How does a person get saved?

Belief must already have started in your heart if you are asking this question.

The true Bible Plan of Salvation is given by the Apostles who lived with and studied under Jesus Christ, who was Himself the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world, (John 1:29). That plan:

(First): Recognizes the love and Grace (undeserved, unearned favor) of God which made provision for lost humanity to be born anew or again through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life,” (John 3:16). “For by grace are ye saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works lest any man should boast,” (Ephesians 2:8,9). It is by the GRACE of God that you have ever heard the message about the love of God through godly parents, the preaching of the Word of God, or even that you received this little tract. For “…faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God,” (Romans 10:17).

(Second): Believe. It is through belief that the Holy Spirit brings you to conviction. You cannot and will never feel conviction of the Holy Spirit until you Believe:

(a) That you are a sinner. “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God,” (Romans 3:23).

(b) That you, miss the mark of God’s plan and purpose for your life, and “The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord,” (Romans 6:23).

(c) That Jesus Christ is the sinless, only begotten Son of God. “He that believeth on
Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God,” (John 3:18).

(d) That Jesus was and is the Lamb of God, “Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world,” (John 1:29,36). He was God’s own perfect sacrifice for our sins.

(e) That He loved all people in the world and so He died to save you and everyone else from the wages of sin, “For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved,” (John 3:17).

(f) That He paid it all, by His grace, it is all finished. There is no price you must pay, nothing you can do to earn salvation. “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers: But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot,” (1 Peter 1:18,19). Until you believe you need to be saved and that there is nothing you can do to earn it, you can never the feel conviction of God’s Spirit.

The very first people who ever believed a sermon about their own sinfulness and salvation through Jesus, “…were pricked in their hearts and said, Men and brethren what must we do?” (Acts 2:37). The answer to them was the same as it is to you today:

(Third): “Repent …” (Acts 2:38). (a) Be sorry that you have fallen short, far short of God’s plan for you and that you have missed His mark for your life. (b) Turn and determine to continue turning from serving your own self to serving Him as Lord of every detail of your life.

(Fourth): “…and Be Baptized every one of you…” How? By what power or authority? “…in the name of Jesus Christ,” (Acts 2:38). For what purpose? “…for the remission [forgiveness] of sins…” Baptism is your burial with Jesus Christ in the watery grave so you can be raised with Him to live as a new creature in Christ Jesus with old things passed away (your old nature dead and buried in the watery grave). “Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? Therefore, we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we also should walk in newness of life,” (Romans 6:3,4). “…and ye shall…”

(Fifth): “…Receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” (Acts 2:38). Though you may succeed in fooling any man, you cannot and will not fool God. When you have truly believed and felt the conviction of the Holy Spirit, repented and been baptized in Jesus’ name, not holding back any part of yourself from God, dieing to your own will and desires, opening your heart to love Him above all else, He will fill you with His Spirit to let you know you have been born into His kingdom. “For the promise is unto you, and to your children and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call,” (Acts 2:39). As a new baby in Christ, you will speak in tongues as the Spirit gives utterance just as a new baby cries when it first gulps and breathes air. (See Acts 10:44-46; Acts 11:15-17; Acts 19:6.) When it really happens, you will know it without any question and so will all those nearby.

— S. M. S.