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Our Salvation
Most people live their entire lives without ever knowing why they're here.
People are looking for meaning and happiness . . .
in possessions,
in pleasures,
in positions,
but real meaning and happiness come from understanding your purpose.
So why are you here?
To be loved by God.
God says, "I have loved you with an everlasting love." (Jeremiah 31:3)
To have a relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ.
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of
God, even to those who believe in His name. (John 1:12) To enjoy all that He has in store for you.
Jesus said, "I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly." (John 10:10)
What's the problem?
It's our nature to put self before God.
All of us like sheep have gone astray; each of us has turned to his own way; (Isaiah 53:6)
The Bible calls this attitude sin.
And sin prevents us from having a relationship with God.
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)
But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, (Isaiah 59:2)
When our relationship with God isn’t right, it can cause problems in all areas of our lives.
When we have problems we attempt to manage them on our own usually resulting in
even greater problems. There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. (Proverbs 16:25)
Even when we know our deepest need is God, we often try wrong ways of getting to
know Him: "My parents were very religious so . . ."
"It's not what a person believes just as long as they're sincere."
"I worship God in my own way (because God and I have this agreement . . ."
"I'll try to be a better person and even go to church."
What's the solution?
The solution is a person.
Jesus Christ said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father,
but through Me." (John 14:6)
This means Jesus has taken care of our sin problem!
The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(Romans 6:23)
God did this for us because He loves us and wants us to know Him.
God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him
should not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:16) God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8) For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
(1 Timothy 1:5)
God has already done His part to restore our relationship to Him. He took the initiative.
Now He waits for each of us to individually accept what He has done for us through His Son Jesus Christ. What does God want you to do?
Admit that God has not come first in your life and ask Him to forgive your sins.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9) Believe that Jesus died to pay for your sins and that He rose again
and is alive today. If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised
Him from the dead, you shall be saved; (Romans 10:9) "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has
been given among men, by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12) Accept God's free gift of salvation - don't try to earn it.
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves,
it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9) Our relationship to God is not based on anything we do, but on what Jesus already did for us!
Invite Jesus Christ to be the Savior and Lord of your life.
"What must I do to be saved? . . . Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved,"
(Acts 16:30-31)
How do you do this?
"Dear Jesus, thank you for making me and loving me, even though 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. Please come into my life and make me a new person inside. I accept your gift of salvation. Please help me to grow now as a Christian." Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved. (Romans 10:13)
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