I ask you, are you a sinner? Have you ever lied, stolen, lusted, coveted, or been angry with someone unjustly? If so, then you have broken the Law of God. God has said “You shall not steal; You shall not lie; You shall have no other gods before Me; You shall not murder, etc.,” (Exodus 20). He has given the standard of righteousness and if you have broken any of God’s commandments then you have fallen short of that standard and are under the inevitable judgment of God. When you die, you will face Him and on the Day of Judgment he will deliver the proper judgment to all people. He must because he is righteous.
If you do not like this teaching, then throw away your Bible and turn away from Christ, for this is the message of God’s word—that Jesus came to die for sinners and to save them from the wrath to come.
Jesus is the One you need. You need him alone. Your works won’t help you (Rom. 3:10-12; Isaiah 64:6), nor will your sincerity. You can never be good enough and you have nothing to offer God except your sinfulness. It is only by the love and grace of God found in Jesus and His sacrifice that you can be delivered from the righteous wrath of God upon all who have broken His law. Jesus saves you from God. Jesus saves you from God’s righteous judgment.
On the Day of Judgment God will judge all people for their sins against Him. He will judge all who have lied, stolen, cheated, lusted, dishonored their parents, etc. He will do this because He is holy and righteous. God must punish the sinner. God cannot and will not ignore the person who has broken His righteous law. The Law is a reflection of the character of God. Therefore, to break God’s law is to offend God and deny the holiness of His character. He will be vindicated. He will judge.
The Bible says that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). That means that your sins have caused a separation between you and God (Isaiah 59:2) and the result is death (Rom. 6:23) and wrath (Eph. 2:3). The only way to be saved from the wrath of God, is to be saved from it by faith in Christ (Eph. 2:8-9; Rom. 5:1). You must trust in what Jesus did on the cross to forgive you of your sins and not trust anything else, not even your own sincerity or works. It is Jesus and only Jesus who can turn away the righteous judgment of God upon the sinner.
The gospel is that Jesus died for sinners on the cross, was buried, and rose from the dead (1 Cor. 15:1-4). His death was a sacrifice that turns away the wrath of God (1 John 2:2). This is the only way to be saved.
Jesus is the one who died for the sins of the world (1 John 2:2). He is the only way to God the Father (John 14;6). He alone reveals God (Matt. 11:27). He has all authority in heaven and earth (Matt. 28:18). It is only through Him that you can be saved from God’s wrath (Eph. 2:3). He can forgive you of your sin (Luke 5:20; Matt. 9:2). He can remove the guilt that is upon your soul. Jesus can set you free from the bondage of sin that blinds your eyes, weakens your soul, and brings you to despair. He can do this because He bore sin in His body on the cross (1 Peter. 2:24)so that those who trust in Him would be saved.
If you are not a Christian, and want to be delivered from the righteous judgment of God, then come to the One who died for the sins of the world. Come to the One who died for sinners (Matt. 11:28). Turn from your sins. Believe and trust in Jesus. Receive Jesus, who is God in flesh, who died and rose from the dead (1 Cor. 15:1-4) as your Lord and Savior. Ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins. Receive Christ (John 1:12) and the sacrifice he offered on the cross. Only He can wash you clean from your sins and only Jesus can deliver you from the future judgment of a holy and infinite God. Pray to Jesus. Seek Him. Ask Him to save you. He will.
Years ago, I gave my life to Jesus Christ and have followed Him from that time without regret. I have experienced Jesus’ power to lead me to truth, light, forgiveness, and new life. I learned from the bible that I was a sinner who disobeyed Gods laws, and that Jesus came to earth to forgive sinners like me. I asked Jesus to come into my life as my Lord and savior – and He forgave me, cleansed me, and made me a new person.
Jesus has been my faithful Lord, guide, teacher, friend, comforter, savior, provider, and healer. He has never let me down. He has always kept all His wonderful promises, and I am sure you will find Jesus completely faithful to His wonderful promises, too. Through Jesus Christ, we have the gift of salvation, peace with God and forgiveness of sins for which we all are longing.
Jesus alone can redeem you—free you from the power and penalty of sin. Jesus alone can transform you, restore you to fellowship with God, and give your life eternal purpose. Why and how can Jesus do all this? Because the bible says that Jesus is The living God, the Holy One, the Savior, the only valid object of saving faith, the sovereign Lord, and the righteous Judge.
