Jesus loves you. He wants you to have a personal relationship with Him through Jesus, His Son. He does not simply want you to go to heaven when you die, He wants to BE WITH YOU in heaven through eternity. There is one thing however that separates us from God. That one thing is sin.
The Bible describes sin in many ways. Most simply, sin is our failure to measure up to God’s holiness and His righteous standards. We sin by things we do, choices we make, attitudes we show, and thoughts we entertain. We also sin when we fail to do right things. The Bible affirms our own experience – “there is none righteous, not even one.” No matter how good we try to be, none of us does right things all the time.
People tend to divide themselves into groups- good people and bad people. But God says that every person who has ever lived is a sinner, and that any sin separates us from God. No matter how we might classify ourselves, this includes you and me. We are all sinners.
“For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23
Many people are confused about the way to God. Some think they will be punished or rewarded according to how good they are. Some think they should make things right in their lives before they try to come to God. Others find it hard to understand how Jesus could love them when other people don’t seem to. But I have great news for you! God DOES love you! More than you can ever imagine! And there’s nothing you can do to make Him stop! Yes, our sins demand punishment, the punishment of death and separation from God, but because of His great love, God sent His only Son, Jesus to die for our sins and to take that punishment for us.
“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, in our own strength, not one of us can do this! You can’t make yourself right with God by being a better person. Only God can rescue us from our sins. He is willing to do this not because of anything you can offer Him, but 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
Jesus Paid the Price
For you to come to God, the penalty for your sin must be paid. God’s gift to you is His son, Jesus, who paid the debt for you when He died on the Cross.
“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 a cross at a place called Calvary, just outside of the city walls of Jerusalem in ancient Israel. God brought Jesus back to life from the dead. He provided the way for you to have a personal relationship with Him through Jesus. When we realize how deeply our sin grieves the heart of God and how desperately we need a Savior, we are ready to receive God’s offer of salvation. To admit we are sinners means turning away from our sin and selfishness and turning to follow Jesus. The Bible word for this is “repentance” – to change our thinking about how grievous sin is, so our thinking is in line with God’s.
Accepting the Gift
What is 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
Are you ready?
Are you ready to accept the gift of eternal life that Jesus is offering you right now?
Let’s review what this commitment involves, it can be stated as simply as ABC!
A – I Acknowledge I am a sinner in need of a Savior – this is to repent or turn away from sin, and to recognize there is nothing that I can do to save myself from my sins.
B – I Believe in my heart that God raised Jesus from the dead – this is to trust that Jesus was victorious over sin and death, and that He paid the full penalty for my sins. It is to trust in Jesus’ promise that he will do for me what I cannot do for myself – take away my sins.
C – I Confess Jesus as my Lord and my God – this is to surrender control of my life to Jesus. It is a Commitment to strive to follow in the ways of God which leads to a new life of inner peace and joy that no one can take away from you.
A Suggested Prayer
If it is your sincere desire to receive Jesus into your heart as your personal Lord and Savior, then talk to God from your heart. Here’s a suggested prayer:
“Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner and I do not deserve eternal life. But, I believe You died and rose from the grave to make me a new creation and to prepare me to dwell in your presence forever. 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. In gratitude for what you have done, help me to live my life giving honor to you.”
Contact Us
If you have questions or concerns you would like help with, please call, email or write and let us know. We are here to help you understand the love that Jesus is offering you for free, no matter who or where you are. If you have placed your trust in Jesus as your Lord and Savior, please let us know because we want to rejoice in what God has done in your life and help you to grow spiritually. We also encourage you to find a Bible-believing church where you can grow in faith and knowledge of the Lord and be encouraged by fellow believers.