Conditions For Salvation

 

Even though Christ made atonement for the sins of the world, reaping the benefits is on condition. That condition is that the individual must repent of their sins. [Matthew 3;2; Luke 13:2-3; Acts 3:19, 8:22, 17:30] However, before one can repent, he must become spiritually awakened to such a need. It is the work of the Word and the Spirit to visit the soul of man and cause him to become consciously aware that he is a sinner and only in his acknowledgement of the blood of Christ and repentance can he be saved from the sentence of eternal death. [John 6:55; Acts 4:12; 1Cor 1:21]

 

Conviction is another term for spiritual awakening. As the soul is awakened to how his sins have grieved and pierced the heart of God, his honest acknowledgement of his sinful condition will cause him to become godly sorrowful. [2Cor 7:10-11] Godly sorrow or contrition, which is regret for living sinful before God, causes one to be willing to repent. Repentance involves confessing and forsaking the life of sin; as one becomes sorry enough to quit sinful living and also to make restitution for past sins.

 

Restitution means: the act of making good any loss, injury or damage; restoration. God demonstrates his pleasure with our contrition by justifying us by the blood of Jesus. [Psalm 34:18; 51:17]