through the doorway of our home. The Bible says: "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God." (John 1:12)

Don't I have to do good works to be saved?

No. According to the Bible salvation through Jesus is a free gift! Jesus offers this gift to you right now. As in all gifts, it must be accepted (received). Receiving Jesus also involves placing our faith (trust) in Him.

"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." (Ephesians 2: 8-9)

Receiving Jesus involves turning from self and turning to God. The Bible calls this 'repentance'. "Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out." (Acts 3:19)

Repentance is a change of direction. It's as if you are walking in one direction, change your mind, turn around, and walk in the other direction. We only have to repent and receive Christ one time. Remember, the Christian's faith is in what Christ did on the cross, not in our act of repentance or prayer of salvation.

Is there a 'salvation prayer'?

I am not aware of any Bible verses that require individuals to say a prayer in order to be saved.

Often times, however, when people give their lives to Jesus, they say a prayer to God.

They verbalize to Him their trust that Jesus' sacrificial death was sufficient to pay the penalty for their sins.

"That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (Romans 10:9-10)

When guests knock at the door of your home, it is easy to receive them. You simply open the door and invite them in. Receiving Jesus into your life is similar to this. Here is a prayer that you can say that communicates to God your commitment ....

Dear Jesus - I want to follow You. I turn from my sin and place my trust in You alone and ask for Your forgiveness. Right now, I receive Your gift of eternal life and confess You as Lord. Thank You for loving me and dying for me. I trust that Your death on the cross was sufficient to pay the penalty for my sins. Thank you for giving me new life. Amen.

You can pray that prayer right now and begin your personal relationship with God. Jesus said: "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life" (John 6:47)

What a Christian IS NOT

Many people have misconceptions regarding what it means to be a Christian.

You are not automatically a Christian if you are an American. You are not automatically a Christian if you do good things. You are not automatically a Christian if your parents were church goers. You are not a Christian if you spend time in church. In fact, someone once said that standing in church on Sunday morning no more makes you a Christian than standing in your garage makes you a car.

You are not automatically a Christian if you do all the sacraments prescribed by your church. I grew up in a Baptist church in Massachusetts. While attending that church I was baptized and took communion regularly. The Bible says, however, that my participation in those sacraments does not save me or make me a Christian. Again, here is that crucial scripture, Ephesians 2:8-9:

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

What a Christian IS

I believe that the Bible teaches three crucial points about being a Christian ....

1) A Christian is a person who recognizes and asserts that salvation, forgiveness, and reconciliation with God are the result of Christ's sacrificial death on the cross. A Christian is a person who trusts that Christ's death was sufficient to pay the punishment for our sins. A Christian's faith is in what Jesus did, not what we do.

2) A Christian is a person who receives Christ into his or her life.

3) The Bible records that Jesus' disciples were first called 'Christians' in the city of Antioch. The word Christian literally means 'little Christs'. The disciples were called Christians because their lives reminded observers of the life of Christ. To be a Christian means that you are a follower of Jesus. It means that you have as a core desire to imitate the actions of Christ in your life. A Christian's life should mirror that of Christ. Christians work with God to purse that goal and that process is what is called 'sanctification'.

So what, now what?

Where do you stand? Have you received Christ into your life?! Do you know for certain that if you were to die today that you would spend eternity in heaven?

(Some portions of this posting comes from the publication 'Your Story ... How Will It Turn Out?'. Published by the North American Mission Board, SBC. www.namb.net., 1982)