If God judges you on Judgment Day, do you think you will be innocent or guilty? Do you know for certain that if you were to die today you would go to heaven or hell? Or, is that something you would say you’re still working on? Suppose you were to die today and stand before God and He were to say to you, “Why should I let you into My heaven?” what would you say?
God sent His Son to suffer and die in our place because He loves us (you) – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life…” (John 3:16). Jesus rose from the dead and defeated death. Do you understand what it means to follow Christ? When and how did you decide to follow Jesus as your Savior?
It’s as simple as this: We broke God’s Law, and Jesus took our punishment for our sins and paid our penalty for our sins with his blood and death on the cross. If you will repent and trust in the Savior, God will forgive your sins and dismiss your case. Do you understand this? Are you willing to confess and forsake your sins, and trust the Savior with your eternal salvation? Have you prayed and asked God to forgive you?
• To receive Christ you need to do four things:
1. ADMIT your spiritual need. “I am a sinner.”
2. REPENT and be willing to turn from your sin.
3. BELIEVE that Jesus Christ died for you on the cross.
4. RECEIVE, through prayer, Jesus Christ into your heart and life.
Did you do these 4 things? Have you repented and believed in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? When someone truly asks Christ to be their Savior, several things happen:
• Christ comes into their life (Revelation 3: 20)
-They become a child of God (John 1: 12)
-Their sins are forgiven (Col 1: 14)
-They now have the gift of eternal life (1 John 5: 11)
These are just a few of God’s amazing promises to those who follow him. Do they make sense to you? Have you truly and sincerely made that decision? If so, all these things are now true for you!
Spiritual growth results from trusting Jesus Christ. “The righteous man shall live by faith” (Galatians 3: 11). A life of faith will enable you to trust God increasingly with every detail of your life, and to practice spiritual habits. Here are a few basic tips that will help you develop your relationship with God, using the letters GROWTH:
G – Go to God in prayer daily (John 15: 7)
R – Read God’s Word daily (Acts 17: 11) – begin with the gospel of John
O – Obey God moment by moment (John 14: 21)
W – Witness for Christ by your life and word (Matthew 4: 19 & John 15:8)
T – Trust God with every detail of your life (1 Peter 5: 7)
H – Holy Spirit – Allow Him to control and empower your daily life and witness (Galatians 5: 16-17; Acts 1:8)
You’re not here by accident. Jesus loves you, and He wants you to have a personal relationship with Him. There is just one thing that separates you from God. That one thing is sin.
People tend to divide themselves into groups – good people and bad people. But God says that every person that has ever lived is a sinner, and any sin separates us from God. That includes you and me.
“For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23
According to man’s rules, people should be punished or rewarded according to how good they are, and it might be hard for you to understand how Jesus could love you when other people don’t seem to. But I have great news for you! Jesus DOES love you! More than you can ever imagine! And there’s nothing you can do to make him stop!
Are you thinking that you should make things right in your life before you come to Jesus? Many people feel that way, but that’s not what God says!
“God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8
For you to come to God you have to get rid of your sin problem. But God says that you can’t make yourself right with God by being a better person. God wants to save you JUST BECAUSE HE LOVES YOU!
“He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy.” Titus 3:5
It’s God’s grace that allows you to come to Him – not your efforts to “clean up your life” or work your way to Heaven. You can’t earn it. It’s a free gift.
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9
For you to come to God, your sin must be paid for. God’s gift to you is His son, Jesus, who paid the debt for you.
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23
Jesus paid the price for your sin and mine by giving His life on Calvary’s cross. God brought Jesus back from the dead and paved the way for you to have a personal relationship with Him through Jesus.
All that’s left for you to do is to accept the gift that Jesus is holding out for you right now.
“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
God says that if you believe in His son, Jesus, you can live forever with Him in glory.
“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
Do you know how to become a Christian and what are the four steps needed for knowing Christ, to receiving the gift of salvation, having peace with God and getting forgiveness of sins?
1st step: God’s Plan—Peace and Life
God loves you and wants you to experience His peace and life. The BIBLE says: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
The ultimate message of the Bible is simple. If you want to know what God has to say to you personally, know that this one sentence says it all—God loves you.
