JESUS PLUS NOTHING SAVES YOU -5 (Steps to Salvation Theology)
- Bill Fuller
- Nov 29, 2025
- 12 min read
Updated: Dec 25, 2025
Are You Prepared to Accept Jesus as Your Savior
At some point, the gospel stops being “information” and becomes an invitation. Not an invitation to religion—but to Christ. And that moment always asks something of you: Will you receive Him, or keep Him at a safe distance?
Are you prepared to accept Jesus as your Savior?
In this final part, we’ll answer the practical question many people ask with real sincerity: Are there steps I can take to demonstrate faith in Jesus? We’ll discuss decision-making time—not as pressure, but as clarity. We’ll speak plainly about responding to God’s call, and we’ll include a Prayer of Salvation for those who are ready to come to Jesus honestly and completely.
Then we’ll address what comes next: What happens when you are saved? What changes? What stays the same? And how does gratitude become your new beginning—a prayer of thanks that flows from grace, not guilt?
Jesus is not a theory. He is a Savior. Today is a real day to respond.
Steps and Prayers to be Saved!
The Five Solas of Christianity Necessary for Salvation
The five Solas are five Latin phrases popularized during the Protestant Reformation that emphasized the distinctions between the early Reformers and the Roman Catholic Church. The word sola is the Latin word for “only” and was used in relation to five key teachings that defined the biblical pleas of Protestants.
1. Sola scriptura: “Scripture alone”
2. Sola fide: “faith alone”
3. Sola gratia: “grace alone”
4. Solo Christo: “Christ alone”
5. Soli Deo gloria: “to the glory of God alone”
At the start of the Reformation, each of these Solas can be seen both as a corrective to the excesses (heresy) of the Roman Catholic church or any manmade religion, and as a positive biblical declaration of truth.
Solo Christo “through Christ alone”) emphasizes the role of Jesus in salvation. The Roman Catholic tradition had placed church leaders, such as priests, in the role of intercessor between the laity and God. Reformers emphasized Jesus’ role as our “high priest” who intercedes on our behalf before the Father. Hebrews 4:15 teaches,
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” Jesus is the One who offers access to God, not a human spiritual leader."
This concept of "Jesus Alone" or "Jesus Plus Nothing" is imperative, crucial, and necessary to implement true Salvation from sin and eternal death. Jesus alone is sufficient!
Sola Scriptura emphasizes the Bible alone as the source of authority for Christians. By saying, “Scripture alone,” the Reformers rejected both the divine authority of the Roman Catholic Pope and confidence in sacred tradition. Only the Bible was “inspired by God” (2 Peter 1:20-21) and “God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Anything taught by the Pope, or any world religion, or in tradition that contradicted the Bible was to be rejected or repented of before you could believe by faith in Jesus and be saved.
Sola Fide emphasizes salvation as a free gift to all who accept it by faith (John 3:16). The Roman Catholic church of the time emphasized the use of indulgences (donating money) to buy status with God. Good works, including baptism, were seen as required for salvation. Salvation is not based on human effort or good deeds (Ephesians 2:9). Therefore, any religion that adds to this truth, you must change your mind through repentance to be saved.
Sola Gratia emphasizes grace as the reason for our salvation. In other words, salvation comes from what God has done rather than what we do. Ephesians 2:8-9 teaches,
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
Any other view must be repented of to accept Jesus as Savior.
Soli Deo Gloria emphasizes the glory of God as the goal of life. Rather than striving to please church leaders, keep a list of rules, or guard our own interests, our goal is to glorify the Lord. The idea of soli Deo gloria is found in:
“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).
Salvation is believing in Jesus Alone, and all to the glory of God Alone.
Believe it or not, this is heresy to the Roman Catholic church, which proclaimed at the Council of Trent(s) that anyone who believed just one of these Solas was excommunicated, an anathema, meaning dammed to hell and cursed to eternal damnation. This was because Roman Catholicism believes Jesus plus the church saves you. All of the tortures, burnings at the stake, and beheadings of Protestants in the Dark Ages were due to these erroneous beliefs. You can see how a Roman Catholic must repent of such heresies before they can truly believe in the Biblical Jesus. These are all examples of saving repentance. This is a big deal since there are millions of unknowing Catholics whose eternal destiny is in jeopardy.
