How do you know when you are ready to give your life to the Lord? And when you do, which “Religion” are you supposed to choose? In today’s society there is a different church on every corner. Which is the right one or is there a right one?
The Lord wants you to come to Him today. 2 Corinthians 6:2 says, “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” We also read in Joshua 24:15, “Choose you this day whom ye will serve…” I really think it is not so much as when you think you are ready, but when you realize that the Lord is calling for you to come to Him now. As I’m sure you know, none of us are promised tomorrow. Accidents, diseases, crimes all these things are in the world and any of them could end our life today. In reality, we can’t afford to put off our salvation.
We have a stern warning in Hebrews 2:3, which says, “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him.” There is no escaping the wrath of God if we neglect, or put off, the salvation the Lord has offered to all.
So, how do you know when you are ready? I think the fact that you asked the question is a good indication that you are ready. It seems like you are concerned about your salvation. It looks like the Lord is already working in your heart to convict you of your sins. Have you come to realize that you are a sinner, and as a sinner, you are guilty before God? But, there is great news. 1 Timothy 1:15 says, “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” You see, we are all sinners by birth and by practice, but it was for people like us that the Lord Jesus came to save. He can offer salvation because He died on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins. If we simply put our trust in the Lord Jesus as our Savior, we are saved. Let’s read Romans 10:9-10. It says, “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. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” It’s so simple, but so profound. If we confess to God that we accept Jesus as our Lord, and if we believe that Jesus rose from the dead after dying for our sins, we are saved. Will the Lord accept you and save you? Romans 10:13 assures us that, “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” We also read in John 6:37 that, “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” No way will the Lord cast you out. He saves all who come to Him by faith.
However, it is an ‘all or nothing’ type thing. The Bible says in John 3:36, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” Then we read in 1 John 5:12 that, “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” You are either saved or you are not. You have everlasting life or you don’t. If these words cause you to want to be saved, then I encourage you to accept the Lord Jesus as your savior. Talk to God and tell Him that you do believe in the Lord Jesus and accept Him as your Lord and savior. The words that you use are not so important; it’s what you believe in your heart.
Once saved, the Lord does want us to gather with other likeminded Christians. You are right, there are so many religions and denominations that it’s hard to know which one to go to. I suggest that wherever you go, you insist that the Lord’s name is exalted and people use the Bible to teach. If someone tells you something is true, don’t hesitate to ask them to show you from the Bible. Never take anyone’s word, not mine or anyone else’s, for what is true. The Bible is our only source of authority, so make sure your knowledge comes from the Word of God.
If you have any more questions about what to believe as a Christian, please don’t hesitate to let me know. We have a number of questions that have been answered through Answers From the Book. You can go to our website: https://answersfromthebook.net and listen to some of the questions and answers there. I hope you are helped by this page. You will notice that we do not offer our opinions but try to answer each question from the Bible. I will be praying for you.