Faith
The Gift of God
which leads us to repent and believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
...Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved Acts 16:31
Whether you are a good person or a bad person,
we all have the same problem.
There is no righteous person, not even one; Romans 3:10
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23
See Genesis 3 (The Fall of Man), Romans 3:11-18, Romans 5:12-21
Dear friend, we are all born in a sinful state, with wicked hearts. This is from the curse that came when the rebellion against God occurred in the Garden of Eden. From then on there is nothing that we can do. There is no great work that will make us righteous before a Holy God. One can feed the entire world and solve all injustice, but still fall short of sinless perfection. There is no amount of ethics, morality or religious rituals that can make us right before God. We are all born into sin. As stated above: There is no righteous person, not even one. Without sinlessness and righteousness, one stands condemned before a Holy God.
Only One
There is only one who did live righteous and sinless. He was God incarnate, Jesus Christ. He walked this earth 2,000 years ago. He was sent by God to save us from the wrath of God. God has reached out to us.
Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. Romans 5:9
Christ alone saves us.
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6
There are no other options according to Jesus Christ. His words about himself confirm-He is the only way to God. Today, as in the days when Jesus walked this earth, there are many "gods" that people may serve, including the god of self. There are many beliefs and religions in this world, but there is only One by whom we must be saved. Jesus said that we must enter through the narrow gate. In this metaphor, He is that gate. Jesus said that any other way is the broad road, the wide gate. This broad road leads to eternal destruction. It leads to Hell. Jesus described Hell as the place of eternal fire and eternal suffering.
But the narrow way leads to life, eternal life. This is the only road, the only gate, the only way -Jesus Christ.
How can we be saved?
Saved by grace through faith in Christ.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
Christ Crucified. Christ Risen.
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. Romans 10:7
The Bible teaches that out of His great love for us, Jesus Christ, God's eternal Son, the creator and sustainer of all things, stepped down from His eternal throne in Heaven to walk this earth. He lived a perfect and sinless life. He was fully God and fully man. He was crucified on our behalf, for our sins, and then rose from the dead. He is the risen Savior and Lord. This is found in the eyewitness accounts of the Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. And He was prophesied about in the Old Testament. Hundreds and even thousands of years before He walked this earth, his coming was proclaimed.
Crucial to that information is our response. God gave His all for anyone who would believe. Does our heart and mind embrace these historical events and this eternal truth? If so, then God's Spirit is at work.
Jesus' loving invitation to you. To receive Him by faith.
To trust and follow Him.
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matthew 11: 28-30
Repentance and Faith
A Turning to God. Trusting in Christ.
Knowing that you need saved and that you cannot do it on your own, by your own works, by your goodness. Having a Godly sorrow for your sin. A desire to turn from the old way - the way of this world, the way of sin. To go in a new direction with a new desire. To give up your life to Christ - to trust and follow Him. Jesus will be the Lord of your life. You may ask, why would I give my life to Him? Because He gave up His life for you by dying on a cross. He is the Savior. He is the Lord.
And though we cannot follow Him in perfection, this should be our direction, our desire, and our love - Jesus Christ.
Confess and Believe
because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. Romans 10:9-10
To truly believe this and to truly confess this is to be born again. A heart that is regenerated. A mind that is being transformed. To say Jesus is Lord. To trust in Jesus Christ, God's Son who died for your sins. To believe that He is the risen Savior and the risen Lord. To follow Him alone. To follow no other religion or spiritual belief. To give your life to Christ. This is the work of God's Holy Spirit in us.
Call on Him. He will not turn you away.
The same Lord is Lord of all, and gives richly to all who call on Him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:12-13
We come to God as lawbreakers - sinners. But in His great love for us, God says "Not Guilty."
The thief on the cross had nothing to offer Jesus except a broken and sinful life, still Jesus accepted him. And like the thief, it is never too late to repent and place your trust in Christ, to believe in His name. Many have done it on their death bed, but please, don't wait until then. You may not get that chance. Our next heartbeat is not guaranteed. And take caution that you do not get a hardened heart, then you will be unwilling to turn to God. Dear Friend, Today is the day of your salvation.
Hebrews 3:15 says this: ... “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts..."
Isaiah 55:6-7
Seek the LORD while he may be found;
call upon him while he is near;
let the wicked forsake his way,
and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him,
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Believers are a new creation in Christ.
Salvation is the new spiritual birth that comes from God alone, a conversion of our heart and mind.
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 2nd Corinthians 5:17
As John Newton, slave trader who turned believer, wrote in this song:
Amazing grace how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me
I once was lost, but now I'm found, was blind but now I see
The ways of God, and His work of salvation in us, are a wonderous mystery.
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
Romans 11:33
Grow in the grace and knowledge of God. God will be with you all the days of your life.
For believers - new and old: Walk with God in Love and Obedience.
Love God. Follow Jesus. Worship Jesus. Forsake sin. Love your neighbor as yourself. You will not be perfect, but God will never leave you nor forsake you. He will sustain you and keep you. You will have eternal life.
Find a church that worships God and teaches Biblical truth. If you need help, please contact us and we will do our best to help you.
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Colossians 3:1
If you have repented and placed your trust in Jesus Christ, then God is doing a work in you. He will be with you all the days of your life. Rejoice!
And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6
For the true believer and follower, Jesus told His disciples:
...rejoice that your names are written in Heaven. Luke 10:20
Dear Friend,
God Loves You!