1. First, the bad news - we’re all sinners in the eyes of God.
Romans 3:23: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.
2. More bad news - the result of sin is death.
Romans 6:23: For the wages of sin is death.
There are two parts to death. The first death is a physical death here on earth. The second death is the lake of fire (hell).
Revelation 21:8: But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
That’s a pretty bad list, right? But, notice at the end of the list it said “all liars.” The Bible says, “let God be true, but every man a liar” (Romans 3:4). The point here is that we’re all sinners and we’re all condemned to hell - even if the only thing you have ever done wrong is tell a lie.
3. Now the Good news – God has a gift He wants to give you (eternal life).
Romans 6:23: For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
God has a gift He wants to give you and that gift is eternal life and it is through Jesus Christ. You don’t have to work for the gift and you don’t have to pay for the gift.
Ephesians 2:8-9: 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.
4. More Good News – Jesus paid the price for our sins.
John 3:16 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.
Just because the gift is free doesn’t mean that someone didn’t pay for it. Since God wants to give you a gift, He’s the giver and you’re the receiver, so He paid for the gift. Jesus paid for the gift by His death, burial and resurrection. Do you believe that Jesus died, was buried and was resurrected on the third day to pay for our sins?
John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
God says he wants to give you eternal life, that is life that will never end. This means that when you die the initial physical death, you will not die the second death of being cast into the lake of fire but instead you will go and live with God forever in heaven.
Titus 1:2: In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;
Our hope for eternal life is that God cannot lie. So if God promises you life that will never end, then He will give you life that never ends. Salvation had nothing to do with you, remember it’s “not of yourselves” (Ephesians 2:8). When God forgives you of your sins; He forgives you of all your sins—past, present, future. That is how he can guarantee us eternal life.
5. All you have to do is accept God’s gift for you by faith.
Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
If someone were to buy a gift, wrap it and write your name on it, it would not become yours until you accepted it. The gift from God is exactly the same. It’s already been paid for by Jesus Christ and God offers it to everyone but you need to accept it. You accept the gift of eternal life by confessing with your mouth while believing in your heart.
Do you want to accept Jesus Christ and be saved from your sins right now? Then just say this simple prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I’m a sinner and that I deserve to go to hell. I believe that you died on the cross, were buried and rose again to pay for my sins. I ask you to save me, forgive me of my sins and take me to heaven when I die. Thank you for giving me eternal life. Amen.
Congratulations, you are saved!
If you prayed that prayer and got saved, send me a message - it would make an old Canadian guy very happy to hear that you got saved. God bless.
If I died today, I'm sure I have NO idea where I would go - or for that matter, if my soul/essence/consciousness would 'go' anywhere at all.
I can't even tell you what I think will happen, because truth be told I have absolutely no clue.
Some of you (a lot of you) seem to know.
That's enviable. Truthfully.
That's all I have on the matter. Love ya all.
Jesus said, "Ask and you shall receive. Seek and you shall find. Knock and the door will be opened for you."
There is a Father in Heaven who loves you literally beyond measure. He wants to welcome you home into His family, and give you peace, joy, courage, strength, and a love for your fellow human being. Come as you are. Do you believe that this universe, from sub-atomic particles to the periodic table to vast galaxies, just created itself? Have you learned about the mind-boggling complexity and wondrous ingenuity of just a single living cell? One would have to be insane to truly believe it sprang up from pure chance. There must be a Creator. That Creator has reached out to mankind over the millennia. Those He interacted with passed His truths on and they were written down in the Old Testament and the New, both of which spoke of God's love and His desire for mankind to join His family. The ultimate sacrifice was Christ dying for you and me to save us from our sin that separates us from God. Is there any reason for you not to accept His love and salvation? If you have any questions, just ask.
That is the purpose of this post.
It is to show people that getting saved is NOT complicated. For those that do want to go to heaven to be with the Lord, all they have to do is accept Him by faith by confessing with their mouth and BELIEVING in their heart that He is the living Son of God that died for their sins. So easy, yet satan continues to run his program of lies and deception to capture the souls of man. God bless you.
I was in the same place as you a little over a year ago.
I said out loud to who or whatever may have been listening, but for all I knew it was to only myself, "I want to believe, but I just don't".
After that I started reading the Bible more and more, and had a general, but strange, sense that everything I was reading might as well be true. I mean, why not? Then a few months later I again took stock of my view and realized I could earnestly say "I believe".
Almost the exact same experience here, complete with the OPs skepticism and, frankly, trepidation. Had been seeking faith for years and could never really wrap my head around believing this "fairy tale" of Christ could possibly be more than a metaphor. It bummed me out.
One random day, I sincerely asked, as you did, and I was rewarded immediately with the warmest presence I can articulate. It wasn't an immediate Faith, but it was a reply, and over the past few years that seed has grown and grown and is now bearing fruit.
Lots still more to do, learn and grow. But I am grateful and sure of Christ now.
Humility. Knock on that door with complete surrender.
Yes, its good to keep in mind that not everyone's journey to faith is an instant, overnight crisis thing. Jesus is a patient and loving shepherd who may work differently in different folks. John 3 talks about being born fresh, born from above, but he didn't say its an instantaneous thing necessarily. Read carefully what he says about the work of the Spirit, His mysterious methods like the wind that comes and goes. But the takeaway is to not lose heart, be discouraged, or give up if all the answers are not suddenly clear, or if obstacles and opposition seem to threaten the cultivation of the seed that has been planted in your heart.
100%
Even after I came to believe, that wasn't simply it. Every so often, it's like God hits me upside the head with some new information and I end up having to change my view based on what He's presented to me.
Awesome to hear, fren!
"Ask and it will be given to you" becomes a stark reality, especially in cases like ours.
And yea, certainly much more to learn. The more time passes, the more I realize how little I truly understand.