Salvation is the heart of the Christian message: that God, in his love, rescues people from sin and death and gives them new life in Jesus Christ. This page is a plain, friendly starting point for anyone asking what that means.
The good news in brief
Christians believe that God made the world and made every person to know him. Yet we have all turned away from him. The Bible says, “for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Sin breaks our relationship with God and with one another, and we cannot repair it ourselves.
The good news is that God has acted. “But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Jesus lived the life we could not live, died on the cross in our place, and rose again on the third day. Through him, forgiveness and new life are offered freely.
What salvation means
To be saved is to be forgiven, reconciled to God and made new. It is not earned by good behaviour or religious effort. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, that no one would boast” (Ephesians 2:8–9).
How to receive it
The Bible describes a simple response: turn from sin and trust in Jesus. “If you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9). Many people express this in a prayer to God. You do not need special words, only an honest heart.
What comes next
Salvation is the beginning of a lifelong walk with God. Read the Bible, pray, and find a church or fellowship where you can grow with other believers. Our daily devotionals and Bible studies are written to help you take those next steps.
Scripture quotations on this page are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain.