3.4 How Will You Respond?
How Will You Respond?
This is not a test or a performance. It is space to answer Jesus honestly.
Anna
Joel
Sam
Mum
DadListen in · open the Bible · think for yourselfYou Can Answer Honestly
The following Friday evening, the family returned to the living room. Dad placed the blue notebook in the middle of the table, along with a small cup of pens.
"No one has to speak first," he said. "And no one should give an answer merely because the rest of us are here. God is not asking for a performance."
Sam picked up one of the pens. "Before we sit quietly, can we remind ourselves what we're actually responding to?"
"That's a good idea," Dad said. "Let's keep it simple."
Together they returned to the main truths they had discovered.
Before You Respond, Hold These Two Truths Together
Dad drew a line down the middle of a fresh notebook page.
"Let's put two things in the right order," he said. "First, what God has done. Then, how we respond."
Jesus, God's promised Messiah, died for our sins, was buried, was raised from the dead, appeared to witnesses and now reigns as Lord. This is the good news.
We turn from sin and self-rule, trust Jesus, receive Him as Messiah, Saviour and Lord, and begin following Him.
"Our response does not make the good news true," Dad said. "We are answering what God has already done."
We cannot give ourselves spiritual life. God saves us by grace, not because of our Christian background, good works or Bible knowledge. The Holy Spirit makes us new. Following Jesus is the new direction of that life. It does not mean instant perfect obedience.
For a while, the room was quiet.
This page gives you that same quiet space.
You may want to put your phone away, sit somewhere without interruption and ask God to help you answer honestly.
Five Questions to Consider
What am I trusting?
Am I relying on Jesus, or mainly on my family background, church activity, baptism, good works or Bible knowledge?
Who is Jesus to me?
Is He only a teacher, helper or part of my family tradition, or do I recognise Him as God's Son, Messiah, risen Saviour and Lord?
Am I willing to let Jesus lead me?
Am I willing to listen when His Word challenges my desires, plans or choices?
Is there any part of my life I am afraid or unwilling to place in His hands?
It may be a habit, relationship, ambition, hurt or hidden choice.
How will I respond?
Am I ready to turn from self-rule, trust Jesus and begin following Him?
Do not search for the answer you think a Christian should give. Tell God what is actually true.
If You Are Not Ready
You do not need to pretend.
"What if my honest answer is that I'm not ready?" Joel asked.
Dad looked at him kindly. "Then begin by telling God the truth. Pretending will not bring you closer to Him."
Write down what is stopping you.
Is it a question you cannot answer? Fear about what others may think? A sin you do not want to leave? Uncertainty about Jesus? A painful experience connected with Christians?
Bring that obstacle into the light. Continue reading the Gospel of John. Ask honest questions.
Your honesty matters. You do not have to solve every question tonight. Tell God what is holding you back. Keep looking carefully at Jesus, and speak with someone who will listen without pressuring you.
If You Are Ready to Respond
Anna broke the silence. "What should someone say if they are ready?"
"There are no perfect words," Dad replied. "The Bible tells us to repent, believe, receive Jesus and confess Him as Lord. Prayer is simply one way of expressing that response to God."
"So the cost is not something we pay for salvation?" Sam asked.
"No," Dad said. "Jesus gives salvation freely. But, as we saw, receiving the King means giving up the claim that your life belongs only to you. Jesus does not merely become one part of your life. You place your whole life in His hands."
The Bible describes one honest response in three connected movements:
Faith is more than agreeing that facts about Jesus are true. It means trusting the Person those facts reveal. We believe that Jesus is the risen King, place ourselves in His hands and begin learning to live under His loving rule.
This response does not earn salvation. It receives God's gift. Obedience begins to grow because we have been graciously received, not because we are trying to purchase a place in God's family.
There is no special set of words that makes salvation happen. Prayer simply gives voice to our repentance and trust. We are saved by God's grace through faith in Jesus.
You may use the following prayer, change it or speak honestly in your own words:
God, I admit that I have sinned and tried to rule my life without You.
I cannot rescue myself through good works, religion or Bible knowledge.
Thank You for loving me and giving Your Son.
I believe that Jesus is Your promised Messiah, that He died for sins and that You raised Him from the dead.
I turn from my sin and self-rule. I place my trust in Jesus and receive the forgiveness and new life You give.
Jesus, I receive You as my Saviour and confess You as my Lord. I belong to You.
Teach me to follow You by the power of Your Holy Spirit. Amen.
You are not saved because your prayer sounds strong or because you feel something dramatic. Jesus saves. Your confidence rests in who He is and what He has done.
You may feel relief or joy. You may feel very little at first. Do not measure Jesus' trustworthiness by the strength of your immediate emotions.
Pause Here Before You Continue
Do not read Joel's response yet. Give yourself a quiet moment with God.
If you are ready, speak honestly to Jesus. You may use the prayer above, change it or use your own words.
If you are not ready, tell God what is holding you back. Write down the question you most need to explore.
There is no need to create a dramatic feeling. This is a moment for honesty, trust and a real response.
Joel's Honest Response
Joel's response is an example, not a script.
The room remained quiet.
Joel looked again at the question he had written in the family notebook:
Can I ask Jesus to save me and still run my own life?
"I think I have wanted Jesus to help me without wanting Him to lead me," he said.
Dad waited, giving him time to continue.
