The Bible teaches us the truth of creation, humanity, and eternity.
The Holy Scriptures tell us God created the heavens and the earth, including all of the creatures and humanity, that humans are the only beings created in the express image of Almighty God, and that mankind was created without sin to walk in perfect harmony in the presence of God, but that the first man and woman sinned against God, allowing sin to reign in the world, separating us from our Creator.
If this was the only message of the Bible, what a sad life we would have! However, the story does not end there, thank God!
The Bible also teaches us that God loved us so much that He made a way for sin to be forgiven once and for all and for us to once again come into a close, intimate walk with Himself. God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the price for the sins of mankind and thanks to that great sacrifice, humanity has the blessed hope of eternal life in the wonderous presence of a loving and merciful God!
The greatest decision we can ever make is to follow the Lord Jesus Christ, believing in who He is and the sacrifice that He made on the cross to save us from our sins.
Why Do We Need Jesus?
From The Beginning
The truth about creation is found in the Book of Genesis chapters 1 and 2. The Bible tells us that God created the heavens and the earth and all life on the earth. However, out of the millions of creatures on the earth, we are the only being created in the image of God Himself. We can experience the same feelings and emotions that God has: love, happiness, joy, sadness, and more. We also have the ability of free will and thought, able to ponder and contemplate our own existence, which is unique to the human race. (Genesis 1 & 2)
We also read about what we call “The Fall of Man”. The Bible tells us that the first Adam and Eve, the first man and woman, sinned against God. As a result of their disobedience to God, sin entered the world, separating mankind from walking in perfect harmony with God in the Garden of Eden. (Genesis 3)
God intended for mankind to live in perfect harmony with Him in the Garden of Eden for all time, but at the same time, God wanted to have a loving relationship with His creation.
God wanted man to have the capacity for love, but true love cannot be forced, it must be chosen.
God did not want to force us to do anything against our will and gave each person free will and the ability to choose for themselves. However, the ability to choose to love God and follow His wishes also comes with the ability to choose not to love God and to do wickedness in the sight of God.
God Had a Plan to Redeem
- Hebrews 9: 22 – “…All things are cleansed with blood and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness [of sins].”
In ancient times, God’s people needed to bring an animal sacrifice before God to make atonement for sins, but an animal sacrifice, imperfect as it was, could never cleanse sins forever.
God knew that it would take a truly spotless Lamb, a truly perfect sacrifice to fully pay the price for all sins, so He sent His only begotten Son:
- John 3: 16-18 – “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 18 He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
This was God’s plan all along, to provide a perfect sacrifice for our sins that we might be forgiven!
Once and For All
The Lord Jesus Christ came to this earth in the form of a newborn babe, grew and lived among us, and suffered all of the temptations that you and I face, but yet He never sinned. He lived a perfect life without spot or blemish and then He freely gave His life up, shedding His blood on the cross of Calvary as the payment for sin.
- 1 John 2: 2 – “And He Himself [Jesus] is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.”
The Bible is very clear that we are all sinners; we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God:
- Romans 3: 23 – “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” Romans 5: 8
Because Jesus was the perfect and sinless sacrifice, His blood has the power to pay the price for all the sins of mankind once and for all! Hallelujah!
What Happens if We Die as an Unbeliever?
- Revelation 21: 8 – “…the cowardly, the unbelieving, the abominable, the murderers, the sexually immoral, the sorcerers, the idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake of fire and brimstone.”
- 2 Thessalonians: 1: 8-9 – “…and those who do not know God, and those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 These shall be punished with everlasting destruction [away] from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power.”
The Bible tells us that if we die without trusting in believing and trusting in Christ we will go to a place called hell that is filled with “eternal torment” and “weeping and gnashing of teeth”.
Hell is worse than we could ever imagine and those who go there are forever cut off from the presence of God.
Thank God that we have hope through Jesus Christ that we can spend eternity in heaven with Christ!
How Can We Receive Salvation Through Jesus?
The Bible lays out the path to salvation in clear terms that all can understand. Over the years, the Message of the Gospel has been overcomplicated at times, but make no mistake, the Gospel is plain and simple that all might hear and believe!
These are the main passages of Scripture which tell us God’s Plan of Salvation for all mankind:
- John 3: 14-16 – “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; 15 so that whoever believes in Him will have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”
- 1 Corinthians 15: 1-4 – “Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, 2 By which you are also saved, if you hold fast to the word which I preached to you…3…That Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,“
The Books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John tell the true account of the life of Christ and His death, burial, and resurrection.
We Must Repent and Believe the Gospel
Repentance takes place when we recognize we have sinned against God and our need for forgiveness; we renounce and ask forgiveness for our sins and trust in Christ to forgive us.
1 John 1: 9 – “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
The Bible tells us, that we can trust God to forgive us of all our sins. He casts our sin as far as the East is from the West and remembers it not more! By the blood of Jesus, we are washed clean!
Trust in Christ and You Shall be Saved
- Ephesians 2: 8-9 – “For By grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
- Romans 10: 13 – “For Whosoever calls upon the name of the LORD [Jesus] shall be saved.“
- Romans 10: 11 – “For the Scripture says, ‘WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.”
God’s grace is a free gift to all because Jesus paid the price when He gave His life for us.
If you place your faith and trust in Jesus, you will not be ashamed!
Steps to Salvation:
- Understand that you have sinned and desperately need God’s forgiveness through Christ.
- Believe in your heart that Jesus is God in the flesh, that he lived a sinless life, and that He paid the price for your sins with his life’s blood.
- Confess to God in your heart through prayer that you know you have sinned and earnestly ask God to forgive you of all your sins, through the blood of Jesus, and to make your heart pure before Him.
- Pray and ask God to save your soul from hell and help you to live a righteous life before Him.
- Trust that God is able to forgive your sins and has the power to save your soul from hell.
A Prayer to Accept Jesus
I want you to know that being saved is more than just repeating after a prayer.
We must truly believe in our own hearts that JESUS IS LORD and that he will forgive us of our sins. We must truly be sorry for our sins and turn from them to follow JESUS. And we must pray and trust in JESUS in our own hearts…no one else can believe Him for you.
Prayer to Accept Jesus:
Heavenly Father, I now realize that I have sinned against You when I do things that are wrong and are against Your Holy Word.
Lord Jesus, I believe that You are truly the Only Begotten Son of God, Jesus, You are God in the Flesh and I believe in the work that You did on the cross.
God, I ask You to forgive me of all of my sins and wash me clean through the blood of Jesus right now.
Lord, save my soul from Hell and be the Lord of my life today. I pledge to give my heart and soul to You.
Lord, help me to live holy and righteous in Your sight!!
Thank You JESUS for paying the price for my sins!! Thank You for Saving me!
In the Almighty Name of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I pray, AMEN!!!