For detailed information on Roman Catholic heresies, see my seven-part series, Are Roman Catholics Christian or Heretics? There are seven (7) major differences between Roman Catholic Doctrine and Biblical Christianity. They are a different Church, different Authority, different Jesus, different Gospel, different Mary, different View of Sin, and a different Path to Eternity. www.fullerofgraceandtruth.com/post/are-roman-catholics-christians-or-heretics-3
Why the Gospel of John was Written
The stated purpose of the Gospel of John is to bring men to faith in Christ, yet John never once uses the word repent, not once. If repentance, when used in connection with eternal salvation, is a separate or distinct requirement from faith in Christ, then Apostle John does not give the whole gospel.
"Therefore, many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name" (John 20:30-31).
Thus, any requirement added to Jesus, such as repentance, is not supported by the Bible. Repentance of sins occurs after salvation, which is achieved solely through faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Nothing extra is necessary. Jesus alone is adequate and sufficient to save anyone who believes in Him from God's wrath, sin, and eternal death!!!
Are There Steps I Can Take to Demonstrate Faith in Jesus?
There aren't necessarily steps or formulas you can take to demonstrate your faith in Jesus. But there are some essential things you need to believe by faith. Therefore, search your heart and see if God is calling you to receive His Son, Jesus, as your personal Lord and Savior. The following are general truths that will help you understand God's Plan of Salvation.
TODAY DON'T HARDEN YOUR HEART
"Today, if you hear God’s voice, do not harden your hearts…” (Hebrews 4:7).
ADMIT YOU ARE A SINNER
"For all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
YOU ARE DEAD IN YOUR SINS
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23).
SEE YOU ARE SEPARATED FROM GOD, SPIRITUALLY DEAD
"And you were dead in your trespasses and sins (spiritual death), in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience” (Ephesians 2:1-2).
YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN
"Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).
JESUS IS THE ONLY WAY, TRUTH, AND LIFE
"Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me" (John 14:6).
REALIZE GOD LOVES YOU
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
BELIEVE JESUS DIED FOR YOU
“For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners (unforgiven and spiritually dead), Christ died for us. Much more than, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him” (Romans 5:6,8,9).
CONFESS WITH YOUR MOUTH AND BELIEVE IN YOUR HEART
“The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in justification (righteousness), and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed" (Romans 10:8-11).
JUSTIFIED BY FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST
"Nevertheless, knowing that a man is not justified (made righteous) by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified" (Galatians 2:16).
JESUS DIED FOR ALL, RAISED FROM DEATH TO LIFE
"And He died for all so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf" (2 Corinthians 5:15).
CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD
"For the Scripture says, whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame (disappointed). For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Rom 10:8-11).
Decision Time
Would you agree that you are a sinner?
Would you like to be forgiven for your sins?
Would you like to have eternal life in Heaven?
Do you believe Jesus died on the cross for you and rose again?
Are you willing to place your faith in Jesus and what He alone has done for you? This means agreeing with God in sending His Son, Jesus, into the world to die in your place for your sins.
Also, it means setting aside trusting in yourself, your own ideas about God, your good works, or any other path to God and Heaven. Are you willing to repent, change your mind, and believe by faith that Jesus Alone Saves You?
Do you want to place your faith and your trust in Jesus Christ right now for the forgiveness of your sins and receive God's gift of eternal life?
Respond to God's Call
Now is the time to respond to God’s calling. All that is necessary is to believe and have faith in Jesus, the Savior of the world. Your Savior. God is calling you to pray and be thankful. God is the only one who can save you. He does so according to His sovereign will and purposes. He calls His children to run to the living waters and drink freely. He offers Salvation as a free gift of His choosing. He is now calling you to respond to His initiation of grace and love through confessing with your mouth and believing in your heart. God the Father draws you to Jesus. Jesus sets you free from sin and death. God, the Holy Spirit, gives you life, eternal life. You can now, by faith, trust in what the Triune God has done for you.
If you would like to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, repeat the following prayer. All praise and glory to God Almighty!
PRAYER OF SALVATION
Dear Heavenly Father, I now see that I am a sinner, that I cannot save myself, and that I need a Savior. I repent of believing that I could be saved in any way other than Jesus (works, religion, anything). I am also spiritually dead, separated from God under His wrath. I believe that Jesus Christ of Nazareth was God in heaven. He came to earth to identify with His creation as “Emmanuel,” God with us. Jesus was born of a virgin, making Him fully human. He was conceived by God the Holy Spirit, making Him fully God. Jesus lived a perfect life, tempted in every way, yet without sin. He died on the cross as a substitute for my sins, giving me complete and total forgiveness (past, present, future). He rose from the grave, defeating death and giving me eternal life. Jesus now sits at the right hand of the Father interceding for all who believe by faith in Him. And He will come again to judge the world of unbelief. I believe by faith that Jesus is my only savior and my only way to God the Father and heaven. Thank you, Jesus. In Jesus’ glorious and saving name, I pray, amen.
