Salvation

If you were to die, do you know for certain that you would live forever in heaven?

If you were standing face to face with God right now and He asked you, "Why should I let you into heaven?" What would your answer be?

God Has a Purpose

God loves us very much and has a purpose for each of us. The Bible says it like this, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). God's purpose for us is that we have eternal life and enjoy Him forever.

FACT - Eternal life is a gift from God (see Romans 6:23)

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

FACT - A life of purpose and meaning is available (see John 10:10)

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

FACT - We are guaranteed eternity with Jesus in heaven (see John 14:3)

"And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am."

Our Need

As we search for meaning in this life, we ultimately find out that there is something that keeps us from really finding satisfaction. That something is referred to as sin. Sin is what keeps us from finding God's purpose for our lives.

FACT - We mess up and sin by nature and by choice (see Romans 3:23)

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God"

FACT - We cannot do anything to save ourselves (see Ephesians 2:8-9)

"8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast."

FACT - We deserve death and hell (see Romans 3:23)

"For the wages of sin is death, ...

God's Provision

God is holy and just and will not tolerate sin. Yet He loves us and provides forgiveness for our sin. Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6).

FACT - Jesus is 100 percent God and became 100 percent man (see John 1:1,14)

"1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 14The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."

FACT - Jesus died a horrific death for us on a cross (see 1 Peter 3:18)

"For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, ..."

FACT - Jesus was resurrected (raised) from the dead, seen by hundreds, and is alive in heaven today (see Romans 4:25, 6:9-10; 1 Corinthians 15:3-6)

"25He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification."

"9For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God."

"3For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. 6After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep."

FACT - God through His Holy Spirit, calls us to Himself (see John 6:44)

"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day."

Our Response

The only way Jesus can change our lives is for us to receive Him and what He did for us. The Bible says, "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God" (John 1:12).

ACT - We must turn from our sin. (see Acts 3:19)

"Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out"

Repentance is not just feeling sorry for our sin (see Acts 26:20)

"First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles also, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds."

Repentance is turning away from sin and toward God in a relationship with Jesus.

ACT - We must trust in Jesus. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8).

Faith is not just believing facts about Jesus (see James 2:19)

"You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder."

"You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder."

"As the Scripture says, 'Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.'"

ACT - We must give Jesus control. "That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved" (Romans 10:9-10).

Confessing "Jesus is Lord" is not just saying we give our lives to Him (see Matthew 7:21)

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven."

Confessing "Jesus is Lord" is giving Jesus control of our lives.

My Commitment

Giving Jesus control is something each person must do individually. No one else can make this decision for you. Jesus says. "'Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me'" (Revelation 3:20).

Does this make sense to you?
Is there any reason you are not ready to receive God's gift of eternal life?
Are you willing to turn from your sin, place your trust in Jesus, and give Him control of your life right now? If you are will to receive Jesus into your life now, you can invite Him in by praying a simple prayer.

You may want to use the following prayer to help you:

"God, thanks for loving me enough to send Your one and only Son to die for me. I believe I am a sinner and that Jesus died and was raised to give me complete and eternal life. I want to turn from my way of life and follow Jesus fully and faithfully. I invite Jesus to come into my life and take over. Thank you God for giving me new life! In Jesus' name."

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