God loves the whole world.
He loves you, too. Anyone who tells you otherwise isn’t teaching the Bible.
He gave His only begotten Son.
God loves you so much, He surrendered His one and only Son, Jesus, so that you could have everlasting life.
Whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
The Bible is clear: the penalty for sin is death. To perish means to die—complete spiritual separation from God. But whoever believes—simply believes—in Jesus will live forever with God.
That’s the basic message of how to be assured of a relationship with God and life after death.
2nd step: Our Problem—Separation
This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 1 John 4:10
God loves us. God created us. He loves us—so much so that He sent His Son to restore our relationship with Him. Propitiation is a word that means “to restore into good favor.” Why does this need to happen? As the verse indicates, sin is the major reason. Sin destroys our relationship with God, but God in His love made a way for us to be restored.
Being at peace with God is not automatic, because by nature you are separated from God by your sin and rebellion. The BIBLE says: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
3rd step: God’s Remedy—The Cross
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23
And He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. 1 Peter 2:24
He gave His only begotten Son. The first verse tells us about the penalty for sin. Every person is guilty of some sin, some violation of God’s standard for what is right and wrong. The penalty for sin is death. All people die, and sin is the reason for it.
But the second verse tells us what it means that God gave His Son: Jesus died on the cross, taking the penalty of our sin on Himself. Imagine sin as a crime. On the cross, Jesus was convicted of every crime ever committed, and through His suffering, He was carried out the death sentence for each conviction. We don’t have to pay the penalty for our sin—we can go free and enjoy the life God has for us!
God’s love bridges the gap of separation between God and you. When Jesus Christ died on the cross and rose from the grave, He paid the penalty for your sins. The BIBLE says: “He personally carried the load of our sins in his own body when he died on the cross” (1 Peter 2:24, TLB).
4th step: Our Response—Receive Christ
If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9
Whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. This can be the simplest part to follow but the hardest part to understand. All we have to do to be assured of life after death in a perfect relationship with God is to believe in Jesus. If you acknowledge that Jesus is Lord—that He is the Son of God that He claimed to be who died to pay the debt of our sin—and truly believe that He was raised from the dead . . . you are saved from the penalty of death!
Jesus proved that the power of death could not hold Him. If we believe in Him, His power over death extends to us as well.
You cross the bridge into God’s family when you receive Christ by personal invitation. The BIBLE says: “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name” (John 1:12).
To receive Christ you need to do four things:
1. ADMIT your spiritual need. “I am a sinner.”
2. REPENT and be willing to turn from your sin.
3. BELIEVE that Jesus Christ died for you on the cross.
4. RECEIVE, through prayer, Jesus Christ into your heart and life.
CHRIST says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in” (Revelation 3:20). The BIBLE says, “Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13).
The Next Step
Are you ready to accept the gift of eternal life that Jesus is offering you right now? If it is your sincere desire to ask Jesus to come into your heart as your personal Lord and Savior, then talk to God from your heart. Just tell God what you believe. If you want to accept the free gift of salvation, simply ask God. Follow this sample prayer if it helps verbalize your true thoughts and feelings:
Dear God, I know that I am a sinner, I do not deserve eternal life and I need Your forgiveness. I know that I have done things that are wrong. But I believe that Jesus died on the Cross to pay the punishment for my sins and what I’ve done. I believe that Jesus died and rose from the grave to purchase a place in Heaven for me. I believe that He is Your Son, the Word of God, and I want Him to be my Savior. I want to turn from my sins. I want Him to cleanse me of what I’ve done wrong and defeat sin for me. In His name I ask You to welcome me back to You. I know that I have followed my own rules and served my own desires. But God, I don’t want to serve myself anymore. I want to follow You. I want to spend eternity with You! Thank You for Your wonderful gift of Jesus Christ. I now invite you Lord Jesus, to come into my heart and life. Jesus, come into my life, take control of my life, forgive my sins and save me. I am now placing my trust in You alone for my salvation and I accept your free gift of eternal life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
When you pray, committing your life to Christ. When you repent of your sins and confess to God that you are a sinner in need of a savior, when you believe, receive, and trust in Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior, several things will happen according to the bible.
