We all sin against God who is Holy and we must pay the penalty which is death (eternal damnation and separation from God). But, God loves us so much he made a way for us. God the son became man to fulfil the law and to pay the penalty we should pay. Jesus lived as a man in total obedience to God, without sin, then he took our sins on himself and suffered and died upon the cross in our stead, and then God resurrected Him and He lives. We owed a debt we could not pay, He paid a debt He did not owe.
If we truly in our hearts recognize ourselves as the sinners we are and that God is loving and just and holy and we repent, be truly sorry, God is faithful and just to forgive us of all our sins and make us his child. We receive or take Jesus as our Savior and the Lord of our life. Spiritually, we pass from death to life.
We give ourselves to Him and we are joined by the Spirit and belong to Him throughout eternity. God becomes our Father and he regards us from that moment as righteous and holy because of our faith, we are covered like a blanket by Jesus' righteousness.
Our spirit goes to Heaven to be with God for all eternity when our body dies.
Before we die, we can know Jesus, God the Father and The Holy Spirit in a very personal and intimate way. As Jesus promised how very intimate our relationship will become with him when He said if we open the door He will come in to us, and sup with us, and we with Him.
After our salvation and as we fellowship personally with God day after day, we come know him and to "fall in love" with Him. He is the source of our joy, our happiness and peace. He has made many promises of care over those who become his children and we receive all of that when we give our lives to Him.
Becoming a Christian is not like joining some organization and following a set of rules. It is a very personal supernatural experience with our creator, the Living God, who has great mercy on us and loves us with a love that is beyond comprehension.
What do you think that Phillip said in Acts 8:35? The Ethiopian was reading from Isaiah. How do you think he tied that into an effective gospel message?