Salvation is one of the simplest things a person can do in this life. We have broken salvation down into several points: A, B, C.
Admit To Being A Sinner
Man understands and comes to the realization that he/she is wicked and is not good. (Rom 3:10-18, 23, 5:12; Isa 64:6) All lost sinners are still and under the condemnation of the law. Every man and women have broken the law and are denied access to heaven. The law is “the knowledge of sin” and it’s place in salvation is to show the sinner that he is wicked and cannot save him or herself, but to bring them to Christ. (Rom 3:19-21; Gal 3:19-29; 1 Tim 1:8-11) The law does NOT save us.
When the sinner truly admits he or she is vile and depraved, this leads to repentance, contrition. This is where all false converts mess up at. The sinner has sorrow over his/her sins, themselves, and their rejection of Jesus Christ prior. Repentance that leads to salvation is the sinner turns from their self-righteous pride to putting faith in Jesus Christ. (2 Cor 7:10; Mark 2:17; Rom 2:4-5; Acts 20:21, 26:20; 2 Pet 3:9; Psa 34:18, 38:17-18, 51:17).
If the sinner comes to Christ with a proud heart towards salvation, then God will not grant them repentance (Jas 4:6; 1 Pet 5:5-6).
Repentance is NOT turning/stopping from sin to be saved; this is works and salvation is not of works (Eph 2:8-9; Tit 3:5-7).
Repentance is NOT a change of mind of unbelief to belief. This stance basically implies that you do not need to have sorrow over sins and that sin is not the issue with salvation, even though unbelief is a sin and repentance is granted from God (John 16:7-9; Rev 21:8; 2 Tim 2:24-26).
Believe The Gospel
The next step is to believe the gospel. The gospel is plainly described in 1 Cor 15:1-4, “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:”. It is his death, burial, resurrection (Acts 16:30; 2 Tim 2:8; Rom 1:3-5).
This ties in with the following points on repentance. The key phrase is “that Christ died for our sins.” It is NOT that Christ simply died, it is how and why he died. If only unbelief condemns us, then there is no reason as to why Christ died for our sins.
Confess To God
When the sinner completely understands the ‘A’ and ‘B’ of salvation, the last thing the sinner has to do is call upon the name of the Lord. This is simply just a prayer to God. You confess with the mouth that Jesus is the Lord and believe the simple gospel message. You ask God to save you (Rom 10:8-13; 2 Cor 6:1-2).
There is not a specific prayer that the sinner needs to repeat; the sinner simply prays to God the best he or she knows how.