1. You are saved.
JESUS said, “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved” (John 10:9).
(Fill in the blank) What did Jesus say about Himself? I am _____ __________ (to eternal life).
(Fill in the blank) What will happen when a person enters through the door (receives Christ)? He or she will _____ _________.
The BIBLE says: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20). The BIBLE says: “Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13).
2. You are a child of God.
The BIBLE says: “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name” (John 1:12).
(Fill in the blank) What happened when you received Christ? I became a ________ ____ _______.
3. You have everlasting life.
The BIBLE says: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
(Fill in the blank) Now that you believe in Jesus Christ, what can you be certain of? I have _________ _______.
To summarize:
How do you know you are saved? How do you know you are a child of God? How do you know you have eternal life? You know because God said it in His Word, You believe it in your heart and that settles it in your mind.
If you have received Christ, but have doubts, claim these promises:
1. The BIBLE says: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
(Fill in the blank) What did God give to make everlasting life possible? ________ ________.
(Fill in the blank) What must you do to possess everlasting life? __________ ______ ________.
(Fill in the blank) What does God promise you? ____________ ________.
2. The BIBLE says: “Whoever has God’s Son has life. . . . I have written this to you who believe in the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:12–13, TLB).
(Fill in the blank) If you believe in Christ, what can you know with certainty? I have ________.
3. The BIBLE says: “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who gave them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand” (John 10:27–29).
(Fill in the blank) What are you promised?
- “And I give them _________ _______.”
- “And they shall _______ ________.”
- “Neither shall anyone _______ them out of My _______.”
- “No one is able to ________ them out of My Father’s _______.”
To summarize:
How do you know you have eternal life? How do you know you will never perish? How do you know you are safe in God’s hand? I know because God said it in His word therefore I believe it in my heart so that settles it in my mind.
If you have received Christ, but have failed Him, and now you seek forgiveness:
1. Repent and Confess to God
The BIBLE says: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
(Fill in the blank) What must we do to be forgiven? __________ ________ ________.
(Fill in the blank) What does God say He will do if we confess? _________ ________ ________.
To confess means to “agree” with God. I agree that I lied or cheated or was unkind or lost my temper. Be specific as you silently confess your sin to God. Sin takes us off God’s pathway to peace and joy. Confession puts us back on God’s pathway.
2. Determine to Forsake Any Known Sin in Your Life
The BIBLE says: “He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy” (Proverbs 28:13).
(Fill in the blank) What happens if we cover our sins? We ________ _______ ____________.
(Fill in the blank) Following confession, we must ______________ our sins.
3. Make Right Any Known Wrongs
It is important to not only confess and forsake sin, but also to make things right with anyone we may have wronged.
The BIBLE says: “I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man” (Acts 24:16, NIV).
4. Renewed Fellowship Will Be the Result
The BIBLE says: “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin” (1 John 1:7, NIV).
How do you know you are forgiven? How do you know you are cleansed? How do you know you are restored? I know because God said it in His word therefore I believe it in my heart so that settles it in my mind.
Having now given your life to the Lord Jesus you might have the feeling of what do I do now? Whether you are just now becoming a Christian, coming back to Christ after a period of doubt, or sorting out a difficult problem, this is the beginning of a new and enduring relationship with Jesus Christ. God wants you to enjoy a full, meaningful and rewarding life. He has made every provision for this. If you have started a new life with Christ, you will want to keep on growing spiritually.
There are some great resources at http://www.looktojesus.com. This website has some good interactive lessons such as how to be sure that you have eternal life, how to experience God’s love and forgiveness, how to be controlled and empowered by the Holy Spirit, and how to grow spiritually. I highly recommend that you start with the first study and go through them all, in order, until you complete the series of studies.
The Bible says, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5: 17) I would like to help you grow in your new Christian faith.
Do you have a Bible? Make sure you read and pray daily. I can show you how to read the Bible and pray to Jesus if you need any help. Meet often with other Christians in a church or fellowship group for worship and prayers. Tell others about your new faith in Christ. These are the follow-up suggestions for Christian growth.
