The Gospel Of Salvation
Mankind suffers from a terrible spiritual disease that condemns him to hell, separated from God for all eternity. That condition is called “Sin”
Sin is the transgression or breaking of God’s Law (the 10 Commandments). We are ALL born with a nature to actively do things that are wrong, we lie, lust, steal, covet…… Sin is a failure to live up to God’s moral standards. No matter how much good we do, we still fall short of the mark that God has set for us. No one is good enough to go to Heaven on his own merit.
“For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.” (Ecclesiastes 7:20)
“As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one;” (Romans 3:10)
We are born unrighteous and need to become righteous. Righteousness can only come by the Saving Grace of Jesus Christ. Our righteous attempts accomplish nothing, they are filthy rags.
We Are Born Spiritually Separated From God
“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” (Romans 5:12)
“But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.”
(Isaiah 59:2)
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Romans 3:23)
As A Sinner You Owe A Sin Debt
God is holy and just, He cannot allow sin to go unpunished.
If we pay what we owe as sinners, we must spend an eternity in the lake of fire (hell) for ALL ETERNITY
“For the wages (reward or earnings) of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23)
“But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” (Revelation 21:8)
“And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.” (Revelation 20:14)
We Cannot Save Ourselves
There is no such thing as a person being morally perfect.
“we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags;” (Isaiah 64:6a)
“For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.” (James 2:10)
If we have broken just one commandment we have broken them all, and that makes us a sinner. No sinner can be accepted in the sight of God, you must be clothed in righteousness to come into the presence of God.
If we could get to heaven based on works, God made a horrible mistake in sending his Son to die on the Cross and God does not make mistakes.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Eph 2:8,9)
The Bible Declares That Sin’s Penalty Was Paid For
The ‘Good News’ is that God loves you that much that He provided a plan to Save you from the penalty of sin and to give you eternal life.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
“For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” (Romans 5:6)
God placed the sins of the world, murder, deceit, lying, adultery…. on Jesus Christ. While Christ was bearing all of our sins in His own body, God punished Him in our place to pay the debt we owe. This is not something God promised to do. It is something God has already done. On the third day Christ rose from the grave and showed His power over death.
“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Cor 5:21)
“…that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.” (Hebrews 2:9b)
Jesus bore in His body the punishment due us for our sin; in so doing He satisfied God’s just demand that sin be punished. Jesus became your substitute so God could pardon you, pronounce you innocent, forgive you of your sin and give you the gift of Eternal Life.
Make no mistake. God tells us that morality, good works, going to church, baptism… will not save you.
“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” (Proverbs 14:12)
Only the blood of Jesus Christ can save you.
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6)
Don’t put off your salvation, you don’t know what tomorrow may bring.
”..now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Cor 6:2b)
You Can Be Saved Right Now
1. Admit your need (I am a sinner). Accept the Bible facts that you are guilty as a sinner before Him, and you are unable to deliver yourself from the punishment of hell, which is due you because of your sin.
2. God calls us to repent- Repentance is simply “a change of mind” unto the Gospel itself to agree with God that I done wrong according to God’s standards. It causes you to turn from trusting in yourself or from any idea of religion that you might have to get you to heaven, to trusting the person Jesus Christ ‘alone’ for salvation and to get you to heaven.
3. We must Believe – To believe on the Lord Jesus Christ means that you accept the fact that you are a sinner, that as a sinner you owe the sin penalty, and that Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay the sin debt you owe. It means that you will completely trust Christ alone to get you to Heaven. “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
Suggested Prayer
Dear Jesus, I know that I am a sinner deserving of hell. I believe you are the only begotten Son of God, the Savior, who shed your blood to pay for my sins. I believe the Good News that you died on the cross to pay for my sins, that you were buried, and that you rose again three days later for my justification. I place my trust in you alone to get me to Heaven. I accept your free gift of forgiveness of sins and eternal life. Thank you Jesus for saving me! Amen
God’s promise. “…Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13)