What are the steps in the plan of salvation?

Recognise that you have sinned, understand that sin carries a penalty, believe that Jesus Christ died for your sins and rose again, and receive Him by faith. Scripture, not a formula of words, is the authority for each step.

Is there a prayer I must say to be saved?

No specific wording is required. God looks at the heart. Telling Him honestly that you are a sinner and that you are trusting Christ alone is enough.

How can I know I am really saved?

Assurance rests on God's promise rather than on feelings. John 5:24 says the one who hears Christ's word and believes has everlasting life and has already passed from death unto life.

Can I lose my salvation if I fail later?

Salvation is a gift held by the One who gave it. Failure calls for confession and restored fellowship, not for starting the plan over again.

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How to be saved

The Plan of Salvation, Step by Step

The plan of salvation is God's way of bringing a guilty sinner into a right standing with Himself through Jesus Christ. It has four simple parts: recognise that you have sinned, understand that sin has a penalty, believe that Christ paid that penalty and rose again, and receive Him by faith. Salvation is a gift, so it is received, never earned.

"That if 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."

— Romans 10:9

Step one: recognise the problem

The first step is not effort. It is honesty. Scripture says there is none righteous, no, not one. Until a person agrees with God about that, the rest of the plan sounds unnecessary.

"As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one."

— Romans 3:10

Step two: understand the penalty

Sin is not a small debt that time forgives. It carries death, which is separation from God. This is the sober part of the plan, and skipping it makes grace sound cheap.

"And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment."

— Hebrews 9:27

Step three: believe what Christ has done

God did not wait for us to improve. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. He was buried and He rose again, and that work is complete.

Believing here means more than agreeing that the facts are true. It means resting your whole case on Him, the way you rest your weight on a chair.

"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

— Romans 5:8

Step four: receive Him

A gift held out must still be taken. Scripture calls this receiving Christ, and it makes a person a child of God.

There is no special formula of words. God reads the heart, not the wording. Speak to Him plainly and honestly.

"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name."

— John 1:12

What happens next

Assurance rests on God's promise, not on your feelings. Some people weep, some feel nothing at all in the moment. Neither proves anything. The promise does.

Then begin simply: read the Gospel of John, talk to God each day, and find a church that preaches the Bible plainly. Tell someone what has happened. That is how the rounds continue.

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life."

— John 5:24

Where this leaves you

If you have never trusted Jesus Christ, you can do it right where you are. You do not need a church building, a special prayer, or a better week. Tell Him plainly that you are a sinner, that you believe He died for your sins and rose again, and that you are trusting Him alone to save you. He has promised that whoever comes to Him He will in no wise cast out.

— Dr. Bruno

Common questions

What are the steps in the plan of salvation?: Recognise that you have sinned, understand that sin carries a penalty, believe that Jesus Christ died for your sins and rose again, and receive Him by faith. Scripture, not a formula of words, is the authority for each step.
Is there a prayer I must say to be saved?: No specific wording is required. God looks at the heart. Telling Him honestly that you are a sinner and that you are trusting Christ alone is enough.
How can I know I am really saved?: Assurance rests on God's promise rather than on feelings. John 5:24 says the one who hears Christ's word and believes has everlasting life and has already passed from death unto life.
Can I lose my salvation if I fail later?: Salvation is a gift held by the One who gave it. Failure calls for confession and restored fellowship, not for starting the plan over again.

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