Do you want to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? Have you been wondering how you can do that, or feeling uncertain about making the right decision? You’re not alone—many Christians struggle with taking this important step of faith.
In this blog post, we’ll discuss what it means to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, provide some practical steps for doing so, and offer encouragement along the way.
An important Decision
Accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior is the most important decision a person can make in their life. It is a decision that has eternal consequences and requires a sincere commitment to follow Jesus Christ as the center of life.
The Bible teaches that accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior involves several steps, including repentance, faith, confession, and baptism.
Repentance of Sins
The first step in accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior is repentance. Repentance involves recognizing and confessing the sins before God and asking for His forgiveness.
The Bible asks people to repent and turn to God, then their sins will be forgiven (Acts 3:19).
In a sermon on repentance, Saint John Chrysostom said, “Repentance is the medicine which heals the wounds of sin. It is the washing of the soul which erases the stains of wickedness” (Homily on Repentance).
Orthodox view on repentance watches with the words of John Chrysostom. Repentance is the healing of spiritual wounds that a person made for himself.
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True Faith in Jesus Christ
The second step in accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior is faith.
Faith involves believing in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and trusting in Him for salvation. It also includes believing in the Holy Trinity and the teaching of Jesus.
The Bible says that whoever will believe in Jesus Christ won’t perish but will have eternal life (John 3:16).
Saint Cyril of Jerusalem wrote about the importance of faith “Let no one be slow to seek the help of faith. Faith is a good thing, and saves us all, especially if the faith is in the Lord Jesus Christ” (Catechetical Lectures).
Confession of Sins
Confession is a very important part of accepting Jesus as Lord. Confession involves declaring faith in Jesus Christ and acknowledging Him as Lord and Savior.
The Bible says about it in Romans 10:9. If someone says “Jesus is Lord” And truly believes that He resurrected, then such a person will be saved. This confession can be made in different ways, if a person is baptized and attends a church, it is a confession of his faith.
Saint Basil the Great wrote, “Belief in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is confessed by baptism.” (On the Holy Spirit).
However, baptism plays an important role in confession when a person is adult enough. Many people get baptized at a young age, in this case, confession would be living a spiritual life according to the teaching of the Church.
Baptism
One of the most important things in accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior is baptism. Baptism involves being immersed in water as a symbol of dying to old life and being raised to new life in Christ. Even Jesus Christ was baptized to show an example for all people.
The Bible says that if a person repents and gets baptized, he will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38).
Saint Gregory the Theologian wrote, “Baptism is God’s most beautiful and magnificent gift.” (Oration on Holy Spirit) Only after baptism a person can become a full member of a Church, participate in all sacraments, and so on.
Parents have a responsibility for baptizing their children since they must care not only for the physical condition of a child but also for the spiritual one. If the baptism didn’t happen in childhood, it’s never late to be baptized and become a part of the Church of Christ.
Life According to Christ
After accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior through repentance, faith, confession, and baptism, the believer is called to a life of obedience to Christ. This includes living a life that is characterized by love for God and other people, and by following the teachings of Jesus Christ which are described in the Bible.
Also, faith without good works wouldn’t be a full one. A person should always be ready to help poor people, animals, and so on. These actions will be caused by the faith of a person. We should also have a kind heart, in other words, forgive our enemies, pray for them, and wish only the best for the people.
If a person hasn’t forgiven someone, he will answer for it before God, since the condition of a soul which is full of a grudge can be an obstacle to being with Lord in heaven.
The Opinion of The Church Fathers
Saint John Chrysostom wrote about life according to Jesus, “What is the object of our existence, then? To obey God and to follow Christ” (Homily on St. John 1:1). And for understanding how we need to follow Christ we should read the Bible, where is written about it with all details.
Saint Basil the Great wrote, “Let us imitate the life of Christ, who, being rich, for our sakes became poor; who, being high, for our sakes became lowly; who, being God, for our sakes became man” (Homily on the Paralytic).
A good example of this quote can be Saint Blessed Xenia of Saint Petersburg, who started helping other people and making heroic deeds. A Christian shouldn’t be proud and should indeed imitate the life of Christ.
It’s very important for the believer to participate in the life of the Church, which includes regular worship, prayer, and the Eucharist.
In Orthodoxy, it’s also important to participate in the sacraments of the Church, including Holy Communion, confession, and anointing with oil.
Saint Symeon the New Theologian wrote, “Do not neglect the sacraments, for they are the very foundation of our salvation” (Discourses).
Although some people can think that the traditions of the Church can be less important than a person’s faith, the Church Fathers say the opposite. It’s a foundation of the Church, and by these things, we confess our faith.
Final Thoughts
It can be concluded that for accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior we need repentance, faith, confession, and baptism, followed by a life according to the teaching of Christ.
Participating in the life of the Church, making good works, and partaking of the sacraments for receiving God’s grace is also very important.
Sources:
Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures
Saint John Chrysostom, Homily on St. John 1:1, Homily on Repentance
Saint Gregory the Theologian, Oration on Holy Spirit
Saint Basil the Great, Homily on the Paralytic, On the Holy Spirit
Saint Symeon the New Theologian, Discourses
Charalampos
Charalampos is an Orthodox Christian who wants to help others learn about Christianity. His main goal is to help people understand the Bible and how to apply its teachings in their everyday lives. He also enjoys spending time with his family, playing sports, and hiking.
Connecting with God is essential to praying effectively and receiving answers. Our FREE cheat sheet will help you build a strong relationship with God and create an effective prayer life.
