You have probably heard the story of God's love referred to as the "Gospel." The word Gospel simply means "Good News." The Gospel is the Good News that, because of what Christ has done, we can be forgiven and can live forever in heaven with God.
But, this gift of forgiveness and eternal life cannot be yours unless you willingly accept it. God requires an individual response from you. The following verses from the Bible show God's part and yours in this process.
God's Love Is Revealed in the Bible
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life." --John 3:16 (NKJV)
God loves you. He wants to bless your life and make it full and complete. And He wants to give you a life that will last forever, even after you experience physical death.
We Are Sinful
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." --Romans 3:23 (NKJV)
You may have heard someone say, "I'm only human -- nobody's perfect." This Bible verse says the same thing: We are all sinners. We all do things that we know are wrong. And that's why we feel estranged from God -- because God is holy and good, and we are not.
Sin Has a Penalty
"For the wages of sin is death." --Romans 6:23a (NKJV)
Just as criminals must pay the penalty for their crimes, sinners must pay the penalty for their sins. If you continue to sin, you will pay the penalty of spiritual death. You will not only die physically; you will also be separated from our holy God for all eternity. The Bible teaches that those who choose to remain separated from God will spend eternity in a place called hell.
Christ Has Paid Our Penalty!
"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." --Romans 5:8 (NKJV)
The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God, has paid the penalty for all your sins. You may think you have to lead a good life and do good deeds before God will love you. But the Bible says that Christ loved you enough to die for you, even when you were rebelling against Him.
Salvation Is a Free Gift
"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." --Ephesians 2:8-9 (NKJV)
"But the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."--Romans 6:23b (NKJV)
The word grace means "undeserved favor." It means God is offering you something you could never provide for yourself: forgiveness of sins and eternal life. God's gift to you is free. You do not have to work for a gift. All you have to do is joyfully receive it. Believe with all your heart that Jesus Christ died for you!
Christ Is at Your Heart's Door
"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." --Revelation 3:20 (NKJV)
Jesus Christ wants to have a personal relationship with you. Picture, if you will, Jesus Christ standing at the door of your heart (the door of your emotions, intellect and will). Invite Him in. He is waiting for you to receive Him into your heart and life.
You Must Receive Him
"But as many as received Him, to them He gave them the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name." --John 1:12 (NKJV) “That 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. For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”-- Romans 10:9,10,13 (NKJV)
When you receive Christ into your heart you become a child of God. You have the privilege of talking to Him in prayer at any time about anything. The Christian life is a personal relationship to God through Jesus Christ. And best of all, it is a relationship that will last for all eternity.
Right now, if you want to bring Jesus into your life, have a relationship with Him, and know that you're on your way to heaven, pray a prayer something like this from the sincerity of your heart:
Dear Lord Jesus, I confess that I am a sinner and need a Savior. I ask for forgiveness of my sins and ask you to be my Lord and Savior. I am trusting in you and you alone for my salvation. I believe you suffered and died on the cross to pay the full price for my sins to give me new life, and that you rose again from the grave. From this day forward I will live my life for you. Thank you for saving me.
Your decision to receive Christ means your sins are forgiven and you are God's child forever. It also means that you are now going to Heaven one day. That’s a lot to be thankful for! You need to take some practical steps to grow in your new life with Christ and to grow spiritually: read the Bible, fellowship with other Christians, go to church, and pray.
If you have made this awesome decision, all of the angels in heaven are rejoicing for you. We would love to hear from you and send you some free materials that you can use as you begin your new life in Christ. Please Contact us
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