Whenever I see a tombstone I cannot wonder what kind of person they were. Were they rich, popular, or good looking, athletic? But none of these questions are relevant. The only question worth asking now is “Were they a saved person?”
Where Will You Spend Eternity?
The Bible tells us, “Whoever has the Son has life!” (1 John 5:12) Jesus is the only way we gain access to heaven. Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father but through Me.” (John 14:6)
WHAT IS THE ISSUE?
The most important issue you will ever face in life pertains to where you will spend eternity. Many people are misinformed about what it takes to be saved. They assume that acceptance by God is primarily based upon their own efforts. They believe that at the end of their life, if their good works outweigh their bad, they will gain entrance into heaven. Fortunately, we can see some wonderful truths in God’s Word (the Bible) that will answer questions and enable us to receive God’s gift of eternal life.
Even when we know that our deepest need is God, we often try wrong ways of getting to know Him:
- “My mother was a Christian so I must be one too.”
- “It doesn’t matter what you believe, just be sincere.”
- “I’ll give up all my bad habits.”
- “I’ll work real hard and earn it.”
- “I’ll be religious and go to church.”
You can take these six steps by praying a simple prayer of commitment to God:
“Dear God, thank you for making me and loving me, even when I’ve ignored you and gone my own way. I realize I need you in my life and I’m sorry for my sins. I ask you to forgive me. Jesus, I believe that you died for my sins, and that you rose from the dead. Thank you for dying for me. Please help me to understand it more. I turn from my past sins, and I want to follow you from now on. Please come into my life as my Lord and make me a new person inside. I accept your gift of salvation. Please help me to grow now as a Christian and make me the kind of person you want me to be.” “Whoever calls upon the name of the LORD shall be saved.”ROMANS 10:13 (N.K.J.V.)
JESUS CHRIST SAVES!
The Four Spiritual Laws:
#1 – God loves us and has a wonderful plan for us! “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'” JER. 29:11 (N.I.V.)
“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness.” JOHN 10:10 (N.L.T.)
Everyone wants to be happy. Real happiness comes from understanding our purpose in life. The most basic question a person can ask is, “What is the meaning of my life,” or “Why am I here?”
- God made you so He could love you and bless you!
- God made you so you could enjoy a personal relationship with Him and with other people, and to manage all of the rest of God’s creation!
#2 – We have a sin problem separating us from God!
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” ROM 3:23 (N.K.J.V.)
“For the wages of sin is death . . .” ROMANS 6:23 (N.R.S.V.)
People have a natural desire to be boss and to ignore God’s principles for living.
The Bible calls this attitude: sin.
• “Look out for #1. Do your own thing.”
• “If it feels good, do it – regardless of what God says about it.”
• “It’s my life and I’ll do what I please!”
Sin results in separation from God. When our relationship with God is not right, it cause problems in every area of our lives – marriage, career, relationships, finances, etc. People often try many different ways of coping before turning to God:
- Some look for happiness by acquiring possessions.
- Some look for happiness by experiencing pleasure.
- Some look for happiness by gaining prestige and power.
#3 – Jesus Christ is God’s remedy for the sin problem!
“Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.'” JOHN 14:6 (N.L.T.)
“. . . but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” ROM. 6:23(N.R.S.V.)
“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given tomen by which we must be saved.” ACTS 4:12 (N.I.V.)
Jesus Christ is the only answer to this problem! God Himself came to earth as a human being to bring us back to Himself. Jesus died on the Cross and rose from the grave, paying the penalty for our sin and bridging the gap between God and people.
#4 – We must individually receive Jesus as our answer!
“. . . [Jesus] said to him, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.'” JOHN 3:3 (N.K.J.V.)
“If you confess that Jesus is Lord and believe that God raised him from death, you will be saved.” ROMANS 10:9 (T.E.V.)
God has provided the only way — He is now waiting for each of us to individually accept what He has done for us:
- Admit that God has not been first place in your life.
- Turn from your past sinful behavior and past unsuccessful efforts of reaching God.
- Believe that Jesus died to pay for your sins, and that He rose on Easter and is alive today.
- Ask God to forgive your sins because Jesus already paid your penalty for sin.
- Invite Jesus Christ to come into your life and be the director (Lord) of your life.
- Accept God’s free gift of salvation. Don’t try to earn it.
LET US HEAR FROM YOU!
If you have just received the gift of eternal life by accepting Jesus as your Savior and Lord, or if you’ve recommitted your life to Christ, please contact us and let us know. We would love to hear from you!
