This is the most important message that you'll ever read; please don't put it off for later!
Now, may I have a few moments of your time to share with you Someone Who can change your life eternally? His name is Jesus. He is God's "...only begotten Son..." (John 3:16), and He came to earth that we could receive forgiveness for our sins and have eternal life.
Jesus once told a man named Nicodemus in John 3:7 that he "...must be born again." In that same passage, Jesus said, "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." (John 3:17)
Maybe you are wondering, "Why do I need to be saved or born again?" "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." (Rom. 3:23) That means that because of your sins (wrong-doings), you don't measure up to God's standards. God is Holy, righteous, and pure.
Maybe you are thinking, "I may not be like God, but I am not a bad person." The Bible says in Romans 5:12 that when Adam, the first man that God created, disobeyed God "...sin entered into the world." Along with that sin, "...death passed upon all men. In other words, we are all born into sin, and it is our nature to sin. We don't sin because we are bad people, but because we are sinners; it is our blood and flesh! Romans 6:23 says that the "...wages of sin is death..." Our disobedience and sin must be paid for. That payment is death - eternal death, where there is eternal separation from God in hell. Hell is a place of eternal punishment, "In hell he lift up his eyes being in torments..." (Luke 16:23). Hell is an awful place of "...weeping and gnashing of teeth...". (Luke 3:28)
Every person has an appointment with death -"It is appointed unto men once to die; but after this the judgment." (Hebrews 9:27) What does this appointment with death mean to you? At your death you must pay eternity for your sins. You'll be case into hell, never have another opportunity to be saved. But, here is the best news you will ever hear: God does not want anyone to go to hell. It is not God's will that "...any should perish but that all should come to repentence." (2 Peter 3:9)
Therefore, He made a way so that you don't have to go to hell. You can have forgiveness of sins and a home in Heaven.
You may be asking yourself, "What do I have to do to get my sins forgiven and know I can go to heaven. A man once asked the question, "What must I do to be saved?" (Acts 16:30) The simple answer given was, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shot be saved..." (Acts 16:31)
Maybe you are still thinking, "If I turn over a new leaf and become a better person, I can stop doing those bad things I have been doing." That is not God's way, and we must come to Him His way.
Therefore, it is important to understand exactly what God expects. This is God's way, His plan:
"Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God". (John 3:3) Even before the world and Adam and Eve were created, God had a plan. God is all-knowing, therefore, He knew man would fall into sin. However, God loves us and wants us to be with Him in heaven. So His plan meant that He would send His Son, Jesus, to take our punishment for us. "God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom. 5:8).
Now, what must you do? Believe that you are, as God has said in His Book, a sinner in need of forgiveness and that, without such forgiveness, you will die eternally. Believe that God sent Jesus to take the punishment for your sins, dying in our place. Believe that He was buried and then rose again (came back to life) from the dead. (The resurrection of Jesus Christ is very important to the Christian. Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we have the assurance of having eternal life also being raised from the dead.)
Perhaps you are thinking, "How can I be sure that God will save me if I believe?" Jesus said in John 3:16, speaking of himself "... whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." The word "whosoever" includes everyone who believes. "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name." (John 1:12)
Have you realized that you are a sinner? Luke 18:13 tells of a man who realized that fact and prayed, "God, be merciful to me a sinner." God loves the sinner. God loves you, and He wants you to come to Him just as you are so that He can show you his mercy. He wants to give you a gift. Romans 6:23 says "...the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." John 3:36 says, "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life..."
Are you wondering what happens if you don't believe? The rest of John 3:36 says, "...and he that believeth not the Son, shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him." Maybe you are saying to yourself, "I'll get saved one day when I am older, or when I've had my fun, or tomorrow, or next Sunday..." "Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away." (James 4:14). We don't know what tomorrow will bring. "...behold, now is the accepted time, behold now is the day of salvation." (2 Corinthians 6:2)
Will you receive Jesus as your personal Savior today? Please take God at His word and believe and pray from your heart:
"Oh, God, I know that I am a sinner and I know that need to be forgiven. l cannot live a good enough life on my own to go to heaven. I am trusting and believing Your word when you said that Jesus came and died in my place. I believe that He was buried and that He rose again from the dead for me. I now receive Him as my Savior, and I receive His forgiveness for my sins. Thank you for Your mercy, forgiveness, and everlasting life. Amen."
If you received Jesus as God's wonderful gift, there are some things as a new Christian that you need to begin doing:
Pray daily. God is now your Heavenly Father and He wants you to talk to Him.
Read your Bible. God wants to talk to you through His Word.
Find a good, Bible-believing church and follow the Lord in baptism. In obedience to the Lord and following Jesus example, become a faithful attender in God's house, the church. As a new Christian, you need to be in a place that you can learn about this new life and be strengthened by other Christians.
Witness. Tell others about what has happened to you and that they, too, need a Savior. May God bless you in your wonderful new life. "Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold all things are become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17)
If you have made this decision, please write to me so I can encourage you.
Jody <Sojourner@PureWords.org>
