What Happens When You Are Saved

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Becoming a Christian is not merely adopting a belief system. The Bible describes something that happens to a person, many things at once. Theologians separate them for study, though they occur together [7].

You Are Born Again

Jesus told Nicodemus, a respected religious teacher: "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3). "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again" (John 3:6-7). The new birth is God's work, giving new spiritual life, and "if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17).

You Are Forgiven

"In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace" (Ephesians 1:7). Every sin, past, present, and future, is covered by Christ's sacrifice.

You Are Declared Righteous

The Bible calls this justification, a legal word. "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1). "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1). God receives you not on the basis of your record but on the basis of Christ's.

You Are Adopted into God's Family

"For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God" (Romans 8:15-16). You now have a Father.

You Receive the Holy Spirit

"In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise" (Ephesians 1:13). The Spirit lives in the believer, teaches, comforts, and gradually changes character.

You Are Transferred to a New Kingdom

"Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son" (Colossians 1:13).

Can You Know That You Are Saved?

John wrote his first letter for this very purpose: "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life" (1 John 5:13). Christians can have assurance based not on their performance but on the promise of God. Jesus said of His followers: "I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand" (John 10:28). And Paul was confident "that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6). (On disagreements regarding whether a believer can fall away, see Chapter 11.)

CHAPTER 9