"I still have questions," Joel said. "But I know I cannot rescue myself. I believe Jesus died for sins and rose again. I don't want to keep pretending that I am the lord of my life. I want to trust Jesus as my Saviour and follow Him as my Lord."
"You know you can take your time, Joel. Is this what you want to say?" Dad asked.
Joel shook his head. "No. I think this is what I need to say to Jesus."
"Would you like some privacy, or would you like us to stay with you?"
"Please stay."
Joel did not repeat every word of the sample prayer. He spoke quietly in his own words:
God, I have sinned and tried to control my life without You. I cannot save myself. Thank You for giving Jesus for me. I believe He is Your promised Messiah, that He died and rose again. I turn towards You. Jesus, I trust You to save me. You are my Lord, and I want my life to belong to You. Give me the new life You have promised and teach me to follow You. Amen.
For a moment, no one spoke. Mum moved closer and gently took Joel's hand.
Dad opened the Bible and read one promise:
"Whoever comes to me I will never drive away."
John 6:37
"You have not placed your trust in a religious formula," Dad said. "You are entrusting yourself to Jesus, the crucified and risen King. Your confidence does not rest in how beautifully you prayed. It rests in the Jesus to whom you came."
Joel's prayer had not purchased salvation or made God owe him new life. It expressed his repentance and trust as the Holy Spirit opened his eyes to Jesus. God alone gives the new birth, and Jesus receives those who come to Him.
Dad placed a hand gently on Joel's shoulder. "We are grateful that you have spoken honestly to Jesus. We will keep walking with you."
Anna smiled. "And you can keep asking questions."
"I probably will," Joel said.
If You Already Belong to Jesus
"Should a Christian pray the whole prayer again whenever they fail?" Sam asked.
"You do not need to become a Christian again every time you become aware of sin," Dad answered. "But followers of Jesus continue to repent and bring resistant areas of life under His rule."
"I already belong to Jesus," Anna said. "But I still notice areas where I want my own way."
"Then you do not need to begin your Christian life again," Mum replied. "You can bring that area to Jesus and renew your trust in Him."
If you already belong to Christ, ask whether there is an area you have been withholding from Him. This is not another payment for salvation. It is the honest response of someone who belongs to the Lord.
You might pray:
Lord Jesus, thank You that I belong to You. Show me where I have resisted Your leadership. Help me bring that area into the light and follow You with renewed trust. Amen.
Share Only What You Choose
The next activity is private and ungraded. If you choose to share, select the statement that fits you. You can also choose not to answer. Your response might be:
- I trusted Jesus as Messiah, Saviour and Lord during this course.
- I already belonged to Jesus, and I am renewing my trust in Him.
- I am not ready yet, but I want to continue exploring.
- I am uncertain and would like a trustworthy Christian to speak with me.
If you would like a trustworthy course mentor to contact you, choose Yes to the follow-up question:
Yes, please contact me.
The activity will explain who can see your answer. A mentor will contact you only if you request it. This activity is not a test, and it will not affect your course result.
At the end of the course, a separate, anonymous activity will invite feedback such as:
- What helped you understand Jesus more clearly?
- What remains difficult or unclear?
- What could make this course more helpful for other learners?
Separating these activities allows you to ask for personal support without making your spiritual response part of general course feedback.
What Should You Do Next?
"If someone has newly trusted Jesus, what changes tomorrow?" Sam asked.
"The new life begins to grow," Dad replied. "And no one should try to grow alone."
- Tell a trustworthy Christian. Speak with someone who can listen, pray and help you grow.
- Ask about baptism and a faithful church. Ask a trusted church leader to help you understand how baptism publicly expresses your belonging to Jesus and His people. New believers need the worship, teaching and fellowship of God's people.
- Begin listening and speaking. Start with a manageable part of a Gospel and speak honestly with God in prayer.
- Continue into Section 4. Learn where assurance rests and what to do when you fail.
- Return when you fail. Confess sin, receive God's correction and continue following Jesus.
These practices do not earn a place in God's family. They are the beginning of learning to live as someone God has graciously received.
Why the Bible Begins to Matter Differently
Anna picked up the Bible from beside the notebook.
"I think this brings us back to the reason we began these conversations," she said. "Knowing about Jesus and trusting Him are different. Trusting Him gives me a new reason to listen."
"Yes," Dad replied. "When we know Jesus as Saviour and Lord, the Bible is no longer merely a difficult book we are supposed to read. Through Scripture, we learn the story of our King and discover how to follow Him."
"Will a born-again Christian enjoy every Bible-reading time?" Sam asked.
"No. Some passages are difficult, and some days our minds are tired. But a new relationship gives us a new reason to keep opening the Bible. We are learning to know, love and obey the God who first loved us."
Joel looked at the three words in the notebook one final time.
"Turn, trust and follow," he said. "Not to earn rescue, but because Jesus is the saving King."
"That's the heart of our response," Dad said.
As the evening came to a close, Joel remained beside the notebook.
"I have one more question," he said. "What happens when I sin again? Does it mean this was not real? Do I need to be born again a second time?"
Dad reopened the Bible.
"No, you do not need to be born again every time you sin," he said. "But that question deserves more than a quick answer. Tomorrow we will look at what Scripture says about assurance, failure, confession and continuing with Jesus."
Section 4 explores assurance, failure, confession and continuing with Jesus.