“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” John 3:16 – 17
You were created to know God and to have a personal relationship with Him. How do you start a relationship with God? Here are 4 truths you must know.
- 1. The Problem
- 2. The Penalty
- 3. The Payment
- 4. The Promise
The problem: You are a sinner.
No matter how good a life we try to live, we still fall miserably short of being a good person. That is because we are all sinners.
“None is righteous, no, not one” Romans 3:10
The penalty: There is a consequence for your sin.
Because of sin we earn and deserve judgement.
“But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” Rev 21:8
Take a moment and ask yourself: If I died right now, where would I go?
The payment: Jesus died on the cross for you.
“God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8
This is the Good News: God loves you so much that He sent His only Son to die in your place when you least deserved it.
The promise: If you depend on Jesus to save you from sin, He will forgive your sins, credit His righteousness to your account, and give you eternal life.
“Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out,” Acts 3:19
The word repent means to turn away from. It’s the act of turning away from your sin and turning toward Christ. Instead of running from God, we can run toward Him.
“…everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.” Acts 10:43b.
“And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness” Romans 4:5.
Not only does Jesus deal with the negative consequence of our sin but also gives us a new positive position with God.
Based on these verses found in God’s Word, if you depend on Jesus Christ to save you from sin and hell, He will forgive your sins, credit His righteousness to your account, and give you eternal life.
Do you want to place your trust in Jesus to save you right now?
I encourage you to use prayer as a simple expression of your faith. However, it’s not the prayer that saves you, but your belief and dependence on Christ.
If you’ve placed your trust in Christ, please let us know. We would love to send you some additional resources to help you in your walk with God. You can contact us online or call us at (304) 728-3700. Additionally, we would love to see you in person for one of our services.