Q. When I hear Christians say that they are 'saved,' what do they mean?
A. In short, to be �saved� means to be set free from the guilt and the punishment of sin by accepting Jesus as our Savior.
Q. Guilt and Punishment from sin? What sin? I am a good person.
A. God teaches us that although we may be good people, we are also all sinners, every one of us. See Romans 3:23.
Q. Ok, so I am a sinner. You are a sinner. Even those who call themselves Christians are sinners. What is the difference between me and them?
A. This is where Jesus comes in. By knowing Him and accepting Him as Lord and Savior, you are set free from your sin. See Romans 3:24. Jesus is the Son of God, whom God sent to die for our sin. As it says in Romans 6:23, all of us sin and the punishment for sin is death. So when Jesus came to earth to die for our sins, He took all our sins with to the cross, and paid the penalty for us.
Q. So He is a martyr, big deal. Most major religions out there have martyrs. What makes Jesus different?
A. Jesus rose from the dead! No other religion can make that claim. Three days after He was painfully crucified, He rose again. This is the key to the Christian faith. Jesus proved He was our Lord and Savior by giving us eternal life. Someday, we too will rise again and be in heaven with Him.
Q. Will I no longer sin if I accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior?
A. Ahh, if only it could be that easy. Unfortunately, you will still sin. The important part is that you no longer want to sin, you experience guilt from it and you wish to repent.
Q. This is another one of those Christian terms again. What do you mean by "repent"?
A. Repentance is having the confidence that God is willing and able to forgive all our sins. God wants to forgive you! He wants you to come to Him and ask for forgiveness so you can begin your new life with Him. See Romans 5:1.
Q. How do I repent?
A. The first thing you can do is pray and ask God to forgive your sins. Ask Jesus to come into your life and make you a new person. He knows your heart, and if you truly mean it, He will forgive all your sins and enter your life. See 1 John 1:9
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