You have broken God’s holy Law. You don’t think so? “I’m not so bad,” you tell yourself.
Really? Ask yourself some questions. Have you ever lied? Yes, you have. Have you ever stolen anything? Yes, you have.
Have you ever committed adultery? Yes, you have, because Jesus says that to even
look upon a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in
his heart. My friend, you have broken three out of ten. And by desiring her in the first place, you are coveting someone’s wife or daughter. That’s four.
Shall we try for five out of ten? Jesus says to hate someone is to commit the sin of murder in your heart. And that’s where sin starts. Let’s check the balance sheet. You have admitted that you are a lying, thieving, covetous, murdering, adulterer—and we’ve only looked at five of the ten.
Shall we go for six? By doing all these things, you have dishonored your father and mother. My friend, you’ve broken six out of ten. If you will be honest with yourself, you have broken all the others, too. And these are just a summary of God’s holy Law.
You’ve got a problem, my friend. And it’s a serious problem, because the penalty for breaking God’s Law is severe indeed. But it’s not just your problem. It’s my problem, too. In fact, it’s everybody’s problem. The penalty is death, and not just physical death. The penalty is eternal death, separation from God in a
place that you really don’t want to go to.
But there’s some good news. In fact, it’s great news. That eternal penalty has already been paid. God Himself paid it and paved the road for our salvation through Jesus Christ.
The road to salvation through Jesus Christ is clearly presented in the New Testament. These Seven Principles of Salvation are set forth in Paul’s letter to the Romans.
1. All people are born sinners. We are all unrighteous people.
As it is written, "There is none righteous, no, not one: There is
none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone
out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth
good, no, not one." —Romans 3:10-12
This means that no one is righteous before God and, in fact, no one is even searching for Him.
2. All people sin. Our best efforts will never measure up.
… since "...all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" —Romans 3:23
This means that you have sinned. You have not earned, and do not deserve, eternal life. There are two things you need to know to be saved: First, you need to know that you are a sinner who has violated God’s laws. Second, you need to know that there is a terrible and eternal price for sin.
3. The price of sin is death.
"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin;
and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:" —Romans 5:12
Adam sinned and gave Satan a foothold in the world. By nature, we are all separated from God. We are all born in sin. We deserve death and hell.
4. Jesus paid your debt by dying in your place.
"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord." —Romans 6:23
You have earned death, not eternal life. So Jesus, in effect, went to the “Bank of Heaven” and paid your debt for you. Jesus paid the price for you to obtain salvation and eternal life. You cannot earn this payment. Eternal life must be accepted as a gift from God.
5. Christ died in your place, paying your price, and suffering so that you would not have to suffer eternally.
"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us." — Romans 5:8
Due to unconditional love, Christ died in your place, paying a debt He did not owe. We all have an unpaid debt of sin that Christ is willing to pay for us. How do we get our debts paid by Christ? If you accept His payment of your debt by receiving Him as your Lord and Savior, He will make you His child and take you to heaven when you die.
6. You must confess
that you are a sinner, and believe in your heart that God raised Christ from the dead.
"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. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the
mouth confession is made unto salvation." — Romans 10:9-10
The Bible promises us that God forgives our sin when we accept the work that Christ did for us when He died on Calvary. You can do this by praying this short, simple prayer:
7. His invitation is open to
"whosoever"… even you.
"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” — Romans 10:13
The word “whosoever” includes you. How do you “call on the name of the Lord” to be saved?
“Lord, Jesus, I know that I am a sinner and I need you. I know that you paid the price for my sins by dying on the cross. I ask that you forgive my sins; and I receive you as my Savior. I thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life.
Please work in my heart to make me the kind of person you want me to be. Amen.”
Look to God’s Word for encouragement as you begin your new life in Christ. Remember these simple truths from God’s Word:
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins,
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
—1 John 1:9
"The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the
children of God:" —Romans 8:16
"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." —Ephesians 2:8
"For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be
compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." —Romans 8:18
"These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son
of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on
the name of the Son of God." —1 John 5:13
"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are
passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God,
who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ... —2 Corinthians 5:17-18a
If you have decided to trust Christ as
a result of reading this page, let me
know...