Although man
by his freewill choices separated himself from God through disobedience, God
still loves him. God greatly desires to restore us to harmony with Him so that
we can share an eternal salvation with Him.
In saving
man, sin must first be dealt with because it is sin that introduced the sorrow,
sickness, death and chaos experienced in the world. For a man to be saved, he
must first be saved from sin. Man cannot save himself and cannot enter into
fellowship with God in his state of disobedience. God cannot receive man to
Himself as long as sin reigns in man.
Evil has a
power over man that no man can shake off or deliver himself from. Man must have
a mediator, who can take his part and suffer in his stead, and pay the penalty
for his sins. Jesus Christ was the one who came into this world to save us from
our sins (Matthew 1:21).
The sin of
the world, of all men, was placed upon Him. Jesus became sin in the sight of
God (2 Corinthians 5:21). He died physically on Mount Calvary where He was
nailed to a Cross. He went down to Hell where He preached to the saints in
prison. He rose again from the dead to everlasting life and has the keys of
death and hell (Revelations 1:17-18). Because He lives, you and I shall live
also (John 14:19).
The
sacrifice of Jesus is enough and sufficient. We must believe and accept the
love sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Unbelief is man’s greatest enemy. We must
accept Jesus’ words that He Is the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6).
All men born
of a woman need salvation because sin has passed unto all men (Romans 5:12). Through one man Adam, sin and death came into
the world but through another man, the Lord Jesus who died for all, we have
eternal life restored to us.
Why must
we choose Jesus for eternal life?
§ It is Christ who came to give us life
(John 10:10)
§ It is Christ who died for us (Hebrews
2:14)
§ It is the Blood of Jesus which
cleanses us from all sins (1 John 1:7)
§ It is Jesus Christ who rose from the
dead (Romans 6:9) and because He lives, we shall also live if we trust in Him.
How to
Reconcile With God
o
First,
admit that you are a sinner who cannot save himself
‘’all men
have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God’’ (Romans 3:23).
o
Secondly,
come consciously to God through Jesus Christ
‘’
therefore, He (Jesus) is able to save those who come to God through Him’’
(Hebrews 7:25)
o
Third,
repent of your sins. Be sorry enough to quit sinning
‘’repent
therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out.’’ (Acts 3:19)
‘’except ye
repent, ye shall likewise perish (Luke 13:3)
o
Fourth,
confess your sins to Jesus
‘’ he that
covers his sins shall not prosper; but whoso confess and forsakes them shall
have mercy’’ (Proverbs 28:13)
‘’ if we
confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness’’ (1 John 1:9)
o
Fifth,
receive Jesus into your heart and life. Only you can open the door of your
heart and invite Jesus to come in.
‘’behold, I
stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I
will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.’’ (Revelations 3:20)
‘’ but as
many as received Him, to them He gave the power to become the sons of God, even
to them that believe in His name.’’ (John 1:12)
o
Confess
with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that He was raised
from the dead. Salvation is by faith in Christ.
‘’ That if
thou shall confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in thy
heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shall be saved: For with the
heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made
unto salvation’’ (Romans 10:9-10)
Sample
Prayer:
Lord Jesus,
thank you for dying for me on the Cross for my sins. I am sorry for all the
wrong things I have done. I believe that you are my Lord and Saviour. I ask you
to come into my heart and life, to live in my heart forever. I trust you to
make my heart clean. In your name I pray, Amen.
o
Lastly,
follow Jesus
‘’…whoever
will come after me, let him take up his cross, and follow me.’’ (Mark 8:34)
Today is the
day of our salvation. Tomorrow may be too late. Do not postpone your decision
any longer because no one knows what the next minute or hour will bring
(Proverbs 27:1) (2 Corinthians 6:2). Death will come like a thief in the night
but after death is judgment…sure and certain!
There are no
second chances for repentance and salvation in the grave. It is dangerous for
anyone to reject God’s offer of salvation and continue to harden his or her
heart in unbelief. Unbelief in God’s Word has always been man’s undoing since
Adam.
John 5:24
says,
‘’Verily,
verily, I say unto you, he that hears my word, and believes on Him that sent
me, has everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed
from death to life’’
John 8:24
says,
‘’ I say
therefore unto you, that you shall die in your sins: for if you believe not
that I am he, you shall die in your sins.’’
We enter
into God’s kingdom by faith: helpless, unable to save ourselves and totally dependent
on the mercy and grace of God. There is nothing else we can do besides faith
and trust in Jesus to earn or merit eternal life.
Ephesians
2:8-9 says,
‘’for by
grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift
of God; not of works, lest any man should boast.’’
Close.
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