One of the most wonderful decisions I have ever made was to ask Jesus into my life. For some reason, it was also one of the most difficult. When I look back a few short months ago, I remember myself sitting on the church pew having listened to the sermon. I felt the pull to come to the altar and give my life over, but I resisted. Part of that resistance was due, I believe, to not wanting to give up the control of my life that I perceived I had. The truth is, I didn't have any control. All I had was fear.
I was afraid I would do or say the wrong thing at work and would lose my job. I felt picked-on and truly hated to go to work. I was afraid that I would say the wrong thing to my wife and that she would leave. I have been divorced three previous times. I alienated myself from others completely by choice because I didn't want anyone to get close. The only thing I had was the ability to bury myself in games, movies, and the internet. I had a few people I called "friends" but I rarely went to visit them or call them. No one knew me anymore. Not even myself. The only one I dared to show my true self to was my 6 year-old daughter who was, and still is, the light of my life. Everyone else, I avoided or pushed away. I was tired of living this way. I was hurting. Honestly, I felt worthless and wondering if my family and the world would be better off without me in it. I decided I needed to change. I put myself out there, more vulnerable than I had let myself be in years. I called the number of the church secretary and left a message that I needed to talk to the preacher.
It was a Thursday afternoon. I was on my way home and the pastor of Tangipahoa Baptist Church, Bro, Mike Moore, returned my call. It wasn't long after I began speaking to him that I started breaking down.
We prayed together and that day, April 4, 2024 at 52 years of age, I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. It has been the best decision I have ever made. Over the last few months, I have seen God working in my life. The change is incredible and everyone's experience will be different, but the way there is the same.
The traditional way to become saved is via the Roman Road.
The Roman Road to Salvation is a collection of verses from the book of Romans that will give the insight you need to be saved. At the end of this, I will give you a prayer that you should pray and what you should do next.
1. You admit that you are a sinner.
- Romans 3:10: As it is written, "There is none righteous, no, not one:"
- Romans 3:23: "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God;"
- Romans 5:12: "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed
upon all men, for that all have sinned:"
2. Because you are sinful, you deserve death. That is the wages of sin.
- Romans 6:23a: "For the wages of sin is death;"
3. Realize that God loves YOU!
- Romans 5:8: "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us
When Jesus died on the cross, He paid the penalty for sin for you
4. Salvation is God's gift to you.
- Romans 6:23b: "... but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
You cannot earn this gift. You must ask for it. It is not enough to believe you are a moral person.
5. You must ask for forgiveness from God and ask to be saved.
- Romans 10:9-10: "That is 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. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
6. You must receive the gift, just as you do any other.
- Romans 10:13: "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
In a nut-shell, it is A, B, C.
1. Admit you are a sinner
2. Believe Jesus Christ is the son of God and that he died, was buried, and resurrected on the third day to pay for your sins.
3. Confess your faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.
The prayers vary. There is no one word-for-word exact prayer. In fact, by polling preachers and by searching the vast expanses of the internet, you will come to this same conclusion. However, the gist of each of the prayers are the same. Here is a prayer that you could say aloud :
"Most holy and gracious father, I come to you a sinner in need of your forgiveness and beg this mercy from you. I believe that your only begotten son, Jesus, was born sinless, died for my sins and for the sins of this world as payment for our sins and rose three days later. I believe in and accept your gift of salvation and eternal life. I believe this gift was paid for by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Today, Lord, I repent of my sins and turn away from my old ways and follow You. Because of your mercy and grace I can have faith and today I ask for this new life through Christ Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit. Thank you God, for forgiving me and accepting me into your holy kingdom. In the name of Jesus I pray these things. Amen."
Your next step is to contact a pastor of a church. I personally recommend a church of the Baptist faith, as that is the direction of the information you will receive here. It is the interpretation that I believe follows the teachings of Jesus most faithfully, but there are plenty of people that would disagree, There are nuances between the different denominations and there is debate between them on the teachings, but watch closely when you attend. Study the Bible yourself. Do not follow the religion. Follow the teachings of Jesus.
As always, I pray for God to bless and keep you.
~ Michael S. Pearson
Michael Pearson is a devoted follower of Christ and a passionate writer who blends deep biblical insight with everyday relevance. With a heart for guiding others on their faith journey, he draws on his experience in the study of history, his wry wit, and his unafraid approach to deliver content that is both thought-provoking and grounded in Scripture. Michael believes in the power of authentic faith to transform lives and is dedicated to helping readers navigate their spiritual paths with conviction and clarity. When he isn’t writing, he can often be found teaching computer programming, reading on various topics and spending time with his family.
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