How Do I Respond To God?

If you're at the place where in your heart, you're ready to accept God's gift and entrust yourself to Jesus Christ as your forgiver and leader, very simply here's everything you need to do. Sometimes we call it the ABC's of faith.

A, you "acknowledge" you're a sinner, incapable of repairing the broken relationship that exists between you and God, and worthy of death. Go to God--and you can do this right now, wherever you are--go to Him in prayer just as you are. Admit you're a sinner and declare your need for him and His provision for you;

B, you "believe" that Jesus came to earth and substituted Himself for you by dying on the cross so that your life could be spared; and

C, you "confess" to God that you are placing all your confidence and trust in His provision to be sufficient to pay your penalty. Entrust yourself to Christ as your leader and forgiver, and He does all the rest on your behalf.

There aren't any magic words to it. God looks on a person's heart rather than what their lips say, but you might say something like this to him right now: "God, I realize and admit to you that I'm a sinner--I'm guilty before you--and I deserve eternal death. But I also believe that you love me, and that you sent your son Jesus to take my penalty. I believe He died, not just for the world but for me, and He rose from the dead to conquer death for me. So right now, in the best way I know how, I turn from my sins, and I invite you to apply Christ's payment to my account. I invite Jesus Christ to be my savior, my rescuer, the new leader of my life. Please forgive me, take away the penalty of my sins because of Him, because I believe in Him and I entrust myself to Him and what He did for me. Amen."