Salvation

The greatest gift I could possibly give you would not be a new mp3 player, car, or even backstage passes to your favorite concert. Believe it or not, the greatest gift that the world has to offer has already been given to you. All you have to do is accept it. The gift is a purpose in this life and eternal salvation in the next.

Did you know that over 90% of Americans believe in God? However, it is important to define the word believe.

John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Some believe in God the same way they believe in a historical figure from history class, i.e., George Wash ington or Abraham Lincoln. I doubt any of us has had a relationship with honest Abe, but we can have a relationship with God. Matter of fact, we were created for it. True belief is an action that comes from knowing the truth that the Bible teaches about God, Jesus, and us. So, let’s start there, what is the truth about God anyway?

First thing we know is that 1 John 4:16 tells us that God is loving, check it out: ... God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. Not only does God love us but he is holy. But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’ 1 Peter 1:16 . So, we have a loving and holy God who is also just. 2 Thessalonians 1:6 God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you.

Now that we know the truth about God, we need to understand a little about us. This may come as a shock for you but we are sinful. We were created for good, but constantly fail. Romans 3:23 , for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Just like growing up, when we do something wrong there is a punishment. God’s punishment is death. For the wages of sin is death... Romans 6:23 . We have truths about God, truths about us, let’s take a look at Jesus and who he was and still is. Jesus is God, who also became a man. Crazy but true. Check out John 1:1,14 . In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Although we constantly fail, Jesus died as a substitute of our sins. He himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed 1 Peter 2:24 . One of the hardest concepts for us to wrap our head around is the gift aspect of salvation and that it costs only one thing, our life. Sounds pretty dramatic, but is it really? For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is a gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 .

Here is the deal in John 1:12 - Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God. John 1:9 - If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 2 Corinthians 5:17 - Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! If right now you are ready to accept Jesus as your personal savior and you believe in your heart that it is through Christ that we have Salvation, then all you have to do is ask. It is not about the words or how you fold your hands, it isn’t how loud or how soft, it is about the meaning. It is about the sincerity.

Let's Pray:

Dear Jesus, Thank you for making me and loving me, even when I've ignored you and gone my own way. I realize I need you in my life and I'm sorry for my sins. I ask you to forgive me. Thank you for dying on the cross for me. Please help me to understand it more. As much as I know how, I want to follow you from now on. Come into my life and make me a new person inside. I accept your gift of salvation. Please help me grow now as a Christian. Amen.

Romans 10:13 says, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. 1 John 5:13 adds, I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.

Resources : http://www.tddm.org/