Jesus Christ, coming as a human and dying as the penalty for humanity’s sin, has made it possible for people to repent and trust in Him, to be thought of by God as in a right relationship with Him (John 3:3, Romans 10:13-15, Ephesians 2:8). This is the only way to be right with God and to know Him. Often we say that this is “Salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.”
This act of God through Jesus Christ is so wonderful and powerful that it is possible to be reconciled with God (Romans 5:10). It also means that we can be considered by God as righteous (Rom 3:28, 5:1, Galatians 2:16). A person who trusts in Jesus Christ in this way is viewed by God as a new person (Titus 3:5). It also changes the direction of one’s life away from continuing in sin toward living more as God desires we live (Galatians 5:22-23, 1 Thessalonians 5:23).