There is no magic in saying this prayer or any prayer of Salvation. It is only a way to confess with your mouth and demonstrate that you believe only in Jesus as your Savior and Lord. In fact, it can lead to what many call "easy believism." The truth is that many say this prayer and believe they are saved, but they are not. What saves you is Jesus and a personal encounter with Him. God the Father draws you to Jesus, and God the Holy Spirit convicts you of your sin, a need for a Savior, and convinces you that He is real, and the ONLY way, truth, and life. This is a born-again and regenerated experience.
What Happens When You Are Saved?
It's important to examine your heart and understand that there are no formulas or shortcuts to Salvation. You must believe in Jesus Christ by faith. He is the object of and reason for your faith. When this happens, and only God knows, the following transformation will take place. The following are just a few changes that take place when you truly believe and are born again.
You will be born again and regenerated by the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit will immediately reside in you.
All your sins, past, present, and future, are forgiven.
You are justified; the righteousness of God is imputed to you.
You are spiritually and eternally alive in Christ Jesus.
Jesus lives in you, and you live in Christ.
There is no condemnation for you who are in Christ Jesus.
You will live forever in the presence of the Holy Trinity.
Nothing can separate you from the love of God.
You became a child of God, and you belong to His family.
You are assured of going the heaven.
You have a friend who understands what you are going through and is there to help you in times of need.
Prayer of Thanks
Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you for your “great love” and that you are “rich in mercy” (Eph 2:4), to me and all who love you. “Because of Your great love (loving-kindness, mercies), I am not consumed, for Your compassion will never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness, Lord unto me (Lam 3:22, 23). Father God, it is of great comfort to me that Your plans for me are “plans to prosper me and not to harm me, plans to give me hope and a future” (Jer 29:11), that when I am faithless You remain faithful (2 Tim 2:11), and that nothing can separate me from Your love (Rom. 8:39). I ask right now Father that “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt 6:10) in my new life. That you would open my eyes and that I might see the Salvation of the Lord in my daily walk. Thank You, Father, for saving me from my sins and giving me eternal life in Christ Jesus, my Lord and Savior. I pray in Jesus’ loving and saving name. Amen.
Conclusion for the Series
As we close this series, I want to bring you back to the simplest, strongest sentence we’ve repeated in every part:
Jesus plus nothing saves you.
Not Jesus plus your effort.
Not Jesus plus your track record.
Not Jesus plus your theology being “perfect.”
Not Jesus plus your repentance being “good enough.”
Not Jesus plus your future performance.
Salvation is not a ladder you climb. It is a Savior you receive.
In Part 1, we faced our shared dilemma and the meaning of salvation—what it is and why we need it. In Part 2, we met the Divine Jesus, because only God can save. In Part 3, we confronted the necessity of believing the Biblical Jesus, not a Jesus of personal preference. In Part 4, we defined saving repentance, including repentance from works-based religion and counterfeit worldviews. And here in Part 5, we came to decision time—responding to God’s call in faith, prayer, and gratitude.
Now hear this with clarity and peace: your assurance is not anchored in how tightly you can hold onto Jesus. It’s anchored in how firmly Jesus holds onto you. The gospel is not “try harder.” It’s “trust Him.” And the evidence of real faith is not perfection—it’s a new direction, a new allegiance, and a new life that grows because you’re connected to the Vine.
So, if you have received Christ, keep returning to the center. Preach the gospel to yourself again and again. When you fall, don’t run from Him—run to Him. When you doubt, don’t look inward for strength—look outward to the One who is faithful. When you grow, don’t boast in your progress—give thanks for His grace.
And if you’re still on the edge, still hesitating, still unsure—know this: the door is open. Jesus is not playing games with you. He is calling you. Today can be the day you stop negotiating and start resting. Stop performing and start receiving. Stop adding—and simply come.
Jesus is:
A Door for your safety,
A Shepherd for your souls,
Resurrection for your death,
A Way, Truth, and Life for your confusion,
A Vine for your daily, ongoing life in God.
Jesus plus nothing saves you. And that is excellent news.
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