“Thinking Through Outreach Evangelism” – Appendix # 4. What does it mean to ‘receive Jesus’? Peter Sammons explores.
How can we ‘receive’ Jesus?
Receiving Jesus as Lord involves believing on Him as the Son of God and the eternal Saviour, confessing Him as Lord, and accepting His gift of forgiveness and eternal life. This belief is not just some intellectual assent, but a deep trust and reliance on Jesus. It’s often described as inviting Jesus into one’s heart, leading to new life with God’s law now written within us.
Here’s a breakdown of what the Bible says about receiving Jesus:
1. Belief and Faith
Romans 10:9-10
“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” This verse highlights the core requirement of believing in Jesus’s resurrection and confessing Him as Lord.
“But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” This verse emphasizes the importance of believing in Jesus’s name and accepting Him as Lord for becoming a child of God.
“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” This verse stresses the link between belief in Jesus and receiving eternal life.
2. Confession
“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord…” This verse shows the importance of confessing Jesus as Lord as part of receiving Him.
“Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” This verse emphasizes the importance of believing in Jesus to receive salvation. Believing ‘on’ suggests we build on Jesus as our Foundation.
3. Receiving the Gift of Salvation
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” This verse highlights the transformation that occurs when one receives Jesus.
“God thus loved the world. He gave his only Son, that whoever believes on him should not perish but have eternal life.” This verse emphasizes God’s agape (love) in giving His Son for the salvation of those who believe.
4. Understanding the Significance
This is not just a one-time event, but the beginning of relationship with Jesus. It involves transformation of our heart, with God’s law now written within. It leads to a new life, marked by good works, love, joy, peace, and other discernable fruits of the Spirit [ Galatians 5: 22-26 ].
In essence, receiving Jesus as Lord involves a conscious decision to trust in Him, confess Him as Lord, and accept His gift of salvation, resulting in a transformed life and an eternal relationship with God.
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Peter Sammons is commissioning editor at Christian Comment. He is author of “The Messiah Pattern”. More detail here:
https://www.christian-publications-int.com/default-23.html?ID=142
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