No matter what your status is in life, no matter if you think you are a good person or not, everyone needs Jesus.

In 1987, when I was 17 years old, I walked away from the Lord. I questioned everything I was taught and just made the decision to throw it all away. I never had a meaningful relationship with my God so it was easy to just abandon it all and be law unto myself. I figured this was all life was about: do the best you can, be a “good person,” don’t hurt anyone, be nice to be people, accept and be tolerant of everything, and then I’ll die knowing that I did the best I could.

Boy, was I ever wrong! Seems like I was angry all the time, I hated certain people, I lusted after women, I cursed and used foul language. Though I never did commit a felony or was arrested for anything (that’s a good thing, isn’t it?) I’ve stolen things, I’ve coveted things belonging to others, I’ve taken God’s name in vain, I’ve lied, and even cheated. I realized, there is no way I could ever be good enough.

Just as Peter’s jailer asked him in Acts 16:30, we all must come to a point to where we ask: “What must I do to be saved?”

The “Romans Road”

A mini-study into the book of Romans might help put this into perspective:

1. Romans 3:10: As it is written, “There is none righteous, not even one.”
2. Romans 3:23: For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
3. Romans 5:12: Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned.
4. Romans 6:23: For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
5. Romans 5:8: But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
6. Romans 10:9-10: That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.
7. Romans 10:13: For “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

The Four Spiritual Laws

Another way of looking at this is through “The Four Spiritual Laws.”

1. God loves you: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
2. Man is sinful and separated from God: For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23) For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23) But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear. (Isaiah 59:2)
3. Jesus the Christ is God’s only provision for man’s sin: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me.” (John 14:6) But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
4. We must individually receive Jesus as our Savior and Lord: But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name. (John 1:12) That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9) For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. (Ephesians 2:8)

That’s it. Either way, this is all you need to do to gain eternal life.

(For further reading and information on this, I also recommend Dan Edelen’s post at his blog, Cerulean Sanctum, on “How to Become a Christian.”)

Next Steps

If you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, then there are a few crucial items to do as a follow-up:

1. If you don’t have one, get a Bible. There are many translations. Don’t panic. I use the New American Standard (NASB/NASV). But either of the following are good: New King James Version (NKJV) or New International Version (NIV). The King James Version (KJV) is a wonderful translation if you are okay with the “thees” and the “thous.” Otherwise, go with one of the others. The rule is: a good Bible is a R-E-A-D Bible!
2. Find a Bible-based, Christian church. What I mean by that, make sure the pastors use the Bible as their source material for their preaching. You need to be certain that the church is using the Word of God to instruct their members.
3. Get baptized by immersion. This is outlined in Acts 2:38 and 10:47. This is important. The term used in Acts is the Greek word “βαπτίζω” or “baptizō,” which means “to immerse” or “to submerge.” As Christians we want to be obedient to the Word, so be sure to find a church that adheres to “baptism by immersion.”
4. Join a small group Bible study. Once you find a church you are comfortable in, look into joining a small group Bible study. As a new believer, our adversary the Devil/Satan, is going to try to get you to change your mind or give up. Don’t let him get a foothold into your life. This is a critical and special time and it’s important to be in a small group Bible study for support and help as you begin your journey with Christ.
5. Welcome to the family!