What does the word "Salvation" even mean?
Salvation is simply God's free gift of eternal life instead of the eternal dying we have earned by our own sins. Romans 3:23-24 tells us ". . . for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;". All means all. All of us, throughout human history, great or small, rich or poor, good or bad, are guilty of sin at some point in the eyes of God. Because of our own sinfulness, each has condemned himself.
What can I do to get right with God?
We can't really "do" anything. We can't earn salvation. We can't work off our moral failures. We are all corrupted beyond our ability to fix it ourselves. Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast." Because God loves you, He did the work for you. Instead of making you "pay for it" or "work off your debt", God simply offers you salvation - a free gift.
So how do I accept this free gift?
Romans 10:9-10 tells us ". . . that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation."
First, you need to believe in the God of the Bible. If you aren't firmly convinced God is real, then you're simply trusting the wind. You don't have to know everything about God, but you need to believe He is real and He cares about you.
Second, you need to believe in the Jesus of the Bible. Jesus came into this world to pay the price for your "free gift" of salvation. That's why Jesus went willing to the cross to be crucified. He died for you.
Third, you need to believe that God the Father raised Jesus from the dead. If Jesus was a fraud, the Father would have left Him in the tomb. The resurrection also proves that God has power over the thing we fear the most - death.
Fourth, you have to confess [commit] to Jesus as the Lord of your life. This word "lord" means supreme authority. Jesus becomes the boss of what we believe and how we try to live every day. Personally, I think this is the hard part in the beginning. We like to be in charge and make our own decisions. Now we are committing ourselves to making biblical decisions. "What Would Jesus Do" becomes more than a slogan. It becomes a way of life.
Finally, find a Christian and talk to them about the decision you have made. Don't be afraid to dive into your new relationship. After all, this relationship will last forever.