1. Love God and Love Mankind
(Deuteronomy 6: 5/Luke 10:27) – Love the Lord with all of your heart and with all of your soul and with all your strength and with your entire mind, and, Love your neighbor as yourself. Love means “commitment to the highest good” to love is to commit to the highest good that is possible for another person. The greatest love and highest commitment possible is a relationship with God in Jesus Christ.
2. Read the Bible
(JOHN 1: 1) – In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Read the Bible daily, studying and memorizing Scripture passages in a planned and disciplined way (Psalm 119: 9, 11, and Colossians 3:16). It is crucial to read the Bible especially in today’s hectic society. Unfortunately, you will not get God’s word reinforced to you on the nightly news, or in any other segment of society. Reading daily, even one or two sentences in the morning and evening will help to fill your days with God’s inspiration and love. The Bible is God’s actual word. The Bible has been remarkably well preserved and is an accurate translation of what God intends for us to know about him. The Bible is food for the spiritual life, which needs to be nourished just as your body does. Through His Word, God speaks to you and reveals His plan for your new life. I would advise you to read the Gospel of John before reading any other book of the Bible. Then continue reading the Bible every day, trying to read at least a chapter a day. (2 Timothy 3:16, 17) “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
3. Pray
(1st THESSALONIANS 5: 16-18) – Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Focus on making prayer a daily exercise (1 Thessalonians 5: 17; Ephesians 6:18–19). Prayer is our way of communicating with God. As with any relationship, communication is crucial. Prayer is not the only thing Christians have; but it is the best thing we have. While God desires to do many things for us, he will not do some of them unless we specifically ask Him in prayer. Jesus said, “You have not because you ask not.” Prayer is your lifeline to God. Form the positive habit of starting each day with a few minutes in prayer. Conversation with God may seem strange at first, and you may find it hard to know what to say. However, as you continue, your prayers will become more meaningful. So start each day with prayer, and then learn to pray throughout the day as needs arise. Take all your problems and burdens to God, because He is interested in everything you do. “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you,” (1 Peter 5:7).
4. Fellowship and attend Church
(ACTS 2: 46) – Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God. Fellowship, attending church and other Christian functions is an anchor for our faith. Being around other Christians is the best way to see how God is working in the lives of other people, and it is the best way to be strengthened and built up in your own Christian walk. You cannot be an effective Christian on your own. If you are not already a member, get involved in a church where the Word of God is faithfully proclaimed. Attempt to develop friendly relationships with other Christians at your church, as spiritual fellowship is a great encouragement in growth. The ministry of your pastor will provide strong guidance as you walk in a new life with the Lord.
5. Abide and stay obedient to Christ
Confess all known sin and to trust God for cleansing (Hebrews 9: 14; 1 John 1:9). Give total submission to God in an act of complete obedience (Romans 12: 1–2 and Ephesians 5:15). Seek the fullness of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5: 18 and Ephesians 3:16–19). In becoming a Christian, you now have the strength through Jesus to overcome worldly problems and addictions. Yes – it is necessary to turn from past deeds. Deeds that inside your heart you known to be wrong, even slightly wrong. As a Christian, we are to put off our old life of sin, selfishness and glorifying ourselves. We are to put on a new life of righteousness, selflessness and begin to glorify God our Father by being obedient to His requests. We are saved to joyfully obey and serve the Lord.
6. Proclaim your faith in Jesus
(MATTHEW 10: 27) – Whoever acknowledges Me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns Me before men I will disown him before My Father in heaven. Be a witness for Christ on a daily basis in actions (Ephesians 2: 10) and in word (Romans 1:16; Philippians 2:16). A Christian is to be Christ’s witness. You are to be an ambassador for Him wherever you go. This does not mean that you go up and down the street confronting every one you meet. It does mean that you start living a life that is different. Pray each day that you might share Christ with others and watch God bring the opportunities! As you faithfully study and memorize the Scriptures, you will become better equipped to do this.
The step of faith that you have taken does not mean that all your problems are automatically solved. In fact, you may find you have some new ones! You will find that the devil, who is God’s enemy and yours, will try to spoil the work God is doing in you. He will try to make you seriously doubt your faith in Christ. There is only one way to defeat Satan, and that is through the Word of God. Follow the example of Jesus when He was tempted in the wilderness. Each time the devil tempted Him, He reminded Himself of God’s Word by quoting Scripture (see Matthew 4: 4, 7, 10).
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