All our religion, our efforts and goodness amount to nothing when it comes to God's forgiveness. When we turn to God in faith the Bible describes the transition as justification. We are also given the Holy Spirit, who comes to live inside us. We are given the gift of eternal life. The transition is also described as being born again, made new and saved.
Salvation is also a process that continues throughout our life on earth.
This is the process of spiritual growth. Once we receive God's forgiveness there is nothing we can do to lose it. We are eternally secure in his love for us. We may also have the experience of knowing that God loves us, if we follow him and draw near to him. It is possible to live in such a way that we are relationally distant from God, so we don't experience the assurance of his love.