Salvation

Every person ever born on the face of the earth has an inborn, terminal illness. This illness is called sin. If not treated, this illness of sin leads ultimately to total spiritual death, or eternal separation from God. Because of this sin nature, we are naturally separated from our creator, the one True and Holy God. The reason you need to be saved is so that this illness of sin can be cured. When this sin is cured, you are placed into Gods family, and you then become a child of God.

The bible says that everybody is born a sinner. Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. It also says that nobody is righteous. Romans 3:10 There is no one righteous, not even one. God cannot accept sin. He hates it. Sin keeps you separated from God and out of Heaven. You  must be forgiven or pardoned from you sins if you want to live with Him in heaven when your life on earth is over. The bible says that sin has a penalty. Something must be sacrificed, or die, as the penalty for sin. Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. The bible says in Hebrews 9:22 ..without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

This is where salvation comes in. God sent his only son Jesus, to die on the cross to pay the penalty for the sins of the entire human race. John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave his only Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Jesus paid the sin penalty for everybody that ever lived. He was the only acceptable sacrifice. After His sacrificial death, God resurrected Him from the grave. After being raised to life, He appeared to more than 500 people, proving beyond a doubt that He was indeed alive. 1 Corinthians 15:6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers... Jesus defeated sin and death by being raised to life again. Through Him, every human being is offered the gift of eternal life.

How do I become saved?

Since Jesus paid the penalty for your sin, you do not have to. The bible clearly tells us that eternal life is a gift from God. Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. When somebody has a gift for you, it does not become yours until you accept or receive it. The same is true of Gods gift to you. He offers it freely to you, but you must accept it. It is free for the taking, but unless you receive it, you will not have it. The bible tells us in several different passages, how to accept this gift from God. 

• Romans 10:9 ...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.
• Romans 10:13 For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
• Romans 10:9,10 …if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has Raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto Righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
• I John 5:1,13 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God . . . These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God; that you may know that you have eternal life. 

It is very easy to accept this gift. There is a simple ABC concept:

• A - Admit that you are a sinner. This means that you agree with God that you are a sinner and need to be forgiven.
• B - Believe in your heart that Jesus died for your sins and that God raised Him from the dead
• C - Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and ask Him to come into your life and save you from your sins.

Here is a prayer that you can pray to accept Jesus as your personal savior and receive Gods gift of eternal life with Him.

Dear God, I know that I am a sinner and I need to be forgiven. I believe that Jesus died for my sins and that You raised Him to life again. Thank you for paying the penalty for my sins. Please forgive me for my sins. I want you to be my savior and Lord of my life so that I can live with you forever in Heaven when my life on earth is finished. Thank you for saving me. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

If you genuinely prayed this prayer, God has forgiven you and you are now a member of Gods family, never to be disowned by the God of the universe. Congratulations and welcome to Gods family!! You are now a Christian.

What do I do now? Where do I go from here?

Now that you are part of Gods family, it is important that you begin to learn about the life God has planned for you. You have already taken the most important step by accepting Christ as your personal savior. There are two things you should do to get properly started in your Christian life. First, you should get plugged into a local bible believing church. Second, you should get your very own bible and begin reading it every day.

There are many churches to choose from, however you must be aware that many churches do not teach the bible and the message of salvation. Beware so you do not get drawn into a church that is nothing more than a social club. There are also many different bible translations to choose from. The New International Version (NIV) and New King James Version (NKJV) are both easy to understand translations. The New Living Translation (NLT) is also very easy to understand. You may wish to go to a local Christian bookstore and examine several different translations to see what translation you prefer.

May God richly bless and keep you as you begin your life with Him!!!