"...Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3)
Becoming a Christian is the
most important decision you can make. This decision does not only determine
where you will spend eternity, but it will determine every aspect of your life..
All People Have Sinned Against God
The Bible says, "All have sinned
and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). The word sin means to miss a
target by falling short of that target. Sin is the failure of a person to live
the life which God has planned for him to live. Everyone has sinned, it is
universal.
The Price of Sin Is High
The Bible says, "the wages of sin
is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
(Romans 6:23). The person who lives without God in this life will pay the awful
price of an eternity separated from God. The Bible calls this place of
separation hell. Hell was never meant to be the eternal home of mankind, but God
could not allow rebellious people to enter into heaven. Heaven is the eternal
dwelling of God's people, and it is a place where God lives in perfect harmony
with His people.
God Loves us in Spite of Our Sin
The Bible says, "But God
commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died
for us." (Romans 5:8).
Because of the righteousness of God, man must pay the penalty for sin, or
someone who is acceptable to God must pay the penalty. The death of Jesus is the
greatest demonstration of the love of God for sinners. It is a great love for
someone to die in place of a loved one. But Jesus died for those in rebellion.
Repent, Turn Toward God, and Have Your Sins Completely Taken Away
The Bible says, "Repent ye
therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times
of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;" (Acts 3:19). The word
repent means to turn around and go in a different direction. It means a change
of mind and life toward God. If you are willing to turn to God, then God will
restore you to purity. Jesus described this experience as the "new birth." Your
part is to confess your sin, and God's part is to forgive and restore.
By Grace You Receive His Free Gift (Eternal Life) Through Faith Which is Also
from God
The Bible says, "For by grace are
ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:"
(Ephesians 2:8). The word grace refers to the kindness and love of God in His
willingness to forgive and save. Faith means to trust to a point of commitment.
You cannot just believe in God. You must be willing to give your life to God's
teachings and God's will. Salvation is God's gift if you will receive it with a
commitment to turn and follow Jesus.
Confess Jesus and Believe That He Was Raised from the Dead by God
The Bible says, "That if thou
shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart
that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." (Romans 10:9). The
word confess means to acknowledge that Jesus is Savior and Lord, to believe with
all your heart that Jesus died on the cross for you and came out of the grave,
believe that He is alive and will change your life as you follow and obey His
teachings.
Pray (call upon) to the Lord and Be Saved:
The Bible says, "For
whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:13).
Whoever means anyone can ask God for forgiveness of sin and turn from sin and
follow Jesus.
If you sincerely believe all of the above then pray this simple prayer and mean
it and you will be saved
"Lord Jesus, I know I am a
sinner and need Your forgiveness. I know You died on the cross for me. I now
turn from my sins and ask You to forgive me. I invite You into my heart and
life. I trust You as Savior and will follow You as Lord. Thank You for saving
me. Amen."
This prayer of faith starts you on the greatest journey one can ever make.
Reading your Bible and praying to Our Father daily will bring you closer with
Him. Baptism is an important part of your Christian experience as
well, so do contact a local Bible-believing church about baptism.
believeth in
Him shall not perish but have everlasting life... John 3:16