Receiving Christ, saved, salvation, born again, regenerated, becoming sons of God and forgiven are all terms that speak of a gift of God to some. He has planned the salvation of each of them in eternity past, bestowed it upon them in their particular time and will sustain it as an ongoing reality in them forever after.
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
One who has been born again gets to heaven. One who has not been born again does not.
Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
The regenerated one has had his sins washed away and is saved. The unregenerate one has not.
John 1:11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, (Jesus) to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Believing in Jesus, believing on His name and receiving Him mean the same thing. Those who reject Him become the sons of God. Those who receive Him not, do not.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Those who believe in Him have everlasting life. Those who do not believe in Him do not.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Those who become new creatures will go to heaven. The unchanged are not in Christ.
Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Salvation can be theirs for the asking but the unsaved have not called upon the name of the Lord.
