Walking the Way of Salvation
What is involved in having a life-changing, personal relationship with Christ? Let’s begin by examining what took place when Peter met the Lord:
“When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:13–16).
Three distinct things happened to Peter that day, which show us the steps we must take to receive Christ:
1. You must meet Jesus personally.
Peter met Jesus, God’s precious Son, face to face.
When you enter into the presence of the resurrected Lord, your life will be forever changed. You will never be the same again.
2. The Holy Spirit will reveal the Savior.
Peter knew by the Holy Spirit that the One standing before him was the Christ, God’s Son. You cannot know the Lord just because others tell you about Him, even though this is important. Although you hear the Gospel from a minister or friend, it is the Holy Spirit who will reveal Him to your heart. Salvation is impossible without this revelation.
3. You must confess Christ.
When Peter said, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God,” he was making a public confession of what he had experienced in his heart privately. Scripture tells us:
“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” (Romans 10:9).
By understanding these three simple steps, you will comprehend what Galatians 3:26 tells us:
“For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.”
The moment you meet Christ and understand by the Spirit that He is the Son of God, then confess Him—in your heart and before man—something supernatural takes place. You become the son or daughter of God. At that instant, as you believe on His name, you have His power to become God’s child (John 1:12). He accepts you as you receive Him—and your heavenly Father says you are His forever! You become His by faith (Galatians 3:26).
Never overlook the necessity of the element of faith in the redemption process. You see, the Bible declares:“God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith” (Romans 12:3).
When you meet Christ Jesus personally, and the Holy Spirit reveals, “This is the Son of God,” and when you say, “You are the Son of God,” instantly, two things occur:
- You are adopted into God’s family, and the Father declares, “This is My child.”
- God imparts His faith into your heart, and you will know by the Holy Spirit that you have been wonderfully born again.
Only as the Lord fills you with His grace can you confess, “Thou art the Christ.” It is impossible for one who receives Christ Jesus, as the Word of God teaches, to then walk away doubting his or her salvation. The born again experience becomes more real than life